Stretch Marks

When can I expect these little buggers??

Use cocco butter & hopefully you won't get any or they will be very light!

Unfortunately the cocco butter made me nauseous!

LOL Tracy... I hope it doesn't have the same effect on me!

Thanks for the tip... I'll buy some cocoa butter tomorrow.

WHOA THERE! They appeared AFTER the baby was born?!?

So, even if I get through the whole 40 weeks without them, I'm STILL not in the clear???

When i took Birthing classes w/ my Bf i learned that stretch marks depend on the skin type that you have,and only that
This class was taught by the head nurse of Maternity at Southside Hospital in Bayshore

Thanks for the warning. At least now I'll be prepared.

I just started getting them last month They are darker now and there are only a couple

Stretch Marks
Nearly every woman dreads them.

Most won't talk about them.

Striae gravidarum, or stretch marks are probably the most discussed and feared of the changes to the body during pregnancy.


Serious stretch marks during the last month.

These marks appear in 50 - 90% of all pregnant women, usually showing up in the later half of pregnancy as bright red lines, sometimes even purplish. While the majority will be on the lower abdomen they can also be found on the thighs, hips, buttocks, breasts and arms of women.

They tend to be pinkish in light skinned women, and in dark skinned women they will be lighter than the surrounding skin after pregnancy. They reflect the separation of collagen of the skin. While not painful, the stretching of the skin may cause a tingling or itchy sensation. A good lotion can help with the increased dryness or itchiness of the skin, but will not prevent stretch marks no matter how diligent you are or how much you spend on the cream.

While many people will swear by certain creams or lotions, the truth is there is not much you can do about stretch marks, you'll either get them or you won't. There are some factors that you should know contribute to stretch marks:

Family (If your mom or sister has them, guess what?)

If you had them in a previous pregnancy you may get them again, although usually just a darkened (temporarily) of the old ones and a light extension sometimes.

Weight Gain (Rapid or excessive will make this worse.)

Nutritional Status (Well hydrated and healthy skin stretches better.)

Ethnicity (African American women get them less.)


Stretch marks 2 weeks after baby born.

So, what now? Well, eventually they do fade after you have the baby, becoming silver lines. While most women don't think about them much, or consider them badges of motherhood, others want them removed. There are new techniques and surgeries being explored all the time. Talk to your dermatologist or plastic surgeon if you are concerned.

What Mothers Say
Theresa affectionately calls them, 'Badges of honor.'

'I don't want to talk about it.' Mom of two with #3 on the way.

'They really aren't what I expected,' says Amanda, first time mom due in May.

After her second baby Kristin says, 'The marks started out so bright in color, I never thought that they would fade, but they really did become nearly invisible after she was about 6 months old. I can even get away with a bikini!'

'All the lotion in the world didn't stop it, I had one tiny mark at the bottom where I couldn't see it until after the baby was born. I do feel like the lotion kept them to a minimum,' explains Elizabeth mom to 2 month old Gabrielle.

Jenn Don't worry...the truth is, stretch marks are genetic. If your skin is very elastic, than you may not get stretch marks at all. My godmother does not have a stretch mark on her -- after two kids. Unfortunately, I do But, they are fading as time goes on.

I recommend using either the cocoa butter stick or the body butter from the Body Shop to moisturize as you expand.

Oh geez... my mom's stomach looks like a road map...

Claud, I LOVE Body Butter... I'll be picking up the cocoa butter one tomorrow.

Is there hope for me yet??? mom has none, g-ma has none, no one in my family I see has any. Could it be that I will be lucky enough. Even if I do get em, please let it be after I take the pix, so my belly looks smooth...I know vain. There is something my gf told me about that helps, I will try to remember the name. At least helps with the itching and the smoothing of it.

I also used Palmers (and I found a pic for ya too )

Remember you (should) have the option to get 'unscented' in whatever you buy, the smell can start to get annoying!

I also got them much later on. Probably 8th month? and all along I thought I wasnt getting any, and WAMMO they appeared overnite
Strangely enough my sister didnt get any (or very very few faint ones, but just about none). and I thought she would and I wouldnt because she is much more petite and her skin would have had to stretch alot more, make sense? (I thought it made sense )

Jenn, dont stress about them, they are fading on me. But Im sure they'll be making their grand entrance this winter
At first, its kinda of sad and scary, what your body is 'going through', (except the evergrowing belly, I LOVVVVEE that part!) ...you feel like you have no control (Which you dont ) but after you go through it all, you realize the beauty of it all, and the reason it all happens, and it becomes such a SMALL part of everything, such a minor detail...trust me...

I'd like to blame Sean for my stretch marks, but sadly, I had them before he got in there!! Now I just have more!!

Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones and not get them at all!!

I imagine I'll have alot since my tummy is so flat now

I don't think that has anything to do with it Jenn. LUCKY!

A co-worker of mine just had a baby, and she was easily a size 0 or 2 ~ slim as a model, and she has not a mark on her any where!