Stretch Marks

[Mamaof1]

When I was pregnant with my daughter I developed stretch marks on my thighs and some on my calves, but none on my stomach. I was wondering what are the possibilities of getting them on my stomach if I were to get pregnant again? I guess it seems trivial and shallow but I would really like to avoid them if I can!!

[kaiya23]

If you are fit, especially in the abdomen, I would anticipate it. I thought I had lucked out and got through 8 months of pregnancy without them, then BOOM there were stripes everywhere.

My understanding of stretch marks is that they occur when the skin is stretched faster than it can keep up with. I had friends in puberty who grew so fast some of them had stretch marks on their shoulders. So you may have avoided them on your belly b/c the baby did not have some sort of growth spurt, that she grew at an even pace that was ok for your skin.

I've known some people who have been heavier set, to where there was already some "extra" room for the baby and the women only gained 5 or 10 lbs. during pregnancy b/c they lost fat and gained baby. They didn't have a huge problem with stretch marks from what I understand.

I know I tried to avoid them too and had cocoa butter lotion that I put on every morning, but even that moisture didn't keep my belly from itching as it grew and growing stretch marks.

To top it off, I had a brown line growing up my belly vertically through my belly button...I'm not sure if it's a stretch mark, but there is still a shadow of it left after a year.

[Mamaof1]

Well that's discouraging lol!! I also had a brown line, no one had told me about that! But it does eventually fade, I forget what it is called though.

Oh well, I don't need to worry about it until it happens I guess and it's only a small price to pay :)

[jenn_0629]

It's funny that you mention a brown line through your belly button. I have stretch marks all over the lower half my stomach, except in that one spot. It's my favorite spot on my tummy now.
-About stretch marks, it is just what Kaiya said..your skin is basically ripping because it can't keep up with the pace at which it is being stretched. I don't really think that you have odds as to whether or not you will get them, it all depends on your weight gain, the babies size, and your body's capability of keeping up with the stretching.

[kaiya23]

My parents swear that the brown line means there is a girl inside...apparently it only happened to my mom with me and my sister, and I ended up with a girl...any thoughts?

[blessedmom]

I don't know- I had a brown line and out popped a boy ~

[kaiya23]

I figured it was just an old wives tale...just thought it was funny every time I talked to my dad he asked me if a line had appeared yet. He apparently wanted a granddaughter. :)

[cathartman]

So seriously.... can you get rid of stretch marks?

[Mamaof1]

No, you can't really get rid of stretch marks *sigh*. They will fade with time, and become silvery/white but don't ever really go away.

[jenn_0629]

There are lotions that can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, but the damage is done..you can't really get rid of them without a tummy tuck----which is too expensive for me, I can live with them if I save thousands of dollars.

[lena241]

Hey guys,

This brown line is called a "Linea nigra". Every pregnant woman develops this line. How dark the line is depends not only on your pigmentation, but also race. It is caused by the stretching of your uterine muscles, same as stretch marks.

I used Palmers for Stretch Marks with my 1st pregnancy and developed stretch marks only on my lower abdomen (But very few of them), above my pelvis and also on my breasts. After my pregnancy, I used Merderma to lighten the color of the stretch marks I did get.
(Im not sure if this is safe during breastfeeding). I still have them, but they are white and almost transparent.

I am now pregnant with my 2nd child (EDD is 1/22/09) 16 weeks, and I have already begun using the Palmers. Figured it didnt hurt the 1st time. Unfortunately, at $7.00 a bottle, it can get expensive if you get real big. I use it 2x per day, but feel the benefits outweigh the cost.
Good Luck.

[Misfit]

I never developed the Linea Nigra, maybe because I am a bit bigger round the middle. Before, during, and after pregnancy. I was sad about the new stretch marks I got, but now I could care less and I didn't use anything. They turned white and transparent on their own

[craftyashley]

Severe stretchmarks seem to run in our family. I think there is a genetic component to it all as well. I used the special lotions the minute I found out I was pregnant, but my belly still resembled a zebra.

[JWills]

Depressing. I had one or two just a few weeks ago and now I look like a zebra. Its encouraging to know they will fade, but it still stinks to get them in the first place. I look hideous!

[craftyashley]

It gets even worse when your children lift up your shirt and "play" with your saggy, stripey belly.

"Look mom, when I touch it, it jiggles!" (or so I'm imagining they are thinking)

[ktejmommy]

During my first pregnancy I got 2 stretch marks just next to my belly button both less than an inch long, they were also narrow, so they faded quickly. However my boobs were completely distroyed - when you add full coverage stretchmarks to the deflated, post-nursing chest.... yea. I also got a few on my hips and the back of my calves as well.
With my second pregnancy I figured I was home free - either I was stretching the same way or in the same places.. I wasn't seeing new ones anywhere. And suddenly one morning There They Were!!! My entire stomach was just covered.. I was so mad. But they're my souvinieres (sp?) if you will, so I don't mind.

*They're not the only reason I won't wear a 2 piece ;)

[supermomwannabe]

When I was pregnant with my first I was working at a bar here similar to Hooters, exact same uniform and everything. Since I was constantly walking as a waitress I wasn't gaining enough weight by 5mths so I quit and got a desk job. In 6 weeks I gained 17 lbs. My belly now looks like a shriveled up sponge. With my second I gained less weight but gained gradually and ended up with stretch marks everywhere else; calves, thighs, arms...I wouldn't be surprised if I have them behind my ears. I attribute them to 1. insufficient water intake during pregnancy 2. lack of exercise during pregnancy and 3. being naturally small. I also have a lot of American Indian in me so I am blessed to have a tan all year long, except that the stretch marks stay stark white even when I do go out in the sun. I really think it's just our make. My mom gained 52 lbs with me and 25 with my brother. She has one measly stretch mark that you would never notice without her pointing it out. My cousins who are 3 years older and 3 years younger than me didn't get ANY stretch marks with their kids.

Oh, and I had a very prominent Linea Negra with both of my kids - a boy and a girl.

[cay8099]

I am covered with strech marks breasts, stomach, and thighs. Another price to pay for having the gift to create life. I did not have the linea negra with either of my two boys.

[brandie1127]

YES you can get rid of stretch marks. The trick is laser surgery while they are still red. It is not that expensive I paid $50 per business card size to have a tatoo removed. Once they turn white forget about it, lasers won't even remove them. I heard maderma scar cream helps ALOT while they are still red, My grandmother says vitamin E capsules - squeeze on marks then swallow the left over vitamin.


I am now officially 6 months having gained 12 or so of my total 17lb weight gain last month. I don't have that brown line but I have something "different" if you look in my picture taken at 5 months you will see a depression in my stomach it is 2 fingers wide and runs all the way down my stomach - no discoloration just an indent. They said its because my stomach muscles are ripping in half because I had very tight abs before I was pregnant. I used to have a faint 6 pack but that went away over the last few years but when you are a woman and you "rip" those muscles to create a 6 pack look apparently when you get pregnant even if the look has gone away your muscles rip somemore! I have no clue what this will mean for me for a post baby belly - but I;m scared.
My boobs also went from a 34d to a 40 ddd and that scares me more - what are they going to look like!
I bathe in Olive oil. It will seperate and lay on the top while you soak but as you get out of the tub it will stick to your skin, just pat dry with a towel and your skin will feel AMAZING!

Clean the tub with baking soda to get out the oily residue.

[Aristar413]

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I got 3 small stretch marks on my belly which faded fast and were almost unnoticable within 6 months. I also had my body back within 3 months. I just had my 2nd little girl a month ago, and in my 9th month I blew up like a blimp. I ended up gaining 50 lbs overall, and I have so many stretch marks. I even have them on my calves!! She is so beautiful, but me...not so much anymore. My husband says I am being selfish, but I just feel so sad whenever I look at my body. I've been using Vitamin E, which was suggested to my Mother by her Oncologist after her Masectomy, so heres hoping! I am getting so anxious for my 6 week appointment also, because I really want to lose the extra weight. I am breastfeeding so its coming off faster than if I wasn't...I feel so wrong about feeling like this, because I just had a beautiful healthy girl..and I should just be happy about that..

[Mamaof1]

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I got 3 small stretch marks on my belly which faded fast and were almost unnoticable within 6 months. I also had my body back within 3 months. I just had my 2nd little girl a month ago, and in my 9th month I blew up like a blimp. I ended up gaining 50 lbs overall, and I have so many stretch marks. I even have them on my calves!! She is so beautiful, but me...not so much anymore. My husband says I am being selfish, but I just feel so sad whenever I look at my body. I've been using Vitamin E, which was suggested to my Mother by her Oncologist after her Masectomy, so heres hoping! I am getting so anxious for my 6 week appointment also, because I really want to lose the extra weight. I am breastfeeding so its coming off faster than if I wasn't...I feel so wrong about feeling like this, because I just had a beautiful healthy girl..and I should just be happy about that..

I don't really see it as being selfish...I think we are all thankful for having healthy babies but we aren't JUST mommies, we still want to feel and look attractive! Stretch marks just stink because you know they are going to be there forever in some shape or form. :(

[kburke]

when do stretch marks usually start? if I was going to get them, would i have them by now? (25 weeks)

[jenn_0629]

There isn't a set time, you get them when you get them (IF you get them.) It depends on how much you gain and how much your skin has to stretch to accomate you size. At 25 weeks, you can't tell. You could get them in your last two days of pregnancy, really.

[mammawazz]

I had the linea negra around 30 weeks and it wasn't a big deal i figured that if that was the worst I got I'd take it. I eventually stopped looking at myself naked in the mirror around 35 weeks just because I couldn't believe how big I was. ( I have struggled with my weight all my life till I was like 22 and got it under control so seeing myself that big was hard I knew that it was because I was having a baby and It was okay it was just hard to look at myself that big)As I was in the hospital getting into my gown I looked in the mirror and saw a few streach marks and it was no big deal to me at that point (maybe the amount of pain had something to do with it) After 32hours of labor and a c-section later I had my baby and they had me get up to take a shower as I looked down at my stomach I realized that a now had a road map on it. The streach marks lightened alot. But 3 weeks after having my baby my niece announced in a restaurant that I had "red stripes" on me I was so humiliated as I pulled down my shirt and hung my head low.........

[jennifer8055]

Hi,

I used to have pretty bad stretch marks and red scars around my belly region ever since I gave birth to my three kids.I had tried Vitamin E oil and cocoa butter which a number of people had recommended but unfortunately it didn't seem to work too well. My Doctor had even suggested that I go for a Tummy Tuck. I then recently read an article about a lady who supposedly got rid of her stretch marks using a particular cream. I tried it and it worked really well. It took a number of weeks but my stretch marks soon faded away. You can read the lady's article at the link below.

http://stretchmarkszapped.com

[imablondedah]

My cousin had her first daughter and she used Bio Oil after she had her. She said it took about 4 months and I think each bottle lasted her about a month and it was something like $15.00 a bottle. I could be wrong about the price so don't hold me to it but it couldn't have been too expensive because while they aren't broke it's not like they are rich. She recommends it to me when I have my first kid and she is going to deliver in March and plans to use it. Her stretch marks are still there but they are majorly faded and shrunk up A LOT!

This probably won't help if you have already had your baby, unless you just had it recently but for those of you who will have a second, third, etc. or who just delivered you can try this. http://babooshbaby.com/tauts.html I plan to try one similar but I'm going to look for a cheaper version but Brooke Burke swears by it (she obviously did something right) and they use them all over the world to help mother's heal. I can't attest to how comfortable it is or isn't and you can choose how often and long you want to wear it but I've heard tons of good things about them. It helps bind your stomach back together/ in place so the muscles heal faster and stronger and it helps keep fluid retention down I think. On that website they also have oils similar to the Bio Oil but I am guessing it's more expensive.

[mommyofanangel]

When i got pregnant i was only 19, i had a nice body and didn't want to ruin the years of cheerleading and gymnastics, i used suave coco butter with shea on my body when i woke up and after showering, i only got a stretch mark on my side.