My Postpartum Self-Care Routine

My Postpartum Self-Care Routine
BY VALERIE ROBINSON

I distinctly remember the first time I washed my hair about 5 months after giving birth to my first. I ran my fingers through while rinsing the shampoo out, and the largest clump of hair I had ever seen was woven together in my hand. It was so much hair that I was convinced I would go bald. 

There’s no denying the importance of a good self-care routine, both beauty and health-related, while you are pregnant. But it’s equally essential after you have a baby as well. Babies are wonderfully tough on your body, and you need to give it all the TLC because investing in yourself will actually benefit your baby as well. 

I’m juggling two sweet babies now and still breastfeeding, so I want to share my favorite products that I’m comfortable using and that I also believe have been great for me. 

Skin & Nails

I personally have very sensitive, dry skin that suffers from painful stretch marks across my belly. For clean, organic ingredients that don’t have a strong odor and are great for moisturizing stretch marks, I use Basq NYC Stretch Mark Butter and Earth Mama Belly Butter. To ease the appearance of stretch marks, I use Mederma Quick Dry Oil, which I love because of the additional vitamins it contains that are great for the skin. For basic everyday moisturizing, especially if you suffer from chronic dry skin, I would recommend a permanent switch to CeraVe. Ever since switching multiple skincare products to CeraVe, I haven’t looked back – regardless of whether or not I’ve been pregnant or breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or pumping, I would also recommend using Earth Mama Nipple Butter before and after to prevent cracking. Additionally, if you’re into nail care, another permanent switch would be to Vitamin E Oil nail polish remover. It’s odorless, acetone-free, and healthier for your nails – bonus points for being safe to use while pregnant and breastfeeding. All of these products I’ve mentioned, you can actually just snag from your local retailer like Walmart. 

Hair

I made a permanent switch to Prose. If you’ve never heard of them before, Prose is a clean beauty product company that actually makes personalized products to fit your specific needs. You can subscribe, or you can make a one-time purchase. I purchased shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask back in January 2021 and am only halfway through the bottles. So, it may seem like a steep price at first; however, it is made to last. 

Facial

I mentioned earlier that I hadn’t looked back since switching to CeraVe skin products, and I meant it. I used to suffer from some stubborn acne but stuck to the typical Neutrogena or Clean&Clear products. It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my first and had to abandon the usual products because their ingredients were harmful to the baby that I finally switched to CeraVe. My face is SO HAPPY and suffers from little to no breakouts. I use a spot treatment with Mario Badescu drying cream for the occasional stubborn breakout. And since a plethora of sleepless nights has led to dark eye circles and bags, I use CeraVe eye repair cream. 

Nutrition

In addition to continuing to take a complete prenatal vitamin daily, I also use collagen supplementation. I spent a long time researching something clean and organic and have been happy with my choice of Naked Collagen. Adding this to my routine has been a game-changer in keeping my hair, skin, nails, and even joints super happy during my 4th trimester. If you decide it’s right for you, use this code for a little discount.  

As with all my product advice articles, I highly recommend discussing product changes with your doctor and/or pediatrician to ensure it’s the right product for you. I sincerely hope you start following a self-care routine that brings you some peace and enjoyment while making you feel like the beautiful rock star momma you are! 

If you enjoyed this post, read Birth Plans; Expectations + Managing The Outcomes