Hormonal changes and stress after pregnancy make your skin dull, and you may develop dark patches or itchiness. Stretch marks are very common; though other issues such as pimples, acne, and dark circles around the eyes are also seen quite often. Hair loss is also very common after giving birth. Hormonal changes taking place in pregnancy will make your nipples and the area around them go darker.

Now that your baby is here, your body is changing again. Some of these changes are physical, like your breasts getting full of milk. Others are emotional, like feeling extra stress. Many discomforts and body changes after giving birth are normal. Your skin color may also darken a little, either in patches or all over. Birthmarks, moles and freckles may also darken. Some women develop a dark line down the middle of their stomach, called 'linea nigra'.

How to support hormones after pregnancy?

1. Know what to expect. 
2. Eat plenty of clean proteins and healthy fats. 
3. Don't cut calories.
4. Sleep as much as you can.
5. Lean on your support system.

The question almost every new parent asks is, “when will I feel like myself again?” Though this varies greatly from one person to the next, typically, symptoms related to hormonal imbalance should get better about six to eight weeks after delivery. It can take weeks or months for the body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Typically about 13 pounds comes off immediately after childbirth, and another 5 to 15 pounds over the first six weeks. It can take six months to a year to lose the rest.

Your ribs may have expanded, and your hips will often widen to make it easier for the baby to exit the birth canal. For some women wider ribs and hips will be permanent. As your baby grows during pregnancy you will gain weight. Widening hips allow for the baby to pass through the pelvic bone during birth. You can rest assured that your widening hips, in most cases, will return back to their pre-pregnancy state, usually by 12 weeks postpartum.

Postpartum melasma (chloasma) Pregnant women can get dark patches on their face, neck, and arms called melasma. But these dark patches can last long after your baby's born. They're not harmful, but they can be frustrating to deal with. Applying a mix of 1 tbsp lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric powder on the affected areas and washing off after five minutes with cold water helps in reducing the pigmentation significantly.

Maintain your beauty after delivery by doing these:

1. Wash away excess oil to prevent acne on your face. 
2. The best way to remain fit and get glowing skin is to start doing yoga.
3. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
4. Making a few changes in your diet is a good step.
5. Get plenty of sleep, and make sure you do hit the bed whenever you're little one is sleeping.

The researchers found that women who had live births had telomeres that were an average of 4.2 percent shorter than their counterparts with no children. This equates to around 11 years of accelerated cellular aging, said Anna Pollack, an epidemiologist at George Mason University and the lead researcher of the study. Given that there is hypercell production during pregnancy, it makes sense that those telomeres would shorten and, therefore, appear to age dramatically.

Beauty tips and tricks for new moms:

• Skip the foundation and use a tinted moisturizer.
• Use baby wipes for more than just the baby.
• Achieve easy beach waves.
• Dry shampoo is a must-have item.
• Use baby wipes for more than just the baby.

No one should expect you to achieve these idealized beauty standards immediately after going through childbirth. You're already beautiful after delivery, just in a different way than how media standards typically define it. By the same token, if makeup helps you feel beautiful, by all means, put it on.