Best Skincare Routines After Pregnancy – Skincare Tips for New Mums

When you have a baby, particularly your first child – it may feel like your focus is on nothing else besides your little one. They need constant attention; you lack sleep; and the things that felt quick and easy before you gave birth (like showering or washing your face) now feel like a luxury. Once the initial exhaustion wears off (if it does), many new mums notice a difference in their skin. Find out how to care for your skin after pregnancy.

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Skin changes after pregnancy may be related to altered hormone levels and changes in your sleeping patterns (or not sleeping patterns thanks to your little one). It can also relate to the amount of time you now lack to dedicate to maintaining a good skincare regime and good complexion once you’ve given birth. But even though you’re often busy and overly tired, you shouldn’t let your skincare regime fall to the wayside.

There are some simple ways to keep up with a good skincare regime and fight puffy eyes and dark under-eye circles – without spending a lot of time. So if you’re looking for some tips for a best-practice skincare regime with a little one constantly in your arms, here are some Post-Pregnancy Skin Care Tips from our Dermal Clinicians.

Skin Care as a New Mum: Figure out your skin type and keep it simple.

Do you have dry, oily, or medium skin? Are you prone to acne?
Remember, your skin type may have changed during pregnancy or after giving birth!
Pay attention to the changes in your body after pregnancy – even your hair can look and feel different.
Once you figure out what type of skin you have at this stage of motherhood, you can implement a daily routine that you can keep up with. A cleanser and moisturizer is a great place to start.

Nutrition after Giving Birth: Your Diet WILL Affect Your Skin so eat as healthily as you can.

We recognise you won’t have a lot of time for yourself once you have your baby. But try not to let this drastically affect your diet. Salty meals, meals on the run, not drinking enough and poor nutrition wreak havoc on your skin. Try to opt for healthy snacks like blueberries, cucumbers, carrots, and pumpkin seeds, all of which have great benefits for the skin (and for your recovering waistline!) Eating well is important to combat fatigue, and is a great idea from many aspects, including if you’re breastfeeding.

Moisturize & Hydrate Your Skin After Pregnancy.

Not only is hydration important for your body but also your skin (read our blog on How To Tell If You’re Dehydrated). It’s even more important than ever if you’re breastfeeding because your body is losing as much as a litre of liquid a day. Dehydration leads to fatigue (or makes it worse), as well as headaches and dry skin. A lack of sleep will also leave your skin dryer than normal. Moisturizing IN THE MORNING and BEFORE BEDTIME is important and will keep your skin looking and feeling great.

Tip: Keep facial moisturisers in several locations so you don’t forget – near where you breastfeed, near your alarm clock and even in the kitchen. An easy-to-use one (pump bottle) rather than one with a finicky lid might be helpful.

You can bring your infant to a skin assessment appointment if you need to (although it may be good if you bring someone with you, who can hold your baby for just half an hour or longer if you also want a facial). Having a formal skin consultation is a great idea after pregnancy because you can learn which medical-grade (cosmeceutical) skincare products are going to be best for your skin after pregnancy. Plus, we carry a wonderful range of products to suit ALL skin types and skin conditions. You’ll be able to pick the best ones for YOUR skin with helpful information from the skin assessment by one of our highly trained Dermal Clinicians.

Sleeping After Pregnancy: Making Sleep Work Best for You.

We know you’re probably not getting 8+ hours of uninterrupted sleep anymore – and that it could be a long while before that becomes an option for you again (but if there’s any way you can do this safely and still care for your infant, it’s a great way to combat fatigue which often plays into postpartum depression). Here’s why sleeping after giving birth is so important.

Lack of sleep lowers the moisture levels and pH levels in your skin, causing redness, uneven skin, and breakouts.
Lack of sleep slows down your healing and recovery from giving birth as well as impacts your overall metabolism.

Give your skin an extra boost whilst you’re sleeping by using an overnight cream or special serum.

There are lots of options: anti-wrinkle, moisturizing, anti-ageing or oil-control products. Using the right overnight creams can actually help you look like you are getting enough sleep, even when your body tells you differently.

Sleep when you can is always the rule, however – so let other things go – and focus on getting as much rest as possible.

Combat dark circles: How can you best treat dark circles under your eyes?

Most new mums complain of dark circles under their eyes and looking tired and drawn. A lack of sleep is often the culprit, because it can cause the blood vessels to dilate and result in dark under-eye circles. A chilled skin-tightening eye cream can help you reduce your eye puffiness and a cover-up makeup that matches your skin tone helps you downplay the dark circles.

Makeup Tip for Covering Up Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

The eye area is especially sensitive and important to protect – so don’t skimp on your eye are products.
Use a quality cover-up product as not all makeup is created equally
You may find a skin-tone product works best, but other options for reducing under-eye darkness involve the use of products that are different coloured (such as green to neutralise skin redness)
Apply your cover-up in a triangular formation (otherwise you’ll get that ‘owl’ look)
Don’t use any highlighter, as you’ll want to draw attention away from the eyes. A bold lip colour will do just that!

Make things easy for yourself after becoming a New Mum.

Have a few products out and on-hand – so that you don’t have to go searching for them in the bathroom or in your purse. Put one in your stroller or carry bag and CLEARLY mark it “MUMS” (so that if you’re reaching for something when you’re tired, you’ll not grab the wrong product).

Be sure to have clean towels on hand! Used towels and dirty towels often have dirt, oil, and sweat particles on them – and can lead to breakouts. You should ideally use a fresh facial washer every single day to avoid bacteria and other pollutants from getting on your skin.

If you’re not finding the time to cleanse and moisturize, use cleansing, disposable alcohol-free wipes and an all-in-one moisturizer, which can take less than a minute, total!

Don’t forget about the baby when you’re thinking Skin Care and Sun Protection: Caring for your Infant’s Skin

We didn’t think you would, but baby’s skin should be cared for, too. Until they begin crawling, baths aren’t necessarily given to infants more than twice a week.

Sponge baths, using a very mild cleanser that won’t dry out your baby’s skin. This is especially vital around the mouth, skin folds and even diaper area.
Most dermatologists don’t recommend sunscreen until 6 months. Make sure the baby is protected from the sun with clothing, hats, and stroller covers.
Avoid direct sunlight for babies less than 6 months.
Use gentle fragrance-free laundry detergent and avoid fabric softener so as not to irritate your baby’s skin.
And, just like your skin, you should moisturize your baby’s skin.
Use gentle, fragrance-free creams and infant-safety-tested ointments rather than rough lotions.
Here’s what you do in the event of diaper rash or raw skin. Use cream or petroleum jelly, let their skin “air out,” and figure out where the friction has originated.

We know a lot of these skincare tips are easier said than done. It’s especially hard when you’ve suddenly got an infant in your care. It feels like you have ZERO time to look after your basic needs let alone your skin.

Minimal Skincare Tips:

If you do nothing else, be sure to wash your face (even if it’s with a wipe).
Just make sure the wipe is ALCOHOL-FREE as most do contain alcohol and this can greatly dry your skin.
You’ll also want to choose and use a high-grade moisturizer with SPF. This will protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Keep a few of your favourite skincare products on hand in different places. This is so you don’t have to search for them. But keep them in the SAME place in your bag or on your dresser. Routinising your skincare will be one key factor in keeping it easy.

Sun damage is the number one cause of wrinkles and will cause brown spots, uneven skin, and premature ageing. Neglecting your skin while you’re tired and busy will lead to larger and more intense skin problems later.

And with a new baby, you’ll want to look and feel young for as long as possible!

No matter what age you have your first baby, your skin is likely to have special requirements after giving birth. We can help!

Ask us about Obagi, Medik8, PCA Skincare, Cosmedix and other options for Sun Protection, including award-winning products that are well-absorbed, physical protection-based products rather than chemical-based sunscreen products.

Want to find out which skincare products may help your skin look its best after pregnancy?

To schedule an appointment with one of our highly-experienced Dermal Clinicians, please phone our office on (03) 8849 1400

Skincare for New Mums