Advice for new mamas from beauty expert and founder of Oskia Skincare, Georgie Reeve
Pregnancy can be tough on women and you’d be forgiven for wanting to get back to normal as soon as possible after birth. The key, however, is to be patient – and to be smart about how you look after yourself in those tumultuous first months of motherhood.
Nutrition Tips
- Eat! Trying to lose weight too soon after the birth can slow milk production. Breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day and can cause constant hunger (it did with me), so this is a time to really enjoy food.
- Follow a well-balanced diet with lots of fresh, wholesome food and a good balance of protein, carbs, fruit and vegetables.
- Cook an extra portion or two of supper so you always have a meal ready for the next day.
Best foods for breastfeeding mothers:
- Oats – known to boost milk production. ⎦ Salmon – contains a high level of the fat DHA, crucial to baby’s nervous system (it can also help prevent postnatal depression).
- Dairy – for vitamin D and bone strength as well as B vitamins, which will benefit your skin.
- Iron – eating enough beef or iron-rich vegetables is vital. Without iron you can feel lethargic and find it difficult to keep up with your newborn. ⎦ Oranges – breastfeeding mums need more vitamin C than pregnant ladies. ⎦ Water – drink 2-3 times as much as usual. Breastfeeding can dehydrate you and cause constipation.
Beauty Tips
- Expect your skin to go through changes in the three weeks after birth, as hormones settle down.
- Melasma can now be treated as hormonal triggers settle. Great ingredients to use include vitamin C (though more doesn’t always mean better), niacinamide, glutathione and arbutin. My recommendation: Oskia Renaissance BrightLight Serum.
- Lack of sleep lowers ATP (your skin’s energy resource). This is why you look worse after less sleep, so pick ingredients that boost ATP, like ribose. My recommendation: Oskia Get Up & Glow.
- Time for make-up is a luxury, so fake it – tint lashes and brows and apply a good fake tan, like Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster or Vita Liberata Tristal Loose Self-tanning Powder.
- Use clever, multi-use products. A mild AHA cleanser or toner will double up as a face-mask if left on while you brush your teeth. Personally, I think glycolic acid is too strong when skin will be at its most sensitive. My recommendations: Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel, Merumaya Exfoliating Toner.
- Lanolin is your new best friend. Use on lips, nipples and to highlight cheek and brow bones.
- If you’re breastfeeding, now’s a good time to switch to a natural deodorant. Aurelia’s new Botanical Cream Deodorant is glorious (launching soon).
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