Stretch marks....

[Tarlia]

Just wondered, when did you start getting them?

[broccolitrees]

i didn't .....................




























until 36 hours after dd was born then i got them on my boobs when my milk came in, and they were hideous thankfully they did fade quite a bit

[saoirse86]

I thought I hadn't, until my DD was about 7 weeks old and I caught sight of the stretch marks between my bum cheeks!

[Rocklover]

With dd at about 37 weeks. I was so happy before then as I thought I'd escaped.

I am 31 weeks with dc2 and so far don't have any new ones despite being a lardarse. And I haven't bothered with the moisturising this time round because it was utterly pointless last time and didn't help at all.

[darksideofthemooncup]

I didn't on my tummy but did on my boobs. I have heard that the older you are the less likely you are to get them and I was 38 when I had my dd.
Having said that I rubbed pure vitamin E oil on my bump twice a day (I pierced a capsule with a pin and squeezed it out). Its not the cheapest thing to do but it seemed to work for me.

[broccolitrees]

saoirse how could you even see that when your dd was only 7 weeks????

[hazchem]

Having been a big fatty for large parts of my life i've already got hundreds!
I do keep freaking out thinking i'm getting more but darling partner points out no that was there before it's just cmore visable now. I think he is trying to be nice but it just makes me think i had a pretty manky tummy before i got pregnant.
I'm using a variety of products to try to stave them off can't say they work but it's nice rubbing my tummy particulary with the one you add to the bath.

[ariane5]

i have had 3 children and didnt have any stretchmarks with my first untill 30 weeks-i literally went to bed one night with none and in the morning i had a few over my hips and bum and the next day they were everywhere! hips,bum,stomach,legs and they were awful, even the midwife commented how severe they were! i didnt get any extra ones with next 2 pg but thats probably because there was not any room for any more!!
Iam back to my pre pg weight now but my stomach does look awful! some people are lucky i think and dont get many and others are like me (i even used bio oil everyday and it didnt make a diff sadly!)

[japhrimel]

I had a few tiny ones that appeared around 26 weeks. After 32 weeks, my tummy just went though and the underside of my bump is now covered with them.

[flowerfairy]

I thought i had escaped with ds, but then noticed as my stomach returned to its normal shape that i had quite a few around my belly button. I had moisturised everyday too. But got off very lightly compared to my sister.

This time at 27 weeks i haven't noticed any new ones yet! My poor belly button is stretched to it's limit though as all of my previous stretch marks are stretching. Can you get stretch marks on stretch marks?

Am still moisturising every day boobs and tummy this time and drinking plenty of water. Though that means more visits to the toilet and my hands are dry and rough as anything. Perhaps that means all the moisture from my hands is in tummy skin! HA HA

[Tarlia]

Bum, I was hoping you'd all say before 28 weeks as that's what I am, and mum commented she was surprised I didn't have any yet, I though I might escape, guess not! I need to get better with the creaming, but they say it's also genetics..right!?

[lilly13]

what should one do to prevent stretch markets? any cream/oil/herb recommendations, etc? many thanks!

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

Last time, I didn't get them until about 7 months. Then they just snaked up my bump! (which was huge) This time, I wondered if they'd increase, and they didn't until about a week ago (35 weeks) and then I realised I was getting new ones at 90 degrees to the old ones! That is SO not fair!

I use bio-oil but it doesn't work on me.

[PaigeTurner]

I have heard from nutritionist friends that eating a zinc-rich diet can help ward off stretch marks - in fact that would be more use than creams which can't penetrate the skin deep enough to have an effect.

[japhrimel]

Creams/oils won't do anything except make them less sore and itchy. It's down to genetics, how much weight you gain and when/where and how much stress you put on your skin (wearing a very good bra will help on the boobs).

Being careful with your diet to avoid excessive weight gain will help more than bio-oil.

[Honeybee79]

I thought I had escaped and then at about 28 weeks my stomach looked like a bloody road map. Didn't get them anywhere else though. DS is now 7 weeks and my stomach still looks horrible but I think that with time and exercise they will fade. Nothing can be done about it now and I am just working on accepting them!

[happycamel]

It's genetic, don't encourage the pregnant-women-will-pay-for-anything attitude of the cream manufacturers! I use Johnson's baby oil on my bump every day while I shower but I know it won't stop any marks I might get, it stops it being so itchy and it is really cheap compared to bio oil etc. I don't suppose the ingredients are much different either.

[LittleB]

It can't just be genetics? My mum had a fair few, my poor sister had loads, I only had one on my hip and a few on my boobs last time, none so far this time - 36wks. None of us put on alot of weight. I do like using the cream though, it smells gorgeous and makes my belly feel all soft, I've got burts bees mama bee belly butter - yum! I'm sure a good diet and not smoking etc helps too. ( My sister smokes when not pg and my mum did a little before she had me - perhaps that contributes as I know it can damage your skin?)