Breastfeeding and terrible skin, any advice?

[Quilty]

I'm breastfeeding a 3 week old and after a terrible start (very severe nipple pain) my sheer stubbornness has meant we're now over the worst, my nipples have healed and she's gaining weight beautifully .

Now what's getting me down is that my skin is just a mess! Every single pore on my face and neck is full of crap! I've been using gentle soap and flannel, face scrub and face masks but it doesn't improve anything. I assume this is a hormonal thing? my skin was rubbish during pregnancy too but this is a lot worse. I'm really fair so every blemish sticks out like a sore thumb

Sorry if it sounds like a trivial problem but after a rotten pregnancy, it'd be nice to get some confidence back in my appearance. I used to consider myself reasonably pretty but now I just want to hide my face away!

I don't want to give up bf because of my skin when I battled so hard to keep going. Anyone had experience of this? Anything I can do to help it?

Congratulations on your baby. I got a bit spotty at about that stage too, so did DD! Not what you want when you are also sleep deprived is it?

Think it got much better at 6 weeks (possibly when the hormones chilled out) and my skin has been almost completely clear since she was about three months and actually much better and more glow-y than pre DC.

I don't think I did anything other than wait it out and chuck a bit of teatree oil in my bath.

I suspect it's hormonal, exacerbated by fatigue.

My horrid pregnancy skin has been calmed by the body shop's tea tree range (spot treatment stick, face wash, toner, night treatment serum) so something like that might help? It's definitely calmed the angry spots and they're much less visible now.

Congratulation btw!

I also don't think it's breastfeeding to blame but just early post partem hormones and lack of decent sleep.

It will get better. All of it. The skin, the breastfeeding and the sleeping.

Thank you all for the reassuring replies! Relieved to hear that its hopefully more temporary than I thought! I know its early days but including the pregnancy I've looked like death warmed up for months now, dunno what this "glow" is that people talk about! Will get myself some tea tree oil too

I have no real advice other than sudocrem, I just wanted to let you know your not alone and have my sympathy.
I've had rosecea for years and you can't take the medication whilst thinking about getting pregnant and everything else that comes after. so I've had shocking skin for nearly 18mths now and, like you, I had an awful pregnancy so it doesn't help how you feel. fingers crossed for both of us that it clears up soon. x

Are you drinking LOADS of water? BFing is mega dehydrating, and my skin gets crap if I don't drink enough. I have so many zits right now, it's horrendous!

I had this too, horrid isn't it. With dc1 it just cleared up. With dc2 it did clear up but not completely and I was prescribed a roll on treatment by the GP. Agree with others, I think its post partum rather than a bfing issue.

Well done on preservering and congratulations

Water, water and more water will definitely help.

Congrats and GL :)

If its the really angry, sore acne I don't think how much water you drink will help OP, but its good to stay hydrated in this hot weather. How are you getting on now?

Congrats on your new baby and on your bf perseverance.

My crap pregnancy skin has yet to get any better at 15 mos postpartum. Sorry. He's an appalling sleeper, though, and I'm more inclined to blame the hourly wakings than the bf.

Congratulations on your new baby! I'm not an expert on hormones or breast feeding, however it sounds like your skin routine might be a bit harsh on sensitive skin. Masks and scrubs can make sensitive skin worse and flannels can just rub bacteria back into already inflamed poors.

I'd suggest trying a skin routine that cleanses and moisturises very gently. No rubbing & scrubbing. Drink lots of water, concentrated on your beautiful new baby and fingers crossed your skin will clear up shortly. Best of luck!