Do kids make us older, faster? Ask that question to a mother of five and a mom with her first little one still in the “perfect” stage and you’ll get two different answers – if the mother of five bothers to answer at all. The reality, however, is that while there are certain factors to pregnancy and child rearing that will lend themselves to aging us, they are subjective and depend on the individual.

We all know that stress is one of the leading causes of visible and internal signs of aging. If your pregnancy is stressful – you’re ill, you’re hormones are imbalanced, you’re worried – you will introduce the signs of aging that follow stress-impact on your skin and organs.

There are certain elements of a pregnancy, such as morning sickness, that can lead to the appearance of aging or even permanent signs of aging. Morning sickness, depending on the severity, can cause burst blood vessels in the face. This reduces the natural, healthy glow of the skin. Of course, lack of sleep causes bags under the eyes, redness around the nose and mouth, dry skin, lips and hair. Weight gain can stress you out even under the happiest circumstances. If your weight gain is within healthy boundaries, your body was created to adjust to the changes and will normally respond to weight loss after the baby’s born. However, if your weight gain goes beyond normal amounts, your body comes under undue stress that results in signs of aging to your skin, bones, joints, and ligaments.

We hear more and more about oral health and how our teeth are a sure sign of our age. During pregnancy your body experiences a surge of hormones – primarily estrogen and progesterone – which are linked to increased amounts of plaque on the teeth. Women who are pregnant are also at risk for developing pregnancy tumors. These are benign growths that form when already swollen gums become irritated. Under normal conditions, these tumors will shrink without medical intervention.

Once the baby’s born the real stress tests begin! Preparation and the ability to “go with the flow” are key elements to “staying young” once your family has begun to grow. While pregnancy requires a great deal from a woman’s body, nature has a way of putting it back if you allow it. Making the choice to find balance and organization helps reduce stress. Parenting classes, books and support groups help fight the stress that simply not knowing what comes next places on our body.

If having children makes you happy, then pregnancy and child rearing could be your fountain of youth. Even difficult pregnancies and childhood tantrums will only age you if you let them. After all, what’s inside tends to color the outside more than any makeup palette could.

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