Should I buy something to prevent stretch marks or is it a waste of time?

[barbareebaa]

What do you think?

I'm 19 weeks preg (almost!!) and my friends say I should be putting something on my little bump.

Do stretch mark creams/ lotions work?

Someone recommended bio-oil but its tres expensive and I don't want to buy it if I'm going to get stretch marks anyway...

what about palmers cocoa butter?

Any advice would be gratefully received!!

[FrannyandZooey]

I used palmers last time and got stretch marks right at the end anyway
I do think if you are going to get them you probably will, but bio oil is meant to be good for taking the redness out of them
tbh if you are like me your tummy will be so itchy you may well enjoy putting something on them
I've been using green people mother and baby moisturiser this time, but I don't see how any potion can prevent stretchmarks when your stomach is the size of a house

[Chequers]

Message withdrawn

[gingeme]

Don't bother and good luck ! If they get itchy a bit of your usual moisturiser works a treat.

[sweetkitty]

Personally I don't think anything works, it's genetics if you are going to get them you get them.

I'm on my third pregnancy and am so rubbish haven't used anything apart from usual moisturiser after a shower (well sometimes), had a 9lbs 3ozs baby last time and was huge but no stretchmarks.

It's nice to rub something on the bump though.

[solo]

I think you are either prone to them or you aren't. Bio Oil does though, fade them after you've got them and is well worth the money. I got mine in Sainsburys.

[solo]

If you are going to use soething, don't forget to do your buttocks and thighs too, as they also tend to get stretchmarks if you are prone.

[FrannyandZooey]

I have them on my calves

[staryeyed]

I was told that I could prevent them and I rubbed oil and palmers into my skin morning and night daily. I ended up with pretty bad stretch marks all over my stomach which have faded now. I believe that people of a certain skin type will get them regardless. However, my bump did grow to quite a huge size- people were always asking if I was expecting twins (I wasn't by the way).

[barbareebaa]

Oooh. What to do?!

Maybe I'll start with the cocoa butter (or similar) and see how I go. I love the smell of that stuff I might get the bio oil a bit later on when the bump gets bigger...

Thanks for the advice!

[missblythe]

I'm prone to stretch marks-got them on hips and boobs when puberty hit, but when pregnant used Clarins Tonic Oil, or the Mama Mio Tummy Rub oil, and didn't get a single one.

It's a nice thing to do anyway, as your skin will start feeling itchy and uber-stretched soon, like the baby is going to BURST out.

[EffiePerine]

Not sure you can prevent them, but massaging bump with oily stuff nice when you're bigger. I love Lush therapy massage bar and the Avent dry oil body spray.

[barbareebaa]

Hoo, yikes re: bursting out baby!!



That's interesting missblythe because I got stretch marks during puberty too. So could be more prone maybe. I didn't know about those oils you mentioned but will check them out.

I have one of those lush massage bars EffiePerine so will give that a go too.

Obviously am not going to freak out if/ when I get stretch marks. Just wondered if there was something that could help really.

[Anna8888]

Very hard to prevent stretchmarks BUT:

• put on as little weight as possible
• put on weight as gradually as possible
• use loads of body lotion all over all the time to keep skin as supple as possible

[Bucharest]

Lush therapy massage bar- lovely gentle essential oils (all the ones used in the Therapy bar are suitable in pregnancy) I rubbed it over my bump, thighs after a shower, and I don;t have one single stretch mark. (and I', still addicted to the smell!)

[missblythe]

Look at it this way, it can't hurt to give it a go. And while Bio-Oil and the like are not cheap, in the grand scheme of what you will spend while getting ready for you newborn, it will be but a drop in the ocean.

[waitingtobloom]

I used bio oil from about 12 weeks every night and didnt get any stretch marks...

But...

My mum didnt get any either (and didnt use anything) - so maybe genetic

I didnt use it on my boobs and didnt get any there either despite going from a B cup at the start to an E cup when breastfeeding and breastfeeding for 15 months (so lots of up and down boobs lol)

I only put on a stone as was so so so so sick and that was very gradual over the last 20 weeks.

So im not sure if it was actually the bio oil but to be honest Im not risking it this pregnancy for the sake of a couple of bottles worth lol so its on again every night and so far touch wood (but again still busy being stupidly sick and not put any weight on yet at 28 weeks so it could just be this)

I suffered in lots of other ways though if that helps lol

xx

[Buckets]

Think it's genetic but it's always good to look after your skin anyway. I use Palmers cocoa lotion and get one stretchmark per baby (after the event) but my mum and sis have very few too.

[daisy26]

Iv'e been naughty and have put on lotion every now and then, and my mum keeps telling me off hehe. I am nearly 31weeks and don't have stretchmarks, but my friend said they may appear, when I have her, but my mum never got marks either

[daisy26]

yeh ill do that then, I have like a tanned skin so not sure what my marks would be like, if i get any

[NotQuiteCockney]

There's one thing that'll do the trick ... condoms!

Bit late now, though.

[barbareebaa]

lol!

[greenlawn]

If you get them, they will fade - the colour goes and you are left with silvery marks - really not that bad. I had them under the bump. I'm now 25 weeks with no.4 and am expecting the colour to come back over the pregnancy then disappear again.

I've used bio-oil in the past, not sure if there is anything special about it. Use sweet almond oil as a cheap alternative (Holland and Barrett do one) - it feels and smells just as nice.