Safe and effective stretch mark prevention cream

[EmyC]

Hello ladies :-) I'm only 5 weeks, but just wondered if anyone could reccommend a good cream which is safe for baby, to rub on my tum, to lessen the effects of stretch marks. I'm a bit stretch marky in other places already (from being bigger), so not the end of the world if this happens on my tummy area aswell, i can just imagine that once i start to put on baby weight, it will be big all over, and baby has me at 5ft 7ins and a dad whos 6ft 2ins, so might be tallish maybe? So excited, main thing is baby safety :-)
Thanks in advance, loving mumsnet, very addictive :-)

Bio Oil is highly recommended- it is an oil rather than a cream but is supposed to reduce existing stretchmarks and prevent the appearance of new ones. It is completely safe for use in pregnancy. You can get it in Boots, Superdrug, etc or on Amazon.

Any cream or moisturiser will be fine!

If you're going to get stretch marks though, no amount of oil or cream will stop them coming.

A friend who has had two litle girls swore vitamin e cream or oil is the best. Concentrated vitamin e oil is quite sticky so you need a carrier oil. It's in Palmers, which you can get at Boots, or you can buy sweet almond oil really cheaply on Amazon. It has a really high vitamin e content. Rub all over (don't forget your bum!) when you're still a bit damp after your shower.

Oil is better for me so far (I'm 18+2) as I've found the really high potency creams rub in a little funny and can 'ball' on your skin if you put clothes on too quickly.

Oil is also lovely on legs pre-summer!

What Fliss said... I used Bio oil religiously and still got them. I also thought it was working until 30wks when one appeared. It does help with the streching feeling though. Very important to moisturise with something :)

You can't stop them happening. The skin stretches and tears at a level no cream or potion will reach. It's largely genetic. Some people have enormous bumps and no marks and some teeny bumps and tiger stripes.

You can prevent the itch and make yourself more comfortable though. I used a range of things to feel less itchy including cocoa butter, vitamin e oil and a Boots stretchmark cream. I have stretchmarks on my stomach, breasts, thighs, bottom, knees etc. I also got them during puberty. BUT they've faded to silvery lines and I'm fairly proud of them.

Congratulations on your pg Emy!
Another vote for bio oil. But be prepared: in my experience some people get lots of stretch marks and others none. I used bio oil religiously through my first pg and had almost no stretch marks. In my second pg for various reasons I hardly ever used it and lo! hardly any stretchmarks. So I think there's a big element of chance or genes.

Agree with flss and SoH, whether you get stretch marks or not us genetically determined. Have a look at you mothers stomach! By all means use creams etc, but don't expect miracles. If you're predisposed to stretch mars, you will get them regardless. Sorry.

Another vote for bio oil!!! Lasts for ages too. The other one I've tried and loved is waitrose own brand baby butter.

I think it does work because I only got them where I didn't put the cream (far edges of my bump towards my back) and bit on the bust, also I think I'm prone to them as had them from adolesence and growth spurts on hips and boobs.

I used natural stuff a friend made up (safe essential oils, advocado oil and coconut oil) until the last couple of months then used bio oil. I used tons of it several times a day, especially when I got that itchy stretching feeling.

i'm using "mama bee's belly butter" by burt's bees. My sister used it and swears by it: she got massive but has no stretch marks so here's hoping!! She may have just been lucky though! I'm only 17 weeks so no stretch marks just yet....

I think it's about £10 to £15 a pot though (not totally sure as she bought it for me).

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Agree with all those who say that very little you apply topically will make any difference to whether or not you get stretch marks. There is some scientific evidence that creams containing Vit E, may help for some people.

However, rubbing any cream on your tummy when you start to get really big & the skin feels taut, will definitely make you feel better!

Hi,

I'm 39 weeks now with first baby & no stretch marks so far, fingers crossed. I use bio oil in the morning whilst skin is damp after a shower. Massage for 3 mins. Then Palmers cocoa butter lotion at night & massage for 3-5 mins. I've done that from start of pregnancy. I quite enjoy massaging my bump now. Not putting on too much weight helps too! Good luck Xx

Hi,

I'm 39 weeks now with first baby & no stretch marks so far, fingers crossed. I use bio oil in the morning whilst skin is damp after a shower. Massage for 3 mins. Then Palmers cocoa butter lotion at night & massage for 3-5 mins. I've done that from start of pregnancy. I quite enjoy massaging my bump now. Not putting on too much weight helps too! Good luck Xx

I have loads of stretch marks, got them whilst using a fancy essential oil cream given to me by an aunt. When that ran out I couldn't be bothered but everything felt itchier after a few days. So I moved onto a basic moisturiser, which eased the itch just as much.

Thanks ladies for your comments and sharing experiences, I think i'm a bit prone to stretch marks anyway, but will try a bit of moisteriser to ease the dryness, my tummy is a little bit soft and squishy anyway, so hope there's a lot of room for baby to be getting on with before they decide they need a bit more space :-)

Also a combo of baby bio and palmers for me. I am probe to them but got none with DD. maybe just lucky but I think religious application helped. Also got them on the only bit I didn't do enough...

I have stretch marks on my arms and boobs from weight gain, but am now on my third pg and have never had any stretch marks on my belly (so far!), so maybe you'll be lucky and not get them! I have moisturised my skin in each pg - I do this anyway as I have dry skin, which has been particularly bad this pg. This time, my belly particularly got really itchy and irritated, and the only thing that soothed it was Green Baby's Stretch Mark Cream. It is £7 a tube (I think) which lasts about a month, feels gorgeous, isn't greasy, and the smell is the most lovely thing ever! I will actually quite miss it when I'm no longer pg!

Er that was bio oil not baby bio. I would not recommend smearing baby bio on any body parts.

L'occitane almond oil for supple skin! It's just such a treat.

ditto with those who've already said pretty much what I'm going to say.....stretch marks are caused by the collagen strips in the skin tearing; there is nothing you can put on the skin which will prevent this - however, keeping the skin in good condition will help reduce their appearance long-term. it also helps reduce any itching caused as the skin is pulled taught over your expanding belly. any good quality moisturiser or oil will do this. being pg is a good excuse to splash out on something yummy though. I used Weleda wild rose body oil then their stretch mark oil (which I won in a magazine competition).

I got loads of stretch marks in adolescence but none from many pregnancies (never used any oils at any time).
My own theory is that keeping your pg weight gain down to something sensible must help reduce the risk.
Also they turn a pretty silver later, I like them, don't get why people get so bothered but I've had mine for all my adult life, anyway.