Surving Pregnancy with Mama Mio

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing - from the day you find out you are expecting a child, to the day your bundle of joy arrives. However, your body may have a slightly different story to tell. Whilst carrying for nine months, our bodies are constantly changing, and at first it can be quite a shock. Although we may be familiar with the term 'pregnancy glow', it can easily be forgotten when we find ourselves suffering weight gain, sore joints, acne-prone skin and swollen legs.

As your body changes throughout the stages of pregnancy, it's normal for your self-esteem and confidence to take a small bashing. Many women look in the mirror at their changing body and feel low about themselves, when really, it should be a time to celebrate our growing tummies and baby-adapting body.

Mama Mio - one of SkinStore's newest and exciting beauty brands - understands exactly how women can feel during those vital months of pregnancy, as well as post-pregnancy. The dedicated bodycare product range has been created especially for women, by women, from formulas which are safe to use during and after pregnancy. From cellulite removing lotions to skin tightening serums, Mama Mio is specialized to solve every pregnant ladies concern, and that's why us ladies at SkinStore can't recommend these yummy mummy products enough!

Whether you're priority is to look after a dry, spot-prone complexion (after your hormones have ran wild!), or to soothe the stretch marks that have appeared on your tummy, the extensive collection will take care of all concerns. For a full run-down on this skin-loving collection, we put together a dedicated introduction blog post to Mama Mio which you can find here, uncovering the products, their nourishing ingredients and powerful properties.

As well as being huge fans of this pregnancy survival skincare range, we've also been seeking some expert advice from some of our favorite Mommy bloggers. As we mentioned, pregnancy should be a celebration of your body, a time to feel wonderful and confident about yourself. We are always on the look out for a bit of encouraging advice to share with our readers, so to help you increase your odds of a healthy, happy pregnancy body, take a little read of the tips we've rounded up...

• "One of the crucial pieces of advice is to take care of your body by eating healthy. It is so important to eat healthy during pregnancy, and makes it easier to lose that extra baby weight by continuing eating healthy post-pregnancy too. So work on keeping it up! Lots of fruit and veggies are key, so try to ensure you incorporate these into your meals. Also, using quality skin care products throughout your pregnancy which work together will give the best results for your skin." - Kristin, Our Ordinary Life
• My piece of advice is more focused on when you have had the baby, and it centers around sleep! If possible, try to have a little sleep when the baby goes to sleep. I know it's been said before, but believe me it's the best advice, and sometimes the only chance you can get to have some shut-eye! - Patty from I Am Zoe Watson
• "My ultimate tip has to be to ensure you drink plenty of water! It sounds simple, but drinking around 2 litres of water per day minimum is strongly advised for a reason. Hydration is key for you, your skin and your little one."- Lucy from Lucy Locket Loves
• "A tip that I can share with other mothers is that it's really important to find the balance between accepting the changes that come with motherhood, while still making an effort to look your personal best. Give yourself the luxury of pampering your body every once in a while, really try to find the time, because you deserve it more than ever! Looking good throughout pregnancy is no longer about trying to be sexy for other people, it's very much about being comfortable with yourself and feeling good in your own skin." - Lynne from Kaboutjie
• "For me, I survived pregnancy through meditation and visualization.  Meditating reminded me to breath and stay calm, and visualization gave me confidence for the next chapter of my life- Motherhood. I also found I survived pregnancy by taking pre-natal water yoga classes. Being in the water really helped relieve my back pain!"- Shea from Shameless Mama
• "When pregnant, you can get tired and out of breath a lot quicker than you normally would pre-pregnancy. I found it really helpful to keep a water bottle with me at all times, encouraging me to keep refilling it with fluids all day. Besides keeping you cool, water offers a slew of important benefits from improving your skin to flushing out the toxins" - Courtney from Mod Mommy
• Taking care of your skin is very important at various times in your life, but nothing is more important than looking radiant and glowing whilst bringing a life into the world! When pregnant with my children, I made sure I used the necessary skincare products so I could feel good and look my best throughout.. - Bernadette from The Mommy Cooler
  

Going down a more inspirational route, Mompreneur and Life Coach Tami Green took some time out to share some motivating and encouraging pointers, to help us feel more positive about our bodies during pregnancy:

• Growing a child is the most beautiful we could ever do.
• Enjoy the little things about pregnancy- taking a soak in a warm tub of scented water, with candles, having a little date with just my baby and yourself.
• I’ve had eight children. My body doesn’t look like it did when I was 18. My hips are wider. I have stretch marks. But I bounced back just fine every time. Our bodies are amazing!
• Get in the mind-frame that sporting a pregnant belly, stretched to the point of breaking, can be the best shape you could ever be in.

And now for the exciting bit!

To celebrate both being proud of your bump and the exciting launch of Mama Mio, we have created an extra special giveaway over on Instagram. Two lucky ladies now have the chance to WIN our exclusive Pregnancy Essentials Kit, packed with pre and post pregnancy delights. The set contains The Tummy Rub Butter, Gorgeous Glow Balancing Facial Wash, Pregnancy Boob Tube Bust Protection Cream and Lucky Legs Cooling Energising Leg Gel, which all work together to provide a fully cared for body. To enter, head over to our SkinStore Instagram, where you'll find our competition image which lets you comment/tag a special pregnant lady you may know. Don't forget to follow us too!