Pregnancy | Preventing Stretch Marks

When it comes to pregnancy and postpartum related beauty, some of the most common questions I am asked revolve around stretch marks.

Stretch marks - no matter how much they represent the beauty of motherhood - aren't loved by everyone, especially when they first appear. Although painless, stretch marks start their life as pink, red, or purplish streaks that look pretty nasty. They look less noticeable as they fade to a silvery white colour, however this then causes them to be much more noticeable each time you tan. So you really can't win.

Pregnancy | Baby's Hospital Bag Essentials

Packing your hospital bag can be a little daunting, especially if you're first time parents. From personal experience and the experiences of friends who have had babies, there is a temptation to pack way too many things that you won't end up using. So, I've prepared a list of the essentials you'll need to pack for baby...

Pregnancy | A Dermatologist's Skincare Guide

"How do I look after my skin during pregnancy?" is a question every woman will ask herself at some stage during her pregnancy. This is because hormones, though famous for playing havoc with our skin throughout our lifetime, cause the most destruction during pregnancy. Of course, some women are luckily enough to get the gorgeous ‘glow’, however some aren’t so lucky and have to handle adult acne, heightened skin sensitivity, and pigmentation. This is made worst by the fact some skincare ingredients and treatments are off limits; due to the risk they pose to the baby...

New Brand Alert | WeTwo

WeTwo is a new luxury haircare and skincare brand designed to support women during pregnancy, post pregnancy, and menopause.

Motherhood | My Baby's Birth Didn't Bring Overwhelming Love

I always imagined the moment I'd give birth. I pictured - with such clarity - my baby being passed to me, followed immediately with a feeling of such love that I would be close to hysterical, with tears streaming down my cheeks. I'm a huge family girl with enormous love for my partner, parents, and friends. So I understandably assumed that the baby I birthed, that I carried for close to 10 months, would bring a level of love that I couldn't possibly fathom... but it didn't.

Pregnancy | Mama Mio Pregnancy Skincare Review

Throughout my pregnancy, I religiously used three Mama Mio products - The Tummy Rub Scrub, The Tummy Rub Butter, and The Tummy Rub Oil. I believe all three products helped to minimise the number and severity of stretch marks I received, so it was about time I wrote review.

Pregnancy | Achieving The Perfect Pelvic Floor

Pregnancy brings a whole host of changes to your body but one of the most significant changes happens in an area you can't see, your pelvic floor. The pregnancy hormone relaxin, alongside the increasing weight of your baby, puts pressure on your pelvic floor muscles. As a result, it can be more challenging for your muscles to hold your pelvic floor organs in their correct position. Those important organs include the bladder and bowel, explaining why a strong pelvic floor is so crucial to maintaining bladder and bowel control during and after your pregnancy. After all, no woman wants to worry about wetting herself every time she laughs, coughs, or sneezes! Luckily there are exercises you can do before, during, and after pregnancy, to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, helping to support you in the best way. Some call them pelvic floor exercises, I call them kegels...

Ask TBI: Dark Patches On My Face During Pregnancy

Question: I am four months pregnant and have just started developing dark patches under my eyes and around my mouth. What are they? How can I remove them? - Hannah, Belfast.

Answer: I think what you're describing is chloasma, a skin discolouration that is very common during pregnancy. The symptoms of chloasma are exactly as you described; patches of darkened skin that can appear on the face.