If you knew the secrets of how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy? How good would you feel? As you know your body will undergo many changes during your pregnancy many of which will disappear soon after your baby is born. Stretch marks are one change that won’t go away or at least not very easily. Here are three healthy pregnancy tips which are the key to the secrets that unlock the mystery of how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.
Tip #1: A Healthy Diet For Pregnant Women
During the 6th and 7th months of pregnancy is the time when when stretch marks usually appear. The number one reason for stretch marks is that the skin is forced to stretch too much, too quickly. You can equate your skin to a piece of elastic, if you over stretch it, it will lose some of its elasticity and won’t return to its original form, and you may even find that it becomes wrinkled along the edges. The same can happen with your body.
Eating a healthy diet and controlled weight gain during the course of your pregnancy is the best way to prevent that from happening. Your body, especially your tummy needs time to adapt to your growing baby. A healthy diet during pregnancy is one that is rich in nutrients and includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals, and lean proteins.
If you are in the normal weight range for your height during your pregnancy you can expect to gain about 25 to 30 pounds (10 – 13 kilos). If you are overweight you should gain a little less and if underweight a little more. If you can keep your weight gain within the recommended range then you have unlocked the secret “how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy”.
Tip #2: Water Is Your Best Friend
Make water your best friend when you are looking to understand how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. You need to drink plenty of water – at least 8 glasses a day and more if you exercise or if the weather is hot. Drinks such as fruit juice and the occasional tea or coffee (you want to reduce the caffeine) are counted in the total. If you are not drinking enough water then your skin will become dry and it will not have the elasticity that it needs to handle the stretching during pregnancy. And of course drinking plenty of water is also necessary to keep your growing baby healthy.
Tip #3: Pamper your skin
Moisturizing your skin and protecting it from the sun is very important for maintaining its elasticity and suppleness. Choose a moisturizer that has a sun protection factor of at least 15 (SPF15+) and check with your pharmacy for moisturizing creams that are pregnancy safe. While most commonly used products are completely safe, some creams contain ingredients that doctors recommend you avoid such as “retinoids”, commonly used in anti-aging creams.
As with any cream or lotion there are many creams that may be suitable for you but it’s important to test them on a small part of your skin as not all moisturizers suit everyone. The best way to apply moisturizing cream is to gently rub it onto your body in a circular motion, this helps to bring blood flow to the surface of the skin which is important for healthy skin.
These three healthy pregnancy tips should help you understand how to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy or at least make them less noticeable if they do appear. So stay healthy and enjoy your pregnancy.
