Our site uses cookies to make your experience on this site even better. We hope you think that is sweet.

Yes, I am okay. Know more
Planning for a baby?
Already Pregnant?
Have a Baby?
Have a Toddler?
Positive Parenting
Baby Names
Child Safety
Cord Blood
Life Skills
Premature Baby
Twins

What Is ‘Pregnancy Glow’?

4 min read

There are numerous physiological changes and regular worries that accompany pregnancy, for example, morning sickness, fatigue, swelling of limbs, back pain and so on. Be that as it may, there is one of the physiological changes numerous ladies anticipate while they are pregnant – pregnancy glow.
Pregnant woman glowing

What Does It Mean To Have The ‘Pregnancy Glow’?
Pregnancy glow is one of the skin changes that make the pregnant women attain a brighter, shinier and glowing skin tone which is more beautiful than their pre-pregnancy time. Pregnancy, coupled with hormonal changes can make your skin look bright, radiant, flawless and glowing. If you are radiating when pregnant, we’d say you should call yourself lucky and enjoy it while it lasts – since some women even have to deal with acne and other unpleasant skin conditions.

Why Do Women Glow When They Are Pregnant?

Though there has been no concrete studies that could specify the causes of the pregnancy glow, yet there are some really good explanations that infer that pregnancy, indeed, causes some women’s skin to glow and shine. The main reasons behind pregnancy glow are:

  • Increased blood circulation: When the pregnancy progresses, the blood volume increases. This increases the blood circulation and more blood will be pumped through the blood vessels. The skin retains more moisture in the course of pregnancy, making it slightly plum and smoothing out fine wrinkles and lines. This makes the skin looks brighter and smoother
  • Hormonal reasons and more activated skin glands: Increased level of pregnancy hormones is the principle cause behind the pregnancy glow. This increased level of hormones, especially HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) and progesterone makes the sebaceous glands of the face to produce more sebum. This increased amount of oil will keep the skin supple and radiant. However, excess oil production can also cause pregnancy acne and skin pigmentation during pregnancy as well
  • Physiological reasons: It’s true that what is in your mind will reflect on your face. During pregnancy, most of the women will experience increased happiness (after all enjoying the attention given by other family members alone is enough for always being in good spirit) and positive thoughts which make her more graceful and refined
  • Excessive sweating: As per increased body weight, increased blood volume and increased demand on the body, in the course of pregnancy, the body temperature is found to elevate. This results in excessive sweating. Excessive sweating clears-out impurities from the skin, making it more radiant

When Does Pregnancy Glow Start?

Since pregnancy glow is a result of several factors that develop during pregnancy, it’s effect on each pregnancy is distinctive for each woman. Some mothers experience it during the early stage of the pregnancy, while others feel it in the beginning of the second trimester. Yet another group of expecting mothers never experience the pregnancy glow at all. More often the pregnancy glow is found to appear during the second trimester, when the initial flux of hormones has settles and you tend to eat and look better.

How Can I Maintain My Pregnancy Glow?

Who would not want to retain all that radiance and shine that pregnancy brings along? However, once the surge of hormones starts to decraeas after delivery, you will have to ensure a good skincare regime to keep that glaw. How long your skin glows after childbirth depends on how you maintain your pregnancy glow which you have achieved naturally.

  • Stay hydrated: Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water is not only important for a healthy pregnancy and in reducing the water retention, but also do wonders for your skin. It sustains the elasticity of the skin, retains more moisture in the skin, giving the skin a healthy look
  • Keep the skin clean: As the pregnancy hormones stimulate the oil glands, there are chances that the extra oil blocks the pores thereby creating acne. To avoid this it is important to keep the skin clean. You can use cucumber paste, curd, besan or gram flour etc. which clean the skin naturally
  • Sleep well: Make sure you are getting a good night’s sleep. Taking enough rest is significant in maintaining the pregnancy glow.
  • Sun care: If possible, avoid going out on a sunny day. The chances of hyperpigmentation (the darkening patches) increase if the skin is exposed to the sun. If you have to go out, protect yourself from UV light. Wearing a protective hat and a suitable natural sun protection formula can help you to prolong the pregnancy glow to some extent

Pregnancy glow
Click here to know how to keep the glow.

What If The Pregnancy Glow Doesn’t Kick In Naturally?

You might feel disappointed if the much-awaited pregnancy glow hasn’t quite started yet. Don’t worry if you are not lucky enough to get it naturally. Here are a few tips which can help you to attain your pregnancy charm:

  • Eat well: Sticking to a well-nourished diet will help to kick start your pregnancy glow. Include protein rich food like eggs, fish, etc. in your diet. Food with lots of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals should also be included. Food enriched with the folic acid like broccoli, seeds, nut, etc. will make your skin brighter and flawless. Including avocados, watermelon, pomegranate, etc. in the daily menu also improves your skin tone
  • Apply gentle massage: A touch of pampering, like a gentle massage with cream or oil of your choice, will increase the blood circulation which gives your skin the additional oxygen and nutrients which are vital to the appearance of pregnancy glow
  • Relax: Pregnancy ought to be a period of bliss, however, we realize that lots of stress, strain and fear also happens during this period. Don’t let the worries appear on your face. Practicing breathing exercise can help you to ease the fears and tensions associated with pregnancy and delivery

Remember that when pregnant, you should avoid getting chemical peels and usage of certain make-up products so that the developing fetus does not get harmed in anyway.
The sad news is that the pregnancy glow, more often than not, vanishes when your little bundle of joy arrives. What you can do is, take care of your skin and follow healthy skin care habits which help your skin to stay brighter even if you are no more pregnant. Now that is indeed, a tough bet after having a baby, isn’t it?

Responses (0)

Please check a captcha
Read this next

Mental Health Tips for New Parents

Becoming a parent is overwhelming. It's often something that we spend a long time looking forward to and preparing for - sometimes, far longer than the 40 weeks of pregnancy. But, no matter how prepared you think you are, when your baby arrives, everything changes. It's never quite what we expect, even when we're welcoming home our second or even third babies. It's more exciting, it's more work, and it's definitely more exhausting. It's just more. New parenthood is like an assault on your emotions, as well as your hormones. You are busy trying to take care of a new life, your hormone levels are off the charts, your whole world is turned upside down, and any hopes of a good night's sleep are long forgotten. It's no surprise that your mental health might take a hit. Here's a look at some of the things that you can do to boost your mental health in those astounding first days of parenthood. Rest When You Can One of the most unsettling elements of being a new parent is the tiredness. You thought you'd been tired before, but not like this. Even if your newborn sleeps well, they'll be up at least a couple of times in the night for feeds and changes, and you are unlikely to get more than....

3 min read

Everybody Look at Your Hands

How to encourage children to wash their hands   Being a parent during the COVID-19 pandemic is incredibly difficult. That’s not exactly a secret: everything from school to social engagements to birthdays has been fundamentally changed in 2020. This year it’s all about keeping our kids safe while at the same time allowing them to have as close to a normal childhood as possible. Other than completely locking down at home, there are few options for keeping them virus-free. Masks are playing a critical role in safety for everyone, adults and children alike. That’s why they’re mandatory at most schools and daycare centers, not to mention on playgrounds and other public areas where large numbers of people gather. The other surefire way to keep kids safe is making sure that they wash their hands whenever they enter our homes, and if they frequently use hand sanitizer in public spaces. This all makes sense on paper, but we all know that kids have minds of their own. It is one thing to tell a child that he or she needs to wash their hands, but that doesn’t always mean that they listen. This sort of limit testing is part of a normal childhood, but in 2020, it can have....

3 min read

Finding Ways to Help Kids Exercise

We all know just how important it is for kids to get their recommended dose of active exercise. It is essential for fundamental development, especially in a child’s early years. Research also has proven that kids who exercise at a young age have a better chance of keeping healthy habits later in their adult life.   Getting enough exercise.   Children have varying degrees of energy. While some have what could almost be called endless energy, others may be more lethargic. This is particularly true today, where there are a range of devices to keep kids sedentary.   From smart phones, tablets, to video games and TV, getting a kid outside can be a challenge. But it’s an important aspect to their wellbeing. Physical activity guidelines outline that children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 1 hour or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.   Make exercising fun   While these guidelines may seem impossible for some children, you shouldn’t lose hope! There are ways that can help you integrate exercise into your child’s life. One of the best ways of doing this is disguising physical activity as play.   Below....

3 min read

What to Feed the Baby in the First Year

The first year is always critical for the new baby. What will she eat, what will she wear, how to keep her safe, vaccinations… these are common questions all first-time parents ask. Food is, of course, very important because it is directly related to the development and the child’s growth. Babies breastfeeding will take between 8 and 12 feedings in a day. Those on formula foods will need between 6 and 10 feeds a day. Usually, solid foods will be introduced when the baby is around 6 months. Always remember, nutrition is key in the 1st year. Make sure to start a healthy eating habit quickly for your infant. But the feeding must always depend on the readiness of a child because every baby is different.     How Often an Infant Must Feed They are still very small, but they can know when feeling full or hungry. Feed her whenever she feels hungry. Each breastfeeding session is usually between 10-15 minutes. Formula and breastfeedings can be done deep into the night as well if the infant wakes up and cries because she is feeling hungry. Some parents add rice cereals to the bottle to make the baby sleep through the night. This is not recommended because it can easily....

5 min read

Want personalized reading and shopping suggestions for your exact stage of pregnancy?

Come on, sell the idea of signing up with us in two lines so well that they HAVE to sign up.

Sign Up
image

Want curated content sharply tailored for your exact stage of pregnancy?

Sign Up
Load More

165+ Services.

6+ Cities.

60K+ Parents Reviewed.

Explore Local Services.

Get regular updates, great recommendations and other right stuff at the right time.

Begin typing to search