Prenatal Skincare: Key Ingredients to Avoid During Pregnancy and Where to Find Them

There are few things that make me feel more together than having a solid skincare routine in place. Taking the time each day to care for my skin, and myself makes me feel good for two reasons: 

1. The routine itself allows me to slow down and do something for myself. 

2. The return on my small investment (15 mins morning and evening) is glowing, healthy skin. 

I’ve spent nearly 11 years piecing together the perfect skincare routine. I’ve tried everything from 3 step basic skincare kits to oil cleansing and 10-Step K-Beauty. Each time, discovering some wonderful takeaways, but never truly finding a routine that fit my skin “to a tee”. 

Enter pregnancy. My skin changed drastically and, seemingly, overnight. I went from having pretty good skin (IMO), with the occasional hormonal breakout, to new skin that I barely recognized and had no idea how to treat. Thanks to all of the lovely baby-growing hormones floating around in my body, my skin was changing, rapidly. My skin went from near perfect (for me: clear, hydrated, calm) to bumpy, scaly, itchy and flaky in a matter of days. Then, in a matter of a few more days, I woke up one morning with “pregnancy glow” and clearer skin. 

With my skin experiencing such an extreme variety of changes within such a short amount of time, I was literally on the edge of my seat waiting for the next change to happen. I wondered if I had more changes to prepare for— how would I manage? What would I need to do moving forward to care for my mama-to-be skin? I had no idea. So, I did what I always do when I have a problem that needs solving: I researched. 

What I found was no surprise to me: I would have to change nearly everything about by skincare routine. As a skincare lover, I was kind of bummed because my skincare routine, at the time,  seemed to be working: a K-Beauty inspired daily routine and a facial once per month. However, pregnancy would require tossing a good chunk of my regular products, because they were made with chemicals known to be unsafe for pregnancy.

Fun fact: many of the “harmless” chemicals founds in skincare products are not pregnancy safe. I was stunned to find that many of my go-to skincare acids (like glycolic and salicylic) and vitamins (like vitamin A) were off limits. 

Here’s a list of skincare ingredients to avoid during pregnancy (and where to find them):

• Salicylic Acid & Benzoyl Peroxide (acne treatments, and serums)

• Vitamin A & Retinoids (retinol creams & retinol/vitamin A serums)

• AHAs & BHAs (glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid)

• Formaldehyde (used as a preservative in some makeup like mascara)

• Hydroquinone (depigmenting/lightening agent found in some skincare products, and sometimes in those that promise “brightening”)

• Phthalates (oils, soaps, shampoos and more)

Mom Boobs are a Thing, Here's How I Found the Literal Best Support

I’m a new mom. I feel like this sentence starts many of my conversations these days. There are so many things that I am learning (and unlearning) as a result of becoming mama. It feels like, nearly every week, I encounter a new motherhood hill to climb. Recently, I became obsessed with my new boobs and, not in the way you’d think. I was concerned with how much they’d changed and how that change would affect my lifestyle.

To me, the female body is one of the many wonders of the world. Our bodies literally shift organs, bend and stretch to make room for a growing being, that our bodies “make from scratch”. Wow. 

While pregnancy was a beautiful process, watching my body change stressed me the F out at times. With each day that my body morphed into a new version of itself, I would look in the mirror and exclaim something like: “This is the biggest my boobs have ever been in my life!’, “This is the heaviest I’ve every weighed in my life!”

Month after month, my belly stretched. My feet swelled. My skin changed. My hair thickened. And, my boobs grew…THREE TIMES. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?! I knew to expect a change in my, then, small C cups, but I was completely blind to the fact that pregnancy and nursing would require me to change my bra size four times. The three times I experienced a large change in breast size were:

• Weeks 10-12— I experienced a slightly fuller bust line that showed up around the same time as my “pregnancy glow”.

• Weeks 24-26 — My skin began to stretch (and itch!), I noticed that my breasts began to feel heavier.

• After birth — My milk came in around 3 days postpartum, my breasts were they largest they’d been and filled to the brim with milk.

“To me, the female body is one of the many wonders of the world. Our bodies literally shift organs, bend and stretch to make room for a growing being, that our bodies “make from scratch”. Wow.
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According to parents.com, the amount of fatty tissue and blood flow to your breasts increases in order to help the milk ducts and mammary glands grow. By just six weeks into pregnancy, many women's breasts have grown a full cup size or more…with all that increased blood flow and expanded glandular tissue, your breasts begin to swell. This explains my several periods of growth. The increase of my hormone & fatty tissue production and water retention impacted the size and volume of my breasts. Hello, science. 

I began pregnancy at a 34C. By month three, I was wearing a 34DD. By month six,  a 36DD. Month nine? A 38DD and growing. 

Initially, I was freaked out by my breast size and the amount of milk—I was producing 60 + ounces of breastmilk per day! After speaking with a few mom friends, I learned that my body would begin to take cues from my baby’s requests for milk and my supply would “even out”. Luckily, my milk supply did just that. After about 3 months, baby’s requests for milk were at a steady 5-6 times per day, during her waking hours. My body caught on, my breasts stopped growing and my bra size finally stayed the same for longer than a few weeks. 

Although my breast size evened out and nursing became easier, I’d refused to buy any more bras after I reached a 38DD. I was over it. I resorted to nursing sleep bras, all day, everyday. Hey, they were comfortable and made the area accessible for baby feeding. 

Just as I was beginning to feel humdrum about my postpartum body and uncomfortably large breasts, I received a sweet Instagram message from Fleur at Atollo lingerie. She invited me to try Atollo via a free virtual bra fitting. If she only knew how much I needed it! #Godsend

I was beyond excited to sit down and chat with a professional. I had so many questions. How do I know if I’m wearing and buying the right size? Will my breast size change again after nursing? How many bras do I actually need to own ? (I tend to be an over-shopper).

During my fitting with Fleur, I learned so many new things about undewear. Things I felt I should have known, being a bra-wearer for 20 years now. Fleur answered all of my questions about bra-fit and helped me learn my actual bra size: 30G. My mind was blown because, number one, I’d been wearing the wrong bra size and, number two, there was hope (and support) for my larger size. After the call, we chose a balconette or balcony bra for me to try at home. Balconette bras give lovely shape and great support for large breast sizes, according to Fleur. Here’s the exact bra I chose.

I received my Atollo bra in the mail last month and I’ve worm it oncer per week since. The verdict? Amazing. I got the bra in two sizes, a 30G for regular days and a 30GG for days that my breasts are a little fuller, because I am still nursing. The balconette bra gives me such a nice shape and great support. My favorite thing? I can fit my shirts again! For a while, because I was wearing the wrong size, and spilling out most of the time, I couldn’t wear many form-fitting shirts. 

I am honestly grateful to have found a company that aided me in solving my “Mom Boobs” problem. I feel like myself again. Supported, comfortable and able to wear anything in my closet without feeling insecure. 

Are you a new mama? Are there any new “motherhood hills” that you’re climbing? Let’s talk. 

Comment below or tap the envelope on my home page to email me.

3 Tips for Battling Brain Fog

Is it just me or is this latest full moon bringing up ALL the juju? The good, the bad, the things to sort through, the things to move on from. For me, these past couple of days have been quite the ride. Blame it on the moon (or these tricky hormones, or BOTH) but I have been spending so much time in my emotions, with my brain foggy and my mind far, far away from work and productive thoughts. 

This is always hard for me because I am such an optimistic, high-energy person. When low energy or negative thoughts come around— my first response is: “I don’t want it. I’m annoyed. Take it away.” For me, negative thoughts and emotions feel so heavy and, rather than doing the (sometimes arduous) work of acknowledging and releasing them, I’d rather just say to myself that these feelings are “hella annoying!” and “I’m just going to ignore them until they go away". Ha! 

Well, I’m sure we all know that’s not how things are set up. That’s not how any of this works! Any energy— “good”, “bad”, heavy, hard, high, low…requires time and space to exist, affect and move on. I’m also pretty sure that this (my avoidance) is why I am experiencing brain fog. My body is using so much of my mental and energetic space avoiding the obvious that my ability to focus and be productive is just…well, maybe, last on my body’s list of things-to-do?

So, how do we weed our way through brain-fog, negative thoughts and negative self-talk? There are many ways, but, here are a few ways that have worked for me:

1. Get to the root of the issue. When I notice an unexpected or distracting change in my behavior, I sit for a moment, get quiet with myself and examine the possible cause. A tell-tale sign that I am in a heavy emotional space is my tendency to obsess on tiny things. For example, last week, I noticed I was having trouble concentrating and being productive -however- I was laser-focused on finding “the perfect pancake recipe” (distraction). I picked up on this and asked myself— “What’s really going on here?” The answer: I realized that something someone said to me had a bigger impact on me than I originally felt, and I needed to work through that.

2. Give yourself space (and breathe). Taking a few moments alone (even 5 minutes of deep breaths during your lunch break works). Your body needs time and space to release the things that pop up on any given day. Give yourself a moment to acknowledge, even welcome, these pop-ups and you will probably notice a change in the way that they impact your day.

3. Do something. Getting into my body has always been helpful for me. Cleaning my house, going to a yoga class, or even folding laundry helps me get out of my mind and into my body. Focusing on the details of these activities and the movement of my body gives my mind the space it needs to explore and release negative thoughts, criticizing self-talk, or pent-up energy.

Have you been in a fog lately? How do you work through (or self-care your way through) unwanted emotions, negative thoughts and the like?

Leave a comment below! I’d love to continue the conversation!

Self-Care Practices for Emotional Wellness

October is Emotional Wellness Month and, because of this, I thought it would be a great time to dive deeper into one of my favorite topics: self-care. Maintaining our emotional wellness is just as important as maintaining our physical wellness. Our emotions can affect how we navigate our days and, ultimately, how we live. Think about it, it’s no mistake that your work day may seem more difficult while experiencing an emotionally taxing event. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), how you feel can affect your ability to carry out everyday activities, your relationships, and your overall mental health.

Inspired by this month’s theme, I wanted to share a few self-care practices that focus specifically on supporting and improving emotional wellness. These practices are what I turn to when I am looking to work with and work through emotions.

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Self-Care Practices for Emotional Wellness

Purge-Writing

There are times when our thoughts are wrapped up in our emotions and they become so thick and cloudy that it may seem difficult to navigate or find the mental space to process. Times like this, I turn to writing. Writing gives your emotions a place to go, a place to land outside of your body. The process of purge-writing is simple: you are giving life to your emotions word by word and freeing your mind and body of their weight.

Purge Writing in Steps

1. Find a place to put your words. This can be a journal, the notes app on your phone, or on a piece of scrap paper— anywhere is okay.

2. Write whatever’s on your mind and do not censor yourself. Let it all out. Express yourself however you need to.

3. Write as little or as much as you need to. There’s no set amount of pages or words—the goal is to release.

4. Center yourself. After you’ve let it all out, find your center, your peace. You can do this by placing your hand on your heart and moving your attention to your heartbeat or the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe.

5. Create closure. Now that your feelings are out—leave them where you put them. When journaling, I create closure by folding the pages in. When writing on a stray sheet of paper, I receive closure by shredding or crumbling the paper.

Square Breathing

When emotions are high (or low), breathing exercises are always a good idea. Medical research suggests that regular deep-breathing exercises can reduce anxiety & depression, encourage muscle relaxation, stabilize blood pressure and decrease stress. Currently, my go-to breathing exercise is square breathing. It helps me to be mindful, still and centered while replenishing my body.

Square Breathing in Steps

1. Find a comfortable position, either seated or lying on your back.

2. Inhale while counting 1…2…3…4

3. Hold your breath & count 1…2…3…4

4. Exhale while counting 1…2…3…4

5. Hold your breath & count 1…2…3…4

6. Repeat

Need more guidance? Here’s a tutorial.

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

My emotions always feel off when I haven’t had enough sleep. If I haven’t had at least 7 hours the night before, my day (and emotions) feel all over the place. “Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.” (Sleep and Mood, Harvard Health). While it can be hard to get “normal sleep”, especially if you are prone to sleeplessness or insomnia, you can improve your sleep by amping up your sleep hygiene.

Tips for Better Rest

1. Set your bedtime. Setting a bedtime (and sticking to it) will help your body form the habit of seeking rest at a specific time.

2. Brain dump. Thoughts and emotions can keep us up at night. Practice a little purge writing before bed so that you can rest with a clear mind.

3. Create a bedtime ritual. Getting yourself ready for bed helps your body slowly relax. My bedtime ritual? A warm shower or bath followed by a cup of hot tea.