When did you get stretch marks???

[Writerwannabe83]

I'm 31 weeks tomorrow and people are always quick to ask me if I've got stretch marks yet...

Does everyone get them.....and when??

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

No I didn't. Bought that baby oil gel and rubbed it Ito my tummy every morning before getting out of the shower. Seemed to do the trick

[MrsPatMustard]

About 36 weeks. Thought i was going to get away with it and then one day they were there.

I prefer to think of them as my stripes - hard earned and a sign of strength...

[Thebluedog]

I didn't get any, I put on about 3 stone whilst pregnant.

My midwife reckons all these creams are useless, and don't do shit because if you're gonna get them, you'll get them.

[pettyprudence]

ooh I am jealous of all these lack of stretch marks! In pg 1 I got my first stripes at 16 weeks - which was all wind/bloat and not even baby . I thought I hadn't done too badly but once my tummy deflated post birth I realised just how many stripes there were :(

I am pg with dc2 and was hoping to just recycle the last stretch marks but I am pretty sure I have fresh ones. Which is doubly annoying as I am slimmer this pg, plus my bump isn't measuring as big so how the fuck do I have more stretch marks?????

[PacificDogwood]

I didn't.
4 pregnancies, 2 of which went to 42+ weeks.
I did squat to prevent them.

What stretch marks I do have are on the outside of my thighs and I got them in puberty - they are virtually invisible now (it's been about 30+ years since I went through puberty, mind .

I don't feel smug about my lack of pregnancy-related stretch marks; I think it is totally down to genetically pre-determined elasticity of connective tissue.

[PacificDogwood]

Oh, yes, all the creams/oils are useless - use them if you like them and can afford them but they will not prevent one single stretch marks. Sorry.

[jennymac]

I have millions which is pretty annoying as I didn't put on excess weight in either of my pregnancies. I did have excess fluid with my first though and the midwife said my marks were consistent with that. I didn't notice them till after my dd was born and I remember being pretty shocked. I have got used to them by now (7 years later!) and obviously she was worth it!

[CuteLittleToes]

At about 38 or 39 weeks. And I didn't tear whoever brought up that theory

Haven't read the entire thread, but maybe somebody brought that up already: creams don't help. You'll either get them or you won't. It's due to elasticity of connective tissue which is too deep for any cream to reach. If your bump feels dry just use your regular body cream/lotion...

[Lioninthesun]

I was nearly 43months when DD came out. I am fairly sure the last two weeks were the worst, I could feel my skin tightening. I used bio oil though and only have a couple of small ones above my hips at the back and a couple of them on tops of boobs. I was really lucky actually as I put on over 3st in pg and then lost 5 stone in about 3 months after having her (ferocious breast feeding, was not healthy weight for me to end up at) so I think my poor bod/skin was under some undue strain

[Lioninthesun]

Hahahaa 43 WEEKS!
Yes, that would have been some strain!

[DramaAlpaca]

I've had three pregnancies & didn't get any stretch marks. I did develop thread veins on my thighs though, just like my mum.

[apachepony]

I didn't get any. Never used any oils or creams but ds came 2 weeks early.

[lastnightopenedmyeyes]

I'm coming up to 41 weeks now with dc2 and I'm getting lots every day. So gutted

[IWantToBePippiLongstocking]

I think age bears a factor too.

I started having dc in my 30's. I got no stretchmarks. I know it is not down to genes as i have marks from my teen growth spurts so that would indicate i am susceptible to them.

[lastnightopenedmyeyes]

Well I had DS at 32, I'm 35 now and tummy is covered in them. My mum had me at 36 and had none at all. So the age and gene theories don't work for me

[woodlandwanderwoman]

None here and I put on 3 stone and gave birth at 42w

[cafebistro]

I've had 3 largish babies and got no stretch marks.
My mum is covered in them.

[InfiniteJest]

It's weird. I agree there's a strong genetic predisposition but I got them as a teenager, so I expected to get them when pregnant, but didn't get a single one. I went to 40+5 but I wasn't very big even then. I'm thin and short, so not sure where the baby was hiding but the bump was very small. Might not be so lucky if I have a second one!

[minionmadness]

None here. Twins in my early 40's... Went to 37 weeks, dts's came in a 5.12lb and 5.5lb respectively, and I'm only 5.1ft. Total weight gain 2.5 stone.

Three sisters, two have then, two don't! None of us used anything other than our normal body creams.

[SEmyarse]

I'm bloody annoyed that so many don't have them. I went 2 weeks overdue with ds, but because I was so tiny many people didn't actually realise I was pregnant, and the midwives were concerned about the size of baby.

I am actually bloody plastered in the things, belly, bum, boobs, the lot. AND my milk didn't come in properly so my boobs didn't really increase either. I suspect I have well over 100.

[VisualiseAHorse]

I'm annoyed too SEmyarse. I'm covered in them. My boobs suffered too when my milk came in.

[Pixiedust49]

I had DD when I was 37. No stretch marks at all. I was huge!!!

[theQuibbler]

No stretchmarks and my babies were whoppers, both over 10lbs. Lucky genes. DS1 was a c-section and the surgical team kept going on about my huge bump and playing guess the weight and saying how unusual it was for me not to have stretchmarks.

[citruslemon]

No stretch marks. Put this down to hubby massaging me with Bio-Oil every day.

[RonaldMcDonald]

I was stretchmark free - completely and smugly- until 41 weeks
The next 5 days was traumatic....like a really awful roadsystem