How to Prevent Loose Skin on the Belly After Pregnancy

During pregnancy, there are things a woman can do to care for her stretching skin and help prevent excess loosening of the delicate belly area. Proper weight gain, exercise and moisturizing all contribute to healthy pregnancy skin, which will help you recover more quickly after giving birth.

Things You'll Need

• Shea or cocoa butter moisturizer
• Supportive maternity clothing
• Scale

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Instructions

• 1

  Gain weight slowly and carefully, depending on the weight you start with. If you are a healthy weight before you conceive, you should gain between 25 and 35 pounds. If you are underweight, then you should gain 28 to 40 pounds during pregnancy. If you start out overweight, you should gain less---between 15 and 25 pounds during your nine months.Use a scale to keep track of how much weight you are gaining so that you can keep it within a healthy range. The more weight you gain during pregnancy, the greater effect it will have on your entire physique after the baby arrives. Make it easy on yourself by gaining the recommended amount of weight while maintaining a balanced diet that includes protein, fiber and fresh fruit and vegetables.

• 2

  Exercise as often as you can throughout your pregnancy. Walking and prenatal yoga are some of the best choices that offer low impact on your joints and muscles. "Yoga really helps improve the experience of pregnancy, by helping the body cope with the strain of hormonal changes and weight increases," according to the online resource The Healthy Belly. Be sure to wear supportive clothing during your exercise. According to MaternityLeggings.org, "You need flexible clothing that stretches and bends with you." Keeping your physique a priority can help make you a more active mother when the baby's demanding schedule sets in.

• 3

  Smooth a thick shea or cocoa butter over the entire tummy area twice a day. The process of massaging the creams into your belly can be a stress-relieving experience and a ritual you will remember long after pregnancy is over. Extra moisturizing will also help to reduce itchy skin and stretch marks. Womenshealthcaretopics.com suggests "the best way to treat itchy skin during pregnancy is by using plenty of moisturizer."