What did you rub on your bump?

[Wonderstuff]

I've got an ever expanding and quite itchy bump. Looking for ideas on a nice cream to rub on it to relieve the itch?

Am I the only one that worries about the chemicals in all these body lotions? I'm using bio-oil, would rather use a body butter or something, but don't like the idea of all the chemicals being absorbed by my skin... or am I being paranoid?

I've been oiling myself since the start of my pregnancy (Using Weleda or The Sanctuary) but suddenly around 27wks started to get horrendously itchy skin on my bump which drove me crazy.

I changed my washing powder, shower gel and belly oil to non-perfumed versions, which helped a bit.

But it was only after I mentioned it to my OB (who checked my bloods, found I was slightly anaemic) and started taking iron supplements that I became 100% itch-free...

So maybe your itching can also be relieved by increased iron consumption!??!

P.S. Still no stretchmarks either! (touch wood)...

Bio oil, not one strechmark

I bought a huge bottle of organic sweet almond oil, and added a few drops of mandarin essential oil for scent. Was heavenly to rub in after a shower, my skin was so soft and it cost next to nothing. I did get one stretch mark, but I had loads of extra fluid so an enormous bump, and put on 5 stone (mostly water) . Stretch mark appeared the day DD was born and disappeared a month later.

I used a gorgeous massage oil for pregnancy from Neal's Yard that my SIL gave me. It worked a treat on the itching and the stretchmarks and smelled utterly wonderful. Am assuming it wasn't full of chemicals either.

mamma mio tummy oil...lush.

two pregnancies, no stretch marks! yay!

I did get stretch marks not until I was 37 weeks and looking at my mum's stretch marks, I got off lightly.
I used Bio oil- love the smell
Clarins bath oil the one for pregnancy
Bliss body butter-plum plum and non scented.
I did get told by the scan lady that I had lovely skin on my bump-it was so shiny!
A lot of money went onto it!

Another vote for palmers cocoa butter here, it works and I love the smell. I've also had dr hauschka blackthorn body oil which is meant for stretchmarks but... reverted to palmers. I also use it on my feet.

sweet almond oil

and Body shop used to do a very pure cocoa butter - it was packaged in a deodorant tube type thing. Twas great but I don't think they do it anymore

Yet another vote for palmers but I also gently exfoliated my bump as well which helped with the itching. I only have one tiny stretch mark but could be coincidence?

Clinique Body Butter and only got 1 teeny tiny stretch mark next to one of my laparoscopy scars. Would love to credit the cream, but sadly I think it's all in the genetics ladies......

Body shop cocoa butter with first and a little with 2nd and 3rd as still had some left.

Felt nice and no stretch marks to speak of, but still itchy.

Palmers & Bio-oil here too. No itching at all.(Touch wood.)

Used boots oil gel in 1st prenancy and got looooaaads of SM & terrible itching. (Didn't use it religiously though.)

bio oil here - a little goes a long way. No SM in my 1st pregnancy, and only one little one in my second.

My itchiness was also helped with iron supplements.

I used the sanctuary cream in a big tub. Slathered on religiously every day.

I read whilst pregnant, and it seems right, that the damage to the skin occurs at a deep level in the skin. Skin creams/oils only penetrate into the upper layers of skin and are pretty futile from a SM avoidance point of view. However.....I acquired quite a lot of stretch marks during adolescence (breasts, hips - and despite not putting vast amounts of weight). I thought would collect a few more during my pregnancy. But suprisingly, despite going to 42 weeks, no more appeared.

I still don't really think the creams work and it is largely down to luck, but obviously there is a bit more to it than simply genes. If I got pregnant again I would buy a big tub of lovely smelling cream - just in case!

So far as itching goes, I think anything moisturising will offer some relief.

Sanctuary's cream is nice and rubs in easily. Neal's Yard one is more greasy and smells funny, but get the feeling it's working to keep belly soft as it's still there the following morning!

I used bio oil and it was so lovely to use fragrancemad.com sometimes have it on special offer.
I agree with some others here though that it is also a genetic thing. A few midwives told me if my mother did not get them then I was certainly less likely to.
3dc's later, not one so either they were right or bio oil is so fabulous!!

sorry all but i had 3 babes and no stretch marks and did nothing much (oiled a bit sometimes).If you're going to get them you're going to get them.I will add though that for itching try 99% aloe vera gel or pure lemon juice it's fab for cuts grazes insect bites etc.

Guys, do watch out if the itching is elsewhere too, as that can also be a liver disorder in pregnancy - you may need to get your bloods checked...

I didn't get any stretchmarks until week 39 !! At which point I woke up with a red corona around my belly button. 'Twas a horrid shock. The culprit was Bold washing powder - I was already using it, but my skin muct have gotten to a stage of no longer coping. So I am an advocate of cutting out any unnecessary chemicals - get back to the cleanest non-bio as possible, e.g. Ecover.

Best of luck, all you lovely ladies with lovely big bumps!

Bio-Oil here. On my 3rd pregnancy and so far no stretch marks. I'm definitely prone as my mum has loads and I have some faded ones on my hips from sometime WAY before I had kids. HTH Now, anyone got a cure for varicose veins?

I am addicted to Clarins Huile Tonic/Body Treatment Oil. It smells so good I want to swim in it, and it feels amazing on my tight stretched belly. I bought a few small bottles of it cheap on eBay for about a third of the RRP. Highly recommend.

I'll second Clarins - think I tried every lotion and potion going during my pregnancy and Clarins was by far the best (and the £££!). Not one stretch mark but I thank my Mum for this rather than the lotions!

Another fab one was Neal's Yard Mother's Balm - organic and yummy!

Fond memories - was a wonderful excuse to get my husband to purchase lots of lovely bottles of divine smelly stuff!

Palmer's cocoa butter.

Was v proud of no stretch marks whatsoever until I got to about 39 weeks. Then having a check up with midwife I innocently said "I must have been bitten under my bump cos its so itchy and look you can see great red marks on it where I've been scratching in the night!"

She just looked at me like this .

Palmers was a godsend for me morning and when I got home from work and an extra plus it encourages melenonin (SP!) stuff in your skin than makes you go brown.. So you end up with a nicely tanned bump.. would encourage use on boobs too so you don't end up with a pair of blinding headlamps

third clarins
smells of heaven

i found palmers too sickly