Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

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

Original poster

How many women actually get STRETCHMARKS?

52 replies

farmgirls · 18/04/2009 22:25

In my last pregnancy 2 years ago I didn't get a single stretchmark (before you say jammy bugger, I had a vaginal birth second degree tear instead and a semi-prolapse )so I'm wondering the likelihood in this current pregnancy (due in 8 weeks)?

This time, I've lots of visible blue veins all over my bump - is that what turns into stretchmarks?

It sounds vain I know, but I figured if I suffered the greater evil of tear and prolapse, karma will let me off stretchmarks!

My sister has lots of them from her 3 pregnancies yet I have none so far, so the Genes theory can't be right.

My post-birth belly bump never really went down much from 2 years ago so perhaps my belly skin is still stretched enough not to need to stretch anymore this time?

How common are stretchmarks in pregnancy I wonder?

OP posts:
feedthegoat · 18/04/2009 22:48

I only put on a stone when I was pregnant (due to morning sickness and later not having the room to support my usual greedy habits!) but I still got them in the last fortnight.

Original poster
farmgirls · 18/04/2009 22:49

Do stretchmarks start out as blue veins roadmapping all over your bump and turn redder in time ?

OP posts:
jeminthecity · 18/04/2009 22:51

No.

They appear as red marks.

You're thinkinmg of veins.

LittleMissBliss · 18/04/2009 22:52

I got them on my hips in early teens.

On my sides and under my bump, top of my bum little ones at the bottom of my bum think from when ds was being pushed out...

On my breasts from when i let my breasts get engorged during breast feeding. They have mostly faded.

I'm pregnant again but only 16 weeks and really don't want any 'extras', think i've got my share dotted about my body!

I have a friend who got none on her tummy during pregnancy but got a few on her bum!

Very of the ladies that have none.

AitchTwoOh · 18/04/2009 22:52

none for me either time. my mum didn't get them either.

Asana · 18/04/2009 22:55

@katiepotatie, same here! I'm due next Saturday [DS1] and finally got my first stretchmarks (a grand total of 5!) yesterday afternoon. They're on the right hand side of my belly button. I've been so upset since then and can't help but stare at them obsessively .

Solutions explored:

  1. I spent most of last night rubbing Bio-Oil on [as though that would help(!)]
  2. I shamelessly begged my husband for the roughest sex possible at 03:00AM after failing to fall asleep thinking that just the act of sleeping would cause more stretchmarks to appear
  3. I went for a one hour walk earlier today

(2) and (3) were done in the hope that if I started labour soon enough, the stretchmarks wouldn't get that much worse. So far, not even a twinge of a contraction!

I've promised myself that if yet another stretchmark appears or the ones already there get worse, I'll be making a beeline for pineapple juice, raspberry leaf tea and castor oil at our local supermarket/pharmacy.

doulalc · 18/04/2009 22:57

No stretch marks with any of the four, no sickness either....got plenty of varicose veins instead.

InTheScrum · 18/04/2009 22:58

I've got a stomach like crumpled crepe paper. Wrinkly and silvered with stretch marks.
I was a bit of a heifer before I had babies so already had old stretch marks (had some from puberty). Two pregnancies later and my belly is a horrific sight. But if I ever moan, DH kisses it all over and says it's the most beautiful thing he's seen because it held our beautiful boys.

stillenacht · 18/04/2009 22:59

inthescrum - thats exactly what DH says to me - i hate it tho (the tummy not what he says!)

LoneStranger · 18/04/2009 23:07

I didnt get stretch marks with either of mine, am PG now and hope that will enjoy the same lack of fate this time. Have fried round at the mo who says she still has stretch marks on her belly and her bum that look like a 'bar code'. I stifled a laugh when she said it, "bar code", it's just the way she came out with it.

InTheScrum · 18/04/2009 23:07

We married good'uns eh Stillenact?!

stillenacht · 18/04/2009 23:09

indeedio Mines a lovely lovely mand (and so is Alan Sugar ...mmmm ...)

stillenacht · 18/04/2009 23:09

man even

monkeypinkmonkey · 18/04/2009 23:16

I got them but got pretty fat too. bloody woman up road thought I was having twins. I wasn't . Too be fair i got LOADS of them at puberty though aswell.

HeinzSight · 19/04/2009 10:45

I agree a lot of it is down to genes and how big you get. If you mother has them, you're more likely to.

I got tonnes of stretchmarks during my first pregnancy, DS1 was 10lb 10oz, I reused them (they all got angry and red looking again) for second pregnancy, DS2 was another 10lber, but with DD, they didn't go red at all, she was 'only' 7lb 8oz. I therefore think, had my other two been a bit smaller, I wouldn't
have got any.

bronze · 19/04/2009 10:48

I'm covered in them and have had goos stuff in pregnancy and plenty of shit thrown at me too.
I didn't even have big bumps just didn't stretch well.

flippineck · 19/04/2009 10:57

I had a lot of stretchmarks (hips, boobs, insides of arms etc) from putting on a lot of weight quite rapidly as a teenager, but they have all faded to just silvery lines now so tolerable (and I lost all the excess weight in my 20s). I was really worried about getting new ones when I was pregnant as my mum and sister both got loads but I'm now 37 weeks with my second and no new ones in either pregnancy. Just horible blue veins everywhere, little burst blood vessels on my arms ands legs and nose bleeds!

SpookyMadMummy · 19/04/2009 11:31

I got 3 under the left and 3 under the right side of my bump with Dd1. All lined up like tribal marks. I got a few over the top of my belly button with Dd2, and with the last pregnancy although I was much bigger and carried Dd3 all front I didn't get any new ones.
I had 3 normal vaginal births, with minimal stitching with the first 2 births, none with the third.

KerryMumbles · 19/04/2009 11:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Disenchanted3 · 19/04/2009 11:38

im covered, boobs, tummy, thighs, calves.

and not pretty little silver slithers,

big, red angry gashes, all over, even got them on my fanjo.

Leannabanana · 19/04/2009 13:46

i didn't get any in my first preg until the last week....they weren't too bad tho few on underbelly thats it [nubile 21 yr old skin menthinks...] five years on with second preg i got loads....backs of calves asnd thighs [faded now tho] a couple on my boobs [very very annoyed...] and more again on hips and stomach....i didn't use any cream or oil tho. this time round i have been using LUSH body bars every nice on my thighs boobs and stomach so will have to cross every thing that i don't get any more....fort he most part i don't notice them and hey what ya gonna do?? so many ladies have them....my kids are so worth the scars....and pregnancy is a bitt of a battle isn't it so nice to have some battlescars....xx

mrsgboring · 19/04/2009 18:22

Karma theory is total shite - I got loads of stretchmarks and full term stillbirth (without epidural) first time round.

Cannot work up any enthusiasm to give a monkey's about stretchmarks. They are just lines after all. And there's nothing you can do to alleviate them except not put on too much weight.

Simplysally · 19/04/2009 18:42

I got stretchmarks and even felt one tear . Mine are mostly on one hip (where I think a knee was resting) and under my boobs though.

DuffyFluckling · 19/04/2009 18:46

I got loads. Meh. My children ransacked my body and left me a sagging, blamanchey shell, but they are more beautiful than I ever was to begin with. It worked out fine.

lljkk · 19/04/2009 19:09

I like stretchmarks, I have loads.
But all from adolescence (my mother had them in same places). None from pregnancies.