2nd Trimester

Stretch Marks- 2nd time moms

For those who have already been pregnant once before, are there any creams or lotions you recommend for preventing stretch marks?

Re: Stretch Marks- 2nd time moms

  • I understand there might not be a way to completely prevent them, but I am looking for a specific product that might help in anyway.
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  • ecwkecwk member
    edited November 2015
    I'm confused as to why you would ask for advice on preventing them if you're aware they cannot be prevented.

    Afaik the best you can do is moisturise to relieve the tightness and itchiness. Cocoa butter and coconut oil are common recommendations. You could also try eating foods high in healthy fats, for example avocados. I don't know if that does anything but I've read people recommending it. At the end of the day, you'll get them or you won't, regardless of what you slather in your skin.

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  • I'm pregnant with my fourth baby. I have no stretch marks. It is based on genetics even though I heard creamed/lotions can help. I haven't put any special creams or lotions.
  • I used just regular lotion 
  • I am pregnant with my first child and have done extensive research on ways to prevent stretch marks. Unfortunately, about 80% is due to your genetics. And the other 20% is how well you nourish and take care of your body. Hydrating from the inside out (drinking lots of water), gaining weight at a consistent steady pace rather than gaining 5lbs a week and then of course using creams and lotions to keep the skin moist will also help. Back to the genetic part, I also believe how you are built comes into play. My mom is only 5'2 and gained 60 lbs in both of her pregnancies. Needless to say she has tons of stretch marks. I am 5'8 and have a much longer torso and have been gaining weight slowly and consistently. I still have 5 more months to go before I will know if I will follow in her footsteps! Fingers crossed!!!
  • I am pregnant with my first child and have done extensive research on ways to prevent stretch marks. Unfortunately, about 80% is due to your genetics. And the other 20% is how well you nourish and take care of your body. Hydrating from the inside out (drinking lots of water), gaining weight at a consistent steady pace rather than gaining 5lbs a week and then of course using creams and lotions to keep the skin moist will also help. Back to the genetic part, I also believe how you are built comes into play. My mom is only 5'2 and gained 60 lbs in both of her pregnancies. Needless to say she has tons of stretch marks. I am 5'8 and have a much longer torso and have been gaining weight slowly and consistently. I still have 5 more months to go before I will know if I will follow in her footsteps! Fingers crossed!!!

    Unfortunately no.

    I got a few stretch marks in each of my 2 pregnancies but not until I was 37-38 weeks with each kid. Then they went away a few weeks after they were born. 

    A product called Mama Bee by Burt's Bees is a nice lotion to use for an itchy tummy.  

  • I used Palmer's cocoa butter daily in my first pregnancy from very early on and escaped with none - but like some of the rest said, perhaps I am just blessed genetically in the stretch marks area. I'm now 13+ weeks and have been using the same product.
  • Sorry hon. They are 100% genetic. There may be ways to lighten them after the fact, I'm not sure about that.
  • None to prevent but I always use palmers coca butter lotion from the day I find out. It helps your skin and it feels so much better as you get bigger.
  • Like with most things, while stretch marks are primarily hereditary, there are other external factors affecting whether or not you'll get them. How much weight you gain and at what pace does make a difference (not meaning that those who only gained 20 and still got them could have prevented them - more meaning that someone who gains 80 may not have gotten them if they had gained less). Your skin has a stretch limit and yours may be very very low, or it may be higher. As soon as you exceed that stretch limit, you'll likely get them. The other factor which has a big impact on stretch marks is your age. This is one area where being a bit older does work to your advantage. The older you are, the less likely you are to get stretch marks and, if you get them, the severity is often reduced. Again, your genes haven't changed from age 20 to 35 but your age changes your propensity to get them. Either way, at this point, there is not that much any of us can do to control whether we'll get stretch marks or not. 

    I do use shea butter (cause why not, it feels nice) and I also take a beef gelatin supplement and drink a lot of home made broth. That helps to provide good nutrition to my skin from the inside out. However, I know of no studies that speak to the effectiveness of doing so. If I get them, I'll just make do with it. :-)
  • My mom and my sister got lots of stretch marks. I got none and I applied bio oil and cocoa butter twice daily! I watched my diet and I only gained 20lbs. I walked at least a mile daily in my 3rd trimester and went into labor at 36 weeks.. I'm going to try all of these things again to try and help the stretch mark situation. Bio oil!
  • little_brenlittle_bren member
    edited December 2015
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    I got one tiny stretch mark on each side but they disappeared. I'm certainly no moisturizing freak. I would say lotion up and drink water would be good but not preventative.

    ETA: I gained 40 lbs. All in my last tri. And I'm petite.

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  • The only thing ive heard of that can help is to make sure you are always well hydrated. Ftm, so no actual experience but everything ive read and been told is that there isnt really anything you can do.
  • groovylocksgroovylocks member
    edited December 2015
    The other factor which has a big impact on stretch marks is your age. This is one area where being a bit older does work to your advantage. The older you are, the less likely you are to get stretch marks and, if you get them, the severity is often reduced. Again, your genes haven't changed from age 20 to 35 but your age changes your propensity to get them.
    See, i had no idea about this! I actually spent a huge chunk of my pregnancy confounded as to why i got stretch marks around puberty but have not had a single one during pregnancy. In fact, the stretch marks on my breasts from puberty have DIMINISHED. (I think - they may have just been absorbed into the larger Borg of my rapidly growing boobs.. who knows?) I'm almost 38 weeks in and contractions have started changing so it's possible I won't see any. 

    I'm over 30 so maybe that's why. I am not sure of our genetic history in terms of stretch marks. I just assumed I had inherited good genes but that might not be entirely the case. 
  • I put cocoa butte on my stomach but nothing will change or prevent them from coming. To me it doesn't really bother me that I have stretch marks, they are just a reminder of creating and bringing life into this world that I never thought I would be able to.
  • The other factor which has a big impact on stretch marks is your age. This is one area where being a bit older does work to your advantage. The older you are, the less likely you are to get stretch marks and, if you get them, the severity is often reduced. Again, your genes haven't changed from age 20 to 35 but your age changes your propensity to get them.
    See, i had no idea about this! I actually spent a huge chunk of my pregnancy confounded as to why i got stretch marks around puberty but have not had a single one during pregnancy. In fact, the stretch marks on my breasts from puberty have DIMINISHED. (I think - they may have just been absorbed into the larger Borg of my rapidly growing boobs.. who knows?) I'm almost 38 weeks in and contractions have started changing so it's possible I won't see any. 

    I'm over 30 so maybe that's why. I am not sure of our genetic history in terms of stretch marks. I just assumed I had inherited good genes but that might not be entirely the case. 
    Yeah, a lot of people don't know that. The one thing you can do to prevent stretch marks is....wait...and have kids when you're a bit older. Obviously that's not a great reason to put off having kids, but at least it's one upside to getting older :-) It does give hope to people who got stretch marks during puberty and are certain they'll get tons when they are pregnant. 

  • I am pregnant with my first child and have done extensive research on ways to prevent stretch marks. Unfortunately, about 80% is due to your genetics. And the other 20% is how well you nourish and take care of your body. Hydrating from the inside out (drinking lots of water), gaining weight at a consistent steady pace rather than gaining 5lbs a week and then of course using creams and lotions to keep the skin moist will also help. Back to the genetic part, I also believe how you are built comes into play. My mom is only 5'2 and gained 60 lbs in both of her pregnancies. Needless to say she has tons of stretch marks. I am 5'8 and have a much longer torso and have been gaining weight slowly and consistently. I still have 5 more months to go before I will know if I will follow in her footsteps! Fingers crossed!!!

    I didn't get any stretch marks from my first pregnancy and neither did my sister. We both carried the full 40 weeks as well. However, my mom is covered in stretch marks. She said they became worse in worse with each pregnancy. One thing I am glad I didn't inherit from my mother!

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