Waiting for a baby to arrive is such an exciting time, but it’s also a time when an expectant mother could use some extra help to make pregnancy easier, safer, and more comfortable. Here are a few suggestions:
Use prenatal vitamins
These contain all the nutrients the body needs for both mom and baby. Especially important is folic acid, an essential nutrient in the B vitamin family that helps to prevent a type of birth defect. Be sure to get at least 600 micrograms of folic acid during pregnancy. Ideally, a woman would be getting at least 400 micrograms before becoming pregnant.
Use pregnancy-safe skin products
The skin is the body’s largest organ, and many substances can be absorbed through it. With this in mind, it’s best to use natural, organic products for skin care, hair care, and makeup. Specifically, avoid the following:
- Retinoids
- Hydroxy acids
- Acne products
- Chemical hair removers
- OTC steroid creams like 1 percent hydrocortisone
All of these have the potential to penetrate the skin and cause a possible problem for a growing baby. The risk may be small, but it’s there, so just avoid the problem by avoiding the product. If acne breakout due to hormonal changes is an issue, ask the obstetrician for a safe solution. Sunscreens are typically safe for use during pregnancy. For a sunscreen that doesn’t penetrate the skin to work, check labels for the ingredient zinc oxide.
Bellaband
The Bellaband is a versatile device allowing the expectant mom to comfortably and easily transition the clothing gray area when regular pants still fit but not properly. The clever Bellaband allows the pregnant mom to wear regular pants unbuttoned or unzipped, while still keeping the area covered. The result just looks like the clothes have been layered. The Bellaband helps to save money on maternity clothes, too.
Belly butter
Few things are more annoying than a persistent itch. As the skin stretches more and more across the belly area, it will tend to itch. Look for itch lotions and creams intended for use during pregnancy. Especially helpful are jojoba oil and natural plant butter like shea butter and mango butter.