How to Prevent Dry Skin During a Winter Pregnancy

For me, the winter always brings dry, flaky, itchy skin. Add a pregnancy on top of that, and I feel like my skin is on fire. The extreme dryness not just in the skin around my growing belly, it's all over my body! The worst advise I have gotten about dry skin during pregnancy has been: "Drink more water!" What kind of advise is that?!?!?!?! I am drinking so much water that I have to run to the bathroom every 15-30 minutes! The only thing that really works for my horribly dry skin, is to add as much moisture as possible. This might be a long routine for some people, but it really keeps your skin moisturized for 24 hours.

Step 1:

It is very important that you are not using a body wash that will exacerbate your skin condition! I recommend finding a very moisturizing body wash like this one from Dove. I have also used this body wash from St. Ives with success. Avoid any body washes with exfoliants. It might sound like a good idea to exfoliate the flaky, dry skin, but it will just make it worse. Stick to literally any body wash that uses terms like nourishing or moisture.

Step 2:

This step is an absolute must! I always use this product from Nivea as my only moisturizing step for every winter. It is seriously a game-changer! After washing your hair, face, and body, apply this lotion to your wet skin in the shower. Be careful not to get the product on the bottom of your feet or you will slip! Once the lotion is on, simply rinse it off. This lotion provides moisture for 24 hours. It is really amazing. There are other versions of this in-shower body lotion, but this one is really the best in my opinion.

Step 3:

Even if you aren't trying to prevent stretch marks, this dry oil is amazing for itchy skin. I recommend applying this oil to the belly, chest, hips, butt, and thighs immediately after drying off from the shower. You don't need to use a lot of it at a time. Let the oil sink in for a minute or two before moving on to the next step.

Step 4:

To really prevent itching and flaking, layering this product from Burt's Bees on top of the Bio-Oil is recommended. This Belly Butter is so soothing, I can really tell a difference when I skip a day. Let the butter absorb for a few minutes before advancing to the next (and final) step.

Step 5:

Since the dryness does not only occur in typical pregnancy-related areas, I recommend applying this moisturizer from Nivea all over the body (even to areas already covered in cream). There are many other great options for this last step, but I recommend finding a moisturizer that has Vitamin E and is marketed for very dry skin.

When following these steps I remain itch and flake-free for 24 hours (until my next shower). It is an amazing feeling.

Just a note: I have tried skipping steps one at a time to see if all these steps were really necessary.

-Miriam