THE EXPECTANT MOMS PANDEMIC GUIDE TO RADIANT SKIN AND PROPER NUTRITION

With the pandemic and lockdown in full effect, we’re left in our homes, scared of the outside world. The situation is hard, more so for expectant mothers. Going out for appointments and errands have been more difficult than before.

The stress and anxiety of the pandemic is harsh and your worries are not unfounded. It’s difficult to feel you’re at a hundred percent. But you know what? A little glamming up can do wonders to improve your mood. Maybe have a little skin care session, or even put on some make-up. So what if you’re just at home? As the saying goes, “look good, feel good.”

It’s important to note, however, that in this day and age, a lot of beauty products are actually quite harsh and harmful to the skin. Not to mention the effects they have on our bodies. Sometimes, products have chemicals in them that cause expectant mothers to experience harmful side effects. Even some regular over-the-counter everyday medicines are quite harmful for the mother and child.

Most beauty products aren’t allowed during pregnancy, but don't worry! There are alternatives to these products. Below is a list of safe skin care habits you can follow when you’re expecting. 

1. First of all, discuss the safety of your skin care products with your dermatologist and OB/GYN, especially if you’re taking prescription medications or are concerned about a pre-existing skin condition.
2. Hydrate more when you're pregnant. Pregnancy requires a lot from your body. If your baby inside your womb needs water, they will pull it from your body, causing your skin to dry up.
3. Regular exercise, like light walking, helps nourish skin cells and keep them vital. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body, including the skin.
4. Vitamin C can help fade pigmentation and smooth the skin’s surface to reduce dullness. This leaves the skin looking moist and healthy.
5. A good sleep schedule can do wonders. Having seven to nine hours of sleep a night can help skin become more moisturized and actually heal itself better than only sleeping for five hours or less.
6. Use a sunblock and a lightening cream called hydroquinone cream to clear the Melasma. Melasma is a common pigmentation disorder that causes brown or gray patches to appear on the skin due to pregnancy.
7. While mild soap is recommended during pregnancy, moisturising soaps are better. Do not use bubble baths or scrub your skin daily. 

Who says that we supermoms cannot look good and feel great while also undertaking the trials we face during pregnancy? Yes, there are many harmful substances out there that may affect you and your baby. But with the right vitamins and supplements and a holistic game plan, we can achieve our lakas and ganda goals in no time!

The sudden influx of dos and don'ts may seem confusing when we have a bun in the oven. It’s quite easy to get overwhelmed with this information overload, but keep in mind that there are vitamins and nutrients that are completely safe and can keep us healthy and strong throughout the pregnancy. Some beneficial vitamins and nutrients include sodium ascorbate aka vitamin C, Zinc, and D-alpha tocopheryl succinate aka vitamin E, all of which can be found in Fortima.

Fortima can help give you healthy skin and a strong body to help you throughout the pregnancy, especially nowadays when times are uncertain. Being an expectant mom is already hard enough as it is, but being an expectant mom during a pandemic makes the experience a lot more challenging. So there’s nothing wrong with getting a little help along the way, even if that help comes in the form of a boost in strength and positivity. It's important that mommy looks good and feels great because when mommy is happy, baby is happy too! 

Ready to get started? Head on over to our Lazada flagship store or Shopee now to get your daily dose of Fortima delivered straight to your home.

SOURCES:
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/pregnancy-time-special-caution
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114665/
https://www.cfp.ca/content/57/6/665.full
https://europepmc.org/article/med/23430167
https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/phthalates
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Oxybenzone
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jchem/2016/1529071/
https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/998/pregnancy-skin-care-tips-during-pregnancy-and-after-birth
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-1746/hydroquinone-with-sunscreen-topical/details
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/exercise#:~:text=By%20increasing%20blood%20flow%2C%20exercise,free%20radicals%2C%20from%20working%20cell
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/vitamin-c-serum-benefits#anti--inflammatory.
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/exercise#:~:text=By%20increasing%20blood%20flow%2C%20exercise,free%20radicals%2C%20from%20working%20cells.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322230#:~:text=Dehydration%20is%20more%20common%20during,need%20to%20consume%20extra%20nutrients.
https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/pregnancy-safe-skin-care#checking-safety