Prevent stretch marks while pregnant

Stretch marks, ugh! Those unsightly little white lines that all Hot Mamas dread when pregnant....

The bad news is that most women get them during pregnancy. The good news is that I've compiled a list of what you can do for both prevention and treatment once you have them.

For Preventing Stretch Marks:

1. Do not gain excess weight! The more the skin stretches, the more stretch marks there will be! Stick to your exercise program and continue eating a balanced diet. Rapid and/or excessive weight gain are the number one no-no for prevention.

2. Moisturize your belly with either cocoa butter or almond oil with vitamin E twice daily.

3. Drink water and avoid dehydration. Well hydrated skin stretches better.

4. Eat zinc rich foods such as seeds and nuts or make sure your prenatal vitamin is rich in zinc. Zinc is a skin nourishing mineral.

For Fading Stretch Marks:

1. Apply a Vitamin K cream daily and eat vitamin K rich foods such as green leafy vegetables and tomatoes. Vitamin K is extremely effective at healing scars, stretch marks, and skin lesions.

2. Apply Lavender Oil on Stretch Marks daily. This can be found at your local health food store.

3. Try the product Strivectin-D. (This is the more expensive treatment than option 1 or 2, but many Hot Mamas have reported good results.)

Warning! Retin-a and Tazorac while pregnant

Warning!! Tazorac and Retin-a While Pregnant

If you once had acne, the prescriptions tazorac, retin-a, and renova can become your new best friend. They definitely fight pimples and acne like nobodies business! But…Hot Mamas, if you are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, you need a product makeover for the next nine months!!! Tazorac is a class X drug, meaning that it is not recommended for use in pregnant women because of the risk for birth defects. The company recommends that anyone trying to become pregnant not use their product. The topical ointment Tretinoin (brand names Retin-a and Renova) seems to be a bit less risky than Tazorac, but studies have shown that it’s use poses a 3-5% risk of birth defects. The makers of Tretinoin advise women trying to conceive to stop using the product one-month prior. (Tretinoin stays in the body for about seven days after use.)

As an alternative, over the counter products containing glycolic acid and salicylic acid are safe before, during, and after pregnancy and are extremely effective at keeping your skin clear and glowing. They help dry up oily skin and promote skin renewal.

Also, make sure to wash your face with anti-bacterial soap after hitting the gym, a day at the beach, or a walk in the summer humidity. Your body releases toxins when you sweat; which is why sweating is so essential to being a Hot Mama! However, if this sweat isn’t washed off your face the bacteria can clog your pores and lead to break outs. If you don’t have access to antibacterial soap and a sink, carry some anti-bacterial facial wipes with you. There are many inexpensive brands at your local drug store to choose from.

Prevent autism while pregnant

Autism can be one of the scariest words for an expecting Hot Mama. To date, the causes of autism seem to be a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. We are not geneticists here, so we are going to give you the most recent info on implicated cleaning supplies and other toxins, how to avoid them, and a list of natural alternatives.

First and foremost, make sure you are taking folic acid. Adequate maternal folic acid levels are crucial to ensure normal development of a fetus’ brain.

Second, avoid Mercury, a toxic metal, which has been found in abnormally high levels in the blood of children with autism. Dangerously high levels of mercury are found in fish such as shark, swordfish, and mackerel. Avoid these fish while pregnant. Also, limit your intake of all other fish to two servings per week.

AVOID common cleaning supplies containing phthalates and glycol ethers. Phthalates are a class of synthetic chemicals that are used to both stabilize synthetic smells in products such as air fresheners and are also used to make plastics flexible and soft in products such as teething rings! (Just criminal!) Stay away from anything with labels such as “fresh scent” such as laundry detergent, air fresheners, and other cleaning supplies.

INSTEAD use natural cleaning products such as Baby Ganics, Mrs. Meyers, and Greenworks.

INSTEAD use BPA free teething rings, bottles, and sippy cups.

AVOID fluoride in toothpaste and in water. Fluoride has been implicated as a neurotoxin.

INSTEAD drink bottled water and use toothpaste and mouthwash without fluoride such as Tom's of Maine.