Stretch marks

[Dannilion]

I know I should be grateful for being pregnant etc. But!

I'm 24+3 and have been using bio oil religiously since pretty much 8 weeks. Went to bed with no stretch marks and woke up this morning with over 20! (no exaggeration).

I'm gonna look like a roadmap by 40 weeks. Sob.

With my little boy, I managed to get to 35 weeks (oiling myself up every day) then woke up to find they'd marched over my bell overnight :-)

Mines all faded to silver within a few months of the birth and I can honestly say that although I was desperate to avoid them, I don't notice them at all now, and when I do see them, they just remind me that my little boy fitted in there at one point (hard to believe now he's 3!)

Once they fade to silver they're really not so bad.

oops, can i just say that when i said bell, i meant belly :-D (don't want you thinking I'm some kind of hermaphrodite :-)

OP - when I went to the Mumsnet Blogfest conference we were given a goodie bag, and one of the things in there was some Cussons Stretch Mark oil. At the age of 53, I don't think pregnancy is on the cards for me any time soon (!), so if you'd like it, I will gladly send it to you. PM me your address and I'll send it on.

Ele I'm feeling a bit down today and your typo really made me laugh! Thank you!!!

Stretch marks, both my sisters got them. I didn't, and was pregnant nearly 10 months with an almost 10lb baby! I used Weleda stretch mark oil (or my homemade version of sweet almond oil, wheat germ oil and vit e oil).

Bought the Weleda oil for my sisters, one who had 3 pregnancies over many years and bad stretch marks. They faded dramatically with the Weleda oil.

It's not too pricey off amazon! Treat yourself! And overall, pregnancy only improves women's bodies, you'll be so chuffed with what your body has achieved when you've given birth!

Glad to cheer you up aloha :-)

I'd love to blame my poor typing on pregnancy, but I think I was just as clutzy before!

I religiously moisturised during my 1st pregnancy then at 34 weeks woke up looking like my skin was being ripped apart. 7 years on they never really faded and I'm pregnant again. It's genetic, and for some people all the snake-oil in the world won't help. But if you want to feel better about it and proud of them there's this site: theshapeofamother.com/ that celebrates it

I like to think of them as well earned battle scars.

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to prevent stretch marks - 90% of women get them. They occur deep down in the subcutaneous layers of skin so moisturising and using things like bio oil will do nothing to prevent them as they only go down a couple of skin layers. These creams etc are designed to help fade the appearance of the marks afterwards. They also help to relieve a bit of the itchiness and tightness when the bump is growing. They fade over time.

Unfortunately moisturising makes no difference....I was seriously lucky and have no stretch marks after 3 kids......I used no moisturiser as the smell made me want to vomit!!

I didnt get any until 41 weeks, a whole load of them appeared below my belly button. Mine have all gradually dissappeared. Dont panic!

Def think of them as well earned battle scars. The appearance of them does improve with time and creams and oils help this. After a while you won't be bothered about them, its just a bit of a shock when they appear so suddenly.

I had none anywhere until my milk came in a few days after giving birth, then they appeared all over my boobs, and then you can't use smelly moisturiser as they baby won't latch on. I was distraught, but now a few months on they are hardly noticeable and don't look bad at all. Take heart!

the baby won't latch on!