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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Stretchmarks, bugger!

9 replies

TooImmature2BMum · 06/01/2011 07:28

I was in the bath yesterday and DH said "I think you're starting to get stretchmarks". I grabbed a mirror to look under my bump and he was right! I have stretchmarks on my lower tummy on both sides (more on the right, for some reason). I was horrified (and cried like a girl). I'm trying to tell myself that it will only be visible on holiday or for the 5 minutes every summer it is warm enough to wear a bikini in Scotland, so for 97% of the year it won't matter.

Questions: I was being a bit slack with the oil over Christmas. If I oil myself religiously morning and night for the rest of my pregnancy, will it help?

Will eating oily foods (fish, nuts) help? Obviously in the prescribed quantities...

I'm only 32 weeks. If I have stretchmarks already, will they grow and spread and be horrendous tiger stripes by 40 weeks?

OP posts:
lucy101 · 06/01/2011 07:52

Same thing has happened to me... they appeared at around 32/33 weeks... don't look at them with a hand mirror! Until I did that I was ignorant of how bad they were and it was blissful.

If it is any consolation 1. I take lots of fish oil, nuts etc. every single day 2. I have religiously oiled... but the truth is (despite anything else you might read) is that they are genetic and are too deep in the layers of skin to be reached by any oil etc.

However, I got a handful last time and they faded so quickly I was surprised (and I have incredibly white skin so thought they could be very prominent).

nicolamumof3 · 06/01/2011 10:10

think it has alot to do with your skin type tbh and if you're going to get them you will. Im 12+5 with dc4 and been lucky on the stretchmark front so far. But im bigger at this stage then i've ever been before already showing! Shock so im moisturising like my life depended on it!

Used bio oil last time was really good, will get some more as i get bigger.

itisntreallyme · 06/01/2011 10:19

You can't do much to stop them appearing but oils will help them fade faster and stop the itching etc. I tried Phyta Lotion (though there's also an oil) after hearing recommendations on here and really like it.

sh77 · 06/01/2011 10:20

Hmmm I am 30 weeks and am looking out for them. Didn't get any in 1st preg bit don't think I will be as lucky this time. Oild won't prevent them.

Mahraih · 06/01/2011 10:27

I have the bio oil on standby just in case - it did wonders for my acne scars when younger so really trust it. Maybe give that a go?

Am now 36 weeks and none yet but paranoid ...

LotteryWinnersOnAcid · 06/01/2011 11:35

I was lucky until 36 weeks. Now they are spreading like wildfire. Still lubing myself up from head to toe in Bio oil though, just in case it magically stops me from getting any more (although some might call this denial Hmm)... Grin

Original poster
TooImmature2BMum · 07/01/2011 19:00

I foolishly thought the itching was to do with wearing too tight pants...now I know better!

Oh well, will just have to grin and bear it and hope they fade fast. I am going to carry on with the oil anyway, for the same reason as Lottery!

OP posts:
beckie90 · 07/01/2011 20:26

i didnt get them on my belly 1st time round but eventually did on my hips, and like you i was horrified and just like cried lol, but now i think it could have been worse, they do fade alot too. if ever i feel abit down about them i just think, there ther because my body grew a baby. im 26 weeks with 2nd now though and dreading getting any more :(

1Catherine1 · 07/01/2011 20:46

TooImmature from what I've read its all to do with skin type and although the oils might make them fade faster there's no real proof anywhere that they actually work to prevent them.

Fortunately for me I was expecting them. When I was a teenager I used to be able to eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING without putting on any weight and then I hit 17 and suddenly it all changed and I piled on over half a stone in 6 months and got very visible stretch-marks around my belly - then I learnt to watch what I ate. Mine have never really gone although they had faded slightly before I got pregnant. I remember my OH once asking me (starting the sentence with the word "honestly...") if I'd ever had a baby or been pregnant and I'm sure the question was prompted by my marks. I asked him but he just laughed it off - I think he was already worried he'd offended me. So knowing that when I put on less than a stone all over I got stretch-marks I kinda knew when I was gona put all the weight on in one place I was definitely never going to avoid them. :(

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