Much like that luxurious mane you sported throughout pregnancy, it’s likely that your nails grew long and strong too. A few women may actually have suffered from nails that were more brittle during pregnancy, but after baby arrives almost all moms notice less strength and a slower growth rate around four to six months later (a little longer if you are breastfeeding).
People often tend to attribute hair and nail growth during pregnancy to taking prenatal vitamins, and while it’s true that those extra nutrients do play a role in hair and nail health, hormones are also a big factor. So when your body stops producing those growth-promoting hormones, and the prenatal vitamins are no longer part of your daily routine, it’s natural to see the return of short, broken nails that just don’t seem to grow. While you may not be able to entirely eliminate the effects of the hormonal rollercoaster, you can prevent adding to the damage.
You took vitamins your entire pregnancy (we hope), so why stop now? A daily multi-vitamin will help balance out what your diet lacks, which is an important factor in hair, skin and nail health. If you are breastfeeding, it’s likely that your doctor has recommended you continue your prenatal vitamins anyway. Do it. It’s not just for you, but for your baby too. Nutrients pass through breast milk, helping baby grow healthy and strong and your body will be even further depleted without them.
Vitamins are an excellent tool to add to your kit, but let’s not forget that eating the right foods is the first step in maintaining overall health, from the tips of your fingers down to your toes. Choose foods rich in Calcium (dairy, dark leafy greens, beans), Vitamin C (citrus, mango, broccoli), Folic Acid (spinach, potatoes, whole grains), and Essential Fatty Acids (fish, flax seed, walnuts) to maximize nail health and minimize damage.
And speaking of minimizing damage, make sure to take protective measures. Not that you have a whole lot of time to scrub the tub these days with the new baby and all, but if you do decide to get down and dirty make sure to wear gloves. Pick a pretty color, strike your best Betty Crocker pose and consider it homage to housewives of the 50s. Take care not to use your nails as tools for other household chores either. Get a pair of scissors to open those jumbo sized boxes of diapers and to crack the safety seal on bottles of formula.
While pampering yourself may sound like a far off dream, do take a little time for physical maintenance. Your nails and cuticles need moisture now more than ever. Get a good, thick cuticle cream or oil and remember to put it on as often as you can. Resist the urge to trim or cut your cuticles, as this will only exacerbate the problem when they become dry again or start to grow back. Remember, moisture can come from the inside too, so drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day, possibly more if you’re breastfeeding.
Go on Mom, give yourself a hand … a pretty one!
Tia O'Neill is a glamour diva turned new mom. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband and newborn son, Justice.
