Trophies of Motherhood

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Diet & Fitness

Friday, 09 October 2009 05:55

By Simply XQuisite

It is often said that pregnant women have a certain glow, and they do. But there are days when a little extra effort may be necessary for some of us, who don’t always do too well, especially in the first trimester. Then, there are the totally unlucky ones who simply need help from conception to delivery.

Remember your own mom telling you to drink eight glasses of water every single day? Well, guess what? She knew what she was talking about. In addition to all those wonderful “baby onboard” hormones, and the extra blood circulating throughout your body, water does wonders for your skin – the same way it does before you were pregnant.

Apart from paying special attention to what you put into your body, special care should also be given to the exterior – your skin. Healthy skin gets the least number of stretch marks. Skin should be well taken care of. Proper hydration with loads of water and proper nutrition through food, are some factors which help minimize and maybe even prevent stretch marks. Drinking lots of water each day definitely does help considerably.

Yes, I know. Stretch marks, stretch marks and more stretch marks. They're inevitable for some expectant moms no matter what they try. Roughly 70 to 80 percent of expectant moms will get stretch marks. But I am almost certain that if you do get them, they will be quite insignificant when your bundle of joy arrives. Besides, someone once said that stretch marks are actually the trophies of motherhood.

Nonetheless, what you can do to try to prevent or minimize the appearance of your "battle wounds” is to keep the skin around your hips, buttocks, upper arms, belly and breasts moisturized regularly by dabbing with body cream containing essential oils. If all else fails and you are really bothered by the marks, go see your dermatologist.

Stretch marks can appear anywhere on the body, depending on weight gain. Therefore, it is very important to gain weight within the recommend guidelines for your age, height and medical situation. Again, the best advice regarding weight gain during your pregnancy should come from your doctor.

For some women of colour, and if you are from the Caribbean like me, we grew up knowing that raw cocoa butter or coconut oil clears up any scar, big or small… stretch marks included! Others may be familiar with Palmer’s products, and some even swear by the highly recommended Bio Oil. (I am using the latter right now and will let you know in a couple of months how it turns out.) Applying natural creams is often preferred due to their natural potency, and more importantly, the absence of harsh side effects.

The key is to begin a skin care regiment before the stretch marks show.

Thankfully, if you do get stretch marks, pregnancy is a short-lived experience and they will likewise not last forever. I can imagine some of you grumbling right now that nine months seems like forever, especially those who have not even gotten past the first trimester and are not having the most exciting time. But that will prove miniscule if you just remind yourself of the incredible transformation you are going through and the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth.

Remember,  you can always show off your trophy 15 years from now when your teenager needs to be reminded of what you went through to get him/her here.

 

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