It’s time to survive the Summer, Mama! As the weather heats up, pregnancy skin changes are every more present, skin can feel drier and itchier, your legs can feel hotter and puffier and your boobs can feel even more sore and swollen. But fear not, over the coming Summer months we’ll be here to help you stay cool, calm and collected, so you can enjoy the warmer weather!
Read on to discover our solutions to pregnancy skin changes, including dry skin, swollen legs and feet, stretch marks and sore boobs…
Stretch Marks
A big pregnancy skin change is stretch marks. Stretch marks are perfectly normal and super common to get when you’re on your pregnancy journey, Mama! But if you’re feeling a little self-conscious about wearing shorter sleeves, shorts or skirts in the warmer months, we have the perfect solution.
But what are pregnancy stretch marks? And how do they develop?
During pregnancy, the skin rapidly expands to accommodate a growing baby bump. As the skin str-e-tches, the skin collagen component of the skin is stretched, causing tension within the skin. This tension can ‘pull apart’ and damage these collagen bundles, resulting in stretch marks. As our skin attempts to repair the ruptures, more collagen is produced, but this collagen is believed to be thinner and less organised than ‘regular’ collagen fibres, leading the stretch mark to be visibly different from the surrounding skin. For more information about stretch marks, check out our blog!
Charged with our iconic Omega-rich Skin Stretch Complex, our stretch marks range has been expertly crafted to increase skin elasticity, helping to protect against stretch marks. From rich, thick butters to silky, lightweight oils, our Tummy Rub Butter and Oil are both clinically proven* to increase skin elasticity and moisture, helping to protect against stretch marks. Partnered with our gentle Tummy Rub Scrub to polish and prep pregnancy skin and Mama Marks Cream to visibly reduce existing stretch marks, you’ll feel your most confident you in no time!
*Tested in an independent clinical trial.
Swollen Legs and Feet
Are your ankles feeling swollen? Legs feeling hot? Feet feeling puffy? We feel you, Mama! Did you know, when pregnant, swelling is caused by your body holding more water than usual. As the day goes on, the extra water tends to gather in the lowest parts of the body, hence why your legs, feet and ankles feel the biggest weight! This can be intensified if you’re stood up for a long time or if the weather is super hot, not to mention the extra weight in your belly! If you’re experiencing your Trimester 4 in the summer months and your legs are feeling the weight from your baby in your arms, we have the products for you too. Find out how to help treat swollen legs with our guide, here!
If you’re feeling the heat on your legs and feet, our Lucky Legs Refreshing Spritz and Lucky Legs Cooling Gel are here to help. Fuelled by whole host of revitalising ingredients including cooling Aloe Vera, energising Ginger Extract, comforting Chamomile Extract and a 100% natural, peppermint and menthol fragrance, you’ll feel invigorated and ready to go (or ready to have a nice lie down) in no time.
Sore Boobs
As one of the most common, earliest signs of pregnancy skin changes, tender boobs and nipples can be a big discomfort for expectant mamas. Not to mention if you’re breastfeeding post-partum, your boobs can feel engorged as well as your nipples dry and cracked. In the summertime, when your battling a host of other problems as well, let’s bring this one further down the list!
When you fall pregnant, your body is flooded with hormones. These hormones are working to quickly prepare your breasts for breastfeeding, with the flow of blood to your chest increasing and therefore making them grow larger. For many women, at the start of pregnancy this pain tends to be dull and achy, heavy and swollen. They are sensitive to touch with the nipples being particularly touchy! If you’re experiencing sharp breast pain, this is not common. Please consult your doctor, midwife or pregnancy healthcare provider for support. For more information about why your boobs might be sore and itchy whilst pregnant, check out our blog!
Now for the best part, how can we help?! First up, our Pregnancy Boob Tube. Ever heard the old wives tale that Cabbage Leaf Extract can help soothe sore boobs? Well our nourishing breast cream is packed full of it! Also containing Squalene to help protect the skin from dryness, Aloe Vera to soothe and cool and Shea Butter to moisturise and protect. This deeply hydrating cream leaves skin feeling soft and protected from stretch marks.
Next, Keep Calm Nipple Balm is perfect for breastfeeding (or bottle feeding!) mamas who need relief from dry, cracked nipples. Fuelled by Coconut Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, our award-winning, protective balm is safe to use whilst breastfeeding, simply remove the excess before baby latches on.
Dry Skin
Last but not least on your summer confidence journey is the dreaded...dry skin. Surprisingly, not everyone is blessed with a healthy pregnancy glow, one type of pregnancy skin changes we can definitely get on board with! Fluctuating hormones can cause your skin to lose moisture and elasticity as it begins to str-e-tch, which can lead to tight, itchy and flaky skin. It’s most common to feel these changes on your belly, but some mama’s can also feel itchiness in their thighs, breasts and arms. Once you’ve given birth to your little one (or more!) the hormone progesterone predominates over oestrogen, this combined with fatigue can cause your skin to stay dry and flaky. Want to know more about dry skin? Check out our blog!
The answer to all this dryness? Hydration, hydration, hydration! Drinking plenty of water and incorporating water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumber and strawberries into your diet help boost hydration from the inside, whilst moisturising products from Mama Mio help your skin feel plump and soft from the outside!
Use Megamama Shower Milk in your wash routine as a nourishing, foaming cleanser. Formulated with hydrating Omegas, Sweet Almond Oil and Vitamin E, this non-drying wash will leave your skin feeling soft and silky after your bath or shower. For dry skin on your arms, legs and anywhere else, try Megamama Body Lotion. A delicate, AHA blend encourages surface cell renewal for brighter looking skin, whilst Hyaluronic Acid plumps and hydrates the skin with moisture.
Craving some vitamin sea, Mama? Check out our top 5 tips for travelling when pregnant, here!
