Stretching Skin

cmar1006

I am sure this may have been brought up, so if it has, will someone please point me in the right direction?

I am getting to the point where I feel like my skin won't stretch anymore. It's so uncomfortable. What are you doing for relief? Or STM what did you use in the past?

Any lotion recommendations? Coconut oil do the job?

awildrose

Drinking water and coconut oil. 

And stretch marks have more more to do with genetics than anything else. So don't waste your money on expensive creams. 

cmar1006

@awildrose Thanks!!! I'm definitely on the water game. Coconut oil I will have to start slathering on. It's what I used with DD. 

I'm not worried about stretch marks, never got them with DD but all bets are off with these two. I expect to have a ton. 

kaylaakosua

I use palmers lotions and real shea butter I get from West Africans at a local market.  For me it's not about the stretch marks but how uncomfortable they are during the process. It's just so itchy. 

JNR6510

Coconut oil is my go to. I also got a lavender coconut oil sugar scrub to use in the shower. It definitely helps reduce the itchiness caused by stretching. Not much to be done for the stretch marks. Darn genetics!

msashley2010-2

I use palmers cocoa butter mostly. It's cheap and does the trick. My skin is starting to feel really stretched out and I still have 3.5 months of growing to go. 

When I'm feeling fancy I use this lotion from bath and body works. It's the shea butter body cream from true blue spa. It's just super thick so a little goes a long way. 

MrsJessS

I just started using the Burts Bees Mama Bee belly butter and love it. A little goes a long way and has helped with the itchy feeling 

Rhubarb7216

I also use Palmer's cocoa butter. It makes my skin soft and smells like chocolate!

Ae_Lovely321

I've noticed putting some vitamin e oil helps my skin feel less tight. Plus it's only like $3-4 a bottle.  

ColoradoHiker

I have a super rich lotion that I used with DS (I think it has jojoba oil, not positive though).  It helps with the itching.  Also, fun facts:  you can go your entire pregnancy without getting a stretch mark until the last week.  Or after you've given birth!  However, I think the ones I did have faded by about 6-8m postpartum, and I have very pale/ sensitive skin.

ETA- This is the stuff, it's candlenut oil based lotion.  I got a sample in a BirchBox.  Expensive, but I love the smell and it definitely helped with the itching. 

JNR6510

Ae_Lovely321 said:

I've noticed putting some vitamin e oil helps my skin feel less tight. Plus it's only like $3-4 a bottle.  

Be careful with vitamin E oils and lotions. I would avoiding using it on / around the breasts and nipples. Vitamin E can build up on the skin to toxic levels and cause problems if you plan to breastfeed.

rosemomma

I got Jason's Vitamin E Lotion at Walmart and it works well. I like that it's unscented and I haven't had any problems with my skin itching this time around.  Also if you like essential oils the Young Living oil Gentle Baby is great for your belly skin!

rosemomma

@Rhubarb7216 I want to love cocoa butter because I love how it feels but I can't get over smelling like food! lol

stephy_p

Add me to the list of the Palmer's cocoa butter lovers. I am currently using the one that's made for stretch marks. It's cheap and it really seems to work well for helping my dry itchy belly. It does smell like cocoa, but I don't think it smells too much like food. I usually hate food-smelling scents, but this doesn't bother me. However, I know random smells can bother pregnant ladies (i.e. I had to change shampoos after I got pregnant, because the smell I used to love made me gag!). Anyway, all that to say I'd recommend giving Palmer's for stretch marks a try!

lilpoots

I like shea butter, but if that's too greasy jojoba oil works well, too.

Breath_Easy92

So I'm broke and I just use olive oil because it was already at my house I put it on 15 min before every shower let it soak in then shower like normal ... careful though it can make the shower slippery but I've not had a single stretch mark or been itchy at all, plus it really does make my skin soft. 

JustBored10

I have a huge tub of coconut oil in my bathroom and every time I step out of the shower I lather up. It has been doing a good job so far with keeping any itching from streching away.  I also second drinking lots of water. 

ohheyitskristine

I use Mama Bees body butter and Mama Bees body oil. I love both so much!!! The body butter barely has a scent. The oil has a very wonderful fresh clean scent. 
I had palmers oil and it made me gag. I would slather it on and my husband would say "why does it smell like chocolate?" 
I already had stretch marks on my hips because fat and puberty. But I'm not sure if I'll get them on my tummy. I don't recall my mom having them on hers...but I seem to have inherited the female body from my dad's side. His sisters are all short and hour glassy. My mom had a tall, thin, ballerina body...which I am NOT. I know it's more about genetics, but Mama Bees helps with the itchiness and uncomfortableness.