Hair:
Here's a little fact that I never knew. Apparently during pregnancy one does not lose the usual 35-45 hairs a day that you typically do, making your hair massively thick during pregnancy. Don't get too excited though because shortly after giving birth, you will lose all of that hair that you've savored for nine months. Now this is great for ladies out there with thin hair, but for those of us who already have gobs of hair to spare, this can be nightmarish! I'm going to be completely straight with you, I was so sick during my first trimester of pregnancy that my go to hairstyle became a wet ponytail (no I'm not proud). So now that I'm feeling better, I am trying to deal with the insane bush of hair that I have discovered on my head.
My pre-pregnancy hair routine was truly pretty simple, I only wash my hair on average two times a week, so day one it gets styled (either straight or curly), day two I use some dry shampoo to fluff it back up, day three probably calls for more dry shampoo and day four may be an updo or some hair accessories. If I make it to day five, then I'm probably sporting a cute hat. Part of the problem that I'm experiencing is that I'm also in the process of growing my hair out from a pixie almost two years ago that turned into a bob and is now a little longer than shoulder length. So basically I have no style.
It may sound as though I'm a total mess and really have no hair advice to offer at this point, but if you happen to be in the same boat as me right now, here are the few pieces of advice that I do have.
1. Dry shampoo. Seriously, I have no idea how I lived before this stuff. If you're pregnant and exhausted, you probably aren't going to want to wash and dry the 10lbs of hair that you've discovered on your head recently, and this stuff will feel like a lifesaver! I've used Bed Head Dirty Secret for years, and it is by far my favorite dry shampoo. (Stay tuned for an extensive dry shampoo trial and product review coming soon!)
2. Accessorize! This fall the biggest designers featured gorgeous 90's inspired hair accessories with their collections, so put them to good use. Spruce up a really simple updo with barrettes or tease it up with some dry shampoo and add a great headband. You really aren't going to want to spend a lot of money on clothing that you can't wear for long, so invest in some great hair accessories. It really will make you feel fresh and on trend.
3. Don't be too hard on yourself. If you're used to being a total fashionista who would never leave her house without makeup on much less with undone hair, get over it. Once your little one comes, you're probably going to have a lot less time to spend on you, so let go of your need for perfection now. And honestly, who can blame you for not having perfect hair when you've been puking all morning before work?
4. Any hairdresser who has your best interest at heart will tell you that it is not a good idea to go for a drastic change while pregnant (ie. chopping off 6 inches because you're pregnant and overheating). A few highlights and a trim, however, should give you a safe amount of newness to tide you over for a bit.
Skincare:
As a die hard Murad skincare user, I was thrown through a loop when I realized I couldn't use my current sincare regimen now that I'm pregnant. So I began researching! Here's what I've found:
1. My first go to was Lush. Their all natural handmade cosmetics line is perfect for a preggers gal. I strongly believe that the key to a gorgeous glow is mild exfoliation every morning and Lush's Angels on Bare Skin gives the perfect amount of exfoliation and hydration.
"The kaolin clay base deep cleanses while ground almonds gently exfoliate the dead skin away. Rose and lavender are added to soothe and help balance out combination skin." - Lush.com
2. The only downfall is that AOBS doesn't take off makeup, so I needed a cleanser too. I've been using the Ole Henriksen Truth To Go Wipes and love them! So I decided to check out the On The Go cleanser. It has grapeseed, orange and yucca extracts with a special vitamin C complex for a "radiant glow". I prefer the wipes because of their convenience, but the cleanser is great too and still has that great fragrance and leaves my face clean at night.
4. I am still using my Murad Acne Spot Treatment since the active ingredient is sulfur, it is safe to use.5. As for a moisturizer, I'm sticking with my Oil of Olay SPF 15 daily moisturizer, but I've added Boscia Recharging Night Moisture because my skin has been so dry.
6. When I'm dealing with pregnancy breakouts I also use a sulfur masque by PeterThomasRoth that works great and is prego-safe.
Now, the belly, we all know the importance of keeping it moisturized to ward off those pesky stretch marks, but there are so many products out there that it makes it difficult to choose the best ones. It is estimated that up to 90% of women will develop stretch marks during pregnancy...scary, I know. So if you're like me, you're going to do everything in your power to prevent them! My regimen has been pretty simple but consistent, and so far so good! Every morning after I get out of the shower I slather myself in organic coconut oil and every night I use cocoa butter.
1. Coconut Oil - contains lauric acid which has antioxidant and soothing properties as well as the regular properties as other carrier oils which simply hold moisture into the skin. It is important that you put it on quickly after showering because that way you're locking in the moisture that is still in your skin. (P.S. coconut oil can do great things for your hair when used as a deep conditioner as well as treat dandruff and yeast infections that can be common during pregnancy). I use the certified organic Virgin Coconut Oil that you find on the baking isle at the grocery store.
2. Cocoa Butter - creates a barrier between your skin and the environment which protects skin and locks in moisture. I use this at night because it is thicker and stays really well so it lasts all night. It has become a special ritual at night for my husband to massage cocoa butter on my belly. I like the Palmers Tummy Butter because it comes in a nice little tub, so you don't have to deal with scraping the bottom of the bottle with the pump version. UPDATE: Try the new botanical version of the tummy butter, it has exfoliating properties and a slightly different texture, and I love it!
UPDATE: 40 weeks with no stretch marks! (I gained a total of about 40lbs)
Fashion:
I'm mostly sticking to accessorizing my prepregnancy wardrobe with new scarves, hats, shoes, jewels to keep things fresh, but I have made a few maternity investments.
1. First Trimester - The first thing I invested in was a black belly band. Actually, my husband was perusing Motherhood Maternity one day without me and purchased one. I loved it so much, I had him go back and get me one in white. Basically this is a little tube top that you put over the top of your jeans to cover up the fact that they aren't buttoned. Until about 24 weeks, this kept me in my size 0 jeans! At this point, I had been so sick that I only gained about 2lbs during the first trimester.
2. Second Trimester - There comes a point in pregnancy when comfort is key, for me it was around five months. I had been wearing all of my regular clothes right up until our first ultrasound and suddenly my belly popped and I was no longer comfortable in my pre-pregnancy clothes. So my husband and I went to Old Navy. I've never been an Old Navy shopper because their clothes never really fit my body type, but I heard that they had great, reasonably priced, maternity clothes. I found some great black cropped pants, a black tank, a white tank, and a sweater. I think I spent around $100 for these basics. By the end of my second trimester, I had gained about 8lbs. I also have a pair of American Eagle skinny jeans in a size 6 that I wear with my belly band and tons of leggings.
3. Third Trimester - I'm starting to be unsure of where things are going to go from here! How big am I going to get exactly?? I started getting pretty sore after being on my feet all day at work, so my OB advised that I start wearing my belly band up over my belly for extra support. I also decided to purchase a pair of maternity leggings at Motherhood Maternity (about $12.99) and maternity tights ($7.99) that go up all the way over my belly. My husband says that I look like a Teletubby in them, but they really are very comfortable. Most of the things I was wearing in my second trimester still fit, but it's getting a bit precarious. I'm at 30 weeks right now, so I will keep you posted with any other great finds!
If you're anything like me, you're proud of the baby bump you've waited long and hard for, so go ahead and show it off! Don't dress in a tent and try to hide, wear your bump proud!
Okay, there it is ladies! What I've learned so far is that pregnancy is going to completely change you physically, but you don't have to let it get you down! So keep your head up! Some days you may not feel very glowy, but the pregnancy glow comes from the inside out (you're a holy vessel for crying out loud)...embrace it!
And stay tuned for my very own maternity photo shoot!
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