Any mom will tell you that stretch marks are well earned. They’re a small annoyance for the greatest reward. It’s a blessing to watch your belly grow and wiggle with life inside, but with it comes the need for even more self care during pregnancy. And let’s be honest, pampering yourself isn’t on the daily todo list when nausea and exhaustion hit. I quickly found an easy pregnancy routine that I could follow.
As soon as I found out I was pregnant I started researching the best products for stretching skin. I quickly changed my lotion and added products to minimize scarring and prevent itching (especially in the winter months).
I gained 50 pounds during my pregnancy and most of it came on fast in the last few weeks. Some stretch marks were inevitable. Lucky for me, I managed to keep them off of my belly! So I thought I’d share my self care during pregnancy routine with you!
First, and probably most obvious, I put lotion on my stomach every day. I rotated (in no particular order) between Burts Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter and Treets Nourishing Spirit Body Butter. They had very different consistencies, but I liked them both. The Mama Bee butter is thick and creamy. It feels more like a lotion than a butter. Treets feels buttery and soft, but it’s thick and can leave a residue on your clothes.
(Sorry in advance if you’re looking for the Treets Nourishing Spirit Body Butter. It was gifted to me, but I haven’t had any luck finding it sold in the US. And yes, I went through the entire container. I loved it!)
Next, I exfoliated a couple of times a week in the shower using The Tummy Rub Scrub by Mama Mio. This stuff smells amazing (so does the Treets body butter, by the way). The “beads” are gentle and I didn’t feel like I was scraping away at my skin. I bought a 5 oz bottle and I still have half of it. The brand Mama Mio also sell body butters and creams, but when I bought it I wasn’t sure how I would like it so I just got the exfoliator.
After exfoliating I used “Bio Oil Skincare Oil.” I chose it because of the herbs and vitamins that help with stretching skin. I have it listed on my Amazon Pregnancy Favs. I’ll link it here so you can read for yourself exactly what’s in it. I personally wasn’t a fan of the herbal smell but it was manageable. The packaging says it should only be used after the first trimester, so follow the instructions on the bottle. I used the oil daily in my last trimester.
I always applied lotion/butter right after exfoliating and applying the oil because the lotion keep the moisture in.
That’s it! Just those three products kept me feeling moisturized during pregnancy. I’d love to hear what you’ve used and what you’ve liked and didn’t like. Did you use any of these throughout your pregnancy? Do you swear by something different?
[Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and if you make a purchase through them I earn a commission. I link these products because I’ve used them and LOVED them, NOT because of the commission I receive from your purchases.]
