Skin Care, Pregnancy, and Winter: 4 Tips to Get You Through

No matter which season of the year or season of your life, skin care is always a popular topic. It is the largest organ in (on) our body, so why shouldn't we be talking about how to care for it? You could create an in-depth, complex skincare routine -- if that works for you. But why not keep it simple? Pregnancy already demands so much of your time and energy, and most of us can maintain happy and healthy skin with just a few basic practices. 

Hydrate - Keep your skin healthy from the inside out -- drink water. Plain water. That's it. Aim for around 60oz a day, or four 16oz glasses a day. If that feels like too much, find ways to incorporate as much water as you can tolerate. Keeping a water bottle with you can help make it easier to drink more. 

Moisturize - Again, very basic. Daily or twice daily moisturizing over your whole body, and with special concentration on areas that tend to get more dry, rough, and itchy, will help your skin feel moisturized and reduce itchiness and discomfort. Try choosing a moisturizer with fewer harsh chemicals (check out the Environmental Working Group's database). Apply moisturizer on damp skin after a shower or bath and then pat dry. Doing this will help the moisturizer stay on and soak into your skin.  

Exfoliate lightly - Exfoliating with the use of a scrub, loofah, or brush removes dead skin and stimulates circulation, both of which benefit can improve the way your skin looks and feels. Avoid harsh chemicals and instead opt for a more gentle, natural exfoliation. 

Avoid hot and frequent showers/baths - Taking very hot showers or baths, as well as showering or bathing frequently will dry out your skin. When you're pregnant in the winter, you certainly don't need any additional help drying out your skin! Instead of very hot showers and baths, make your water lukewarm, or at the very least, less hot. And, aim to shower/bathe every other day or take quick showers/baths. Then, be sure to follow up with a good all-over moisturizer before you dry off. 

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