When did you start getting stretch marks?

[Alita7]

So I'm 20 +4 with dc1/ds1 :)

My Belly is growing nicely and I'm wondering when stretchmarks usually appear? I'm cocoa buttering to help prevent them!

[Observer78]

Been using bio-oil since about 16 weeks (??) and nothing yet (8th month).
Some say it's genetic. I didn't want to find out, hence the bio oil.

[RoganJosh]

Mine were 40+4 with #3

[Hobby2014]

I'm 34+4 and my belly is completely covered. Started about 25 weeks but very few then suddenly this last couple of weeks they've really appeared. Have bio oiled from about 20 weeks.
My mum had bad stretch marks so I reckon it's genes.

[MissRainbowBrite]

I got all the way through to 40+7 and not a single one. I baby oiled daily but I think it's definitely down to luck/genes.

[PeachTrees]

I'm a beauty therapist..and I believe that no amount of bio oil or other products will prevent it. it's the type of skin you have. well, this is just my opinion from experience. I started getting them around 34 weeks. my friend randomly got hers overnight at 38 weeks .

[SouthDerbyshireMamma]

I'm 36+2 and don't have a single pregnancy related stretch mark. I'm surprised as I have old ones from previous weight gains

[hotfuzzra]

When I was about 14 yrs old?!

[Cookiepants]

Overnight at 39+4 so close to the finish

[DramaAlpaca]

I've had three DC & never had a single stretch mark.

I think I was just lucky.

[Lorelei353]

I never bio-oiled. Occasionally moisturised when I thought of it or belly felt a bit tight/dry skinned. Never got any stretch marks though. My mum and sister never got any so I guess it's in the genes.

[chickydoo]

Same as DramaAlpaca 4 kids & no stretch marks

[usualnamechanger]

38/39 weeks. Ended up going to 42+3 weeks, I wish I had a planned c section like my friend, who has no stretch marks (c section at 38 weeks).

Saying that, my stretch marks are not that bad, they are only just above the c section scar, so if I wore a bikini (a biggish one) they would be covered.
Sorry to tell you this, I used to sell beauty products and as many as they are (and I was supposed to sell) we were told the truth: nothing will get rid of stretch marks once you have them. And if you don't have them whether you will get them or not depends on your skin type/genes. Look at your mum's belly or if you don't have your mum with you, see if you got stretch marks from growing taller. That's not to say your skin won't benefit from a body lotion, but no, sorry, no magic cure. Good luck.

[Hubbubs]

Not genetic. I didn't get any with my first two (age 38 and 40 so hardly a spring chicken with taut skin). I used Palmers with the first preg and nothing with the second.

However my sister had three children at age 17 then in her late Twenties and she is covered completely.
Our Mum has barely any after 4 children.
Her Mum had 18 pregnancies and didn't have any.
You figure!

Some women develop stretchmarks after they've given birth.

I'm currently preg with my third age 45 and because I seemed to lose all skin elasticity after my second birth I'm expecting some this time round, for that reason alone.

I intend to get mine out in the swimming pool and on the beach if I get any. I see too many Mums covering them up. I particularly dislike the bio oil ad that suggest you'll only have a happy life if you get rid of your stretchmarks. Guess who wrote that ad copy? A man.

[beccajoh]

I didn't get a single one either time and it was sheer luck. It was a surprise, though, as I had some on my hips and boobs from puberty. My mum didn't get any either. Neither of my bumps were particularly big and I didn't have much weight gain either. 20lbs both times. Again just luck...!

[BigfootFiles]

I got my stretchmarks after giving birth! I thought I'd got away with it, but nope. They faded pretty quickly though.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

None - occasionally broke out some expensive bump cream that I'd been given a present of - Mama mio ? I think but if I remembered to put it on once a month I was doing well. Excellent stuff for dry shins though - I bought another pot post preg

Genes I think. My sister got some in her final week but she was having twins, my mum had loads of kids and no marks.

[catwithflowers]

I do think it's genetic. My mum had no stretch marks at all and neither do I after 3 kids. I do have wrinkles though

[sillymillyb]

I got all the way to 38 weeks and then the bastards appeared over night as if from no where.

The midwife looked at me knowingly when I bemoaned getting so close to escaping them

[Scoobsmam13]

I believe its all down to the type of skin you have. I'm fair skinned and bio-oiled from the beginning of my first pregnancy and had them all over my tummy from about 30 weeks. They did fade really well so you could only see them in a certain light and i still wore bikinis in summer.
This pregnancy I am not going to spend the money on bio-oil as it did nothing to help last time and it costs a fair few quid. This time Im just cocoa buttering and expecting the faded ones to re-appear as purple and cross ones again, boo!

[Mummymidwife87]

I got my first one at 10/40. They are looking better now, not so raw. I think they have stopped developing now, maybe the ones at the side are getting a little bigger.
I moisturised, bio oiled and still got them. Not sure my mother did though

[WeAllHaveWings]

Didn't notice them until the balloon deflated...........

[Thurlow]

After bloody birth I was so smug, I managed to survive pregnancy relatively unscathed in the whole saggy boobs, stretchmark department.

Then I had the baby, and the damn things appeared!

[maamalady]

I've got a couple, noticed at about 37-38 weeks. I've used oil every now and again, but not more than once a fortnight or so. I'm a bit surprised I haven't got more, as I have lots from puberty, so was expecting to get lots. Though I suppose there's still time, as I'm 40+4 and baby shows no sign of shifting!

[TheBabyFacedAssassin]

I got some about 24 weeks. I adore bio oil, I use it twice a day and now (4 weeks post delivery) my marks have faded and are hardly noticeable.
And if anyone's interested amazon are doing the big 200ml bottle for £9.99 at the moment!

[chellechelle26]

my first stretch marks appeared last week at 33 weeks, probably haven't moisturised as much as I should but my skin is sort of stretch mark prone anyway so either way they probably would have appeared.. at least that's what I'm telling myself!