Hello beauties, it’s about time for me to share my secrets on preventing stretch marks during pregnancy (I had three pregnancies). This is not really a secret. It’s tips on how I did it.
If you think, “She has great genes,” I will tell you this is untrue. My mom and both my grandmothers have stretch marks from their pregnancies. What are the chances that I won’t have? Everyone was telling me that if I have a family history, I will have them 100%. I was disappointed and sad. I began researching and reading online and in magazines for tips to prevent them. I didn’t find anything helpful it was more like, “You will get them no matter what unless you are lucky.”
If you ask doctors, they will laugh at you and say it’s genetic, and you can’t really do anything about it. I love that I’m stubborn and like to prove people wrong. I’m a mom of 3 children. Two boys, ages 10 and 6 years old, and a newborn baby girl, three months old. So, if you think I got lucky the 1st time, I had a second and third pregnancies. Do you still think it was all luck?
Let’s get to the point: How to Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy.
All of my kids were around 8 lbs when born. My total gain during each pregnancy was about 20-25 lbs. I was fit before each pregnancy, but I was in better shape after each of them.
- Drinking a lot of water was important, but I’m unsure if I was reaching the recommended amount. I was in the restroom 24/7.
- No soda, juices, or other artificial sweeteners.
- From the moment I knew I was pregnant, I massaged lotion (below, I will mention which I used) into my belly at least thrice daily. I wasn’t even showing when I started applying it. I wanted to ensure my skin got great elasticity when I got bigger. If I felt my skin was dry during my 3rd trimester, I applied as often as I felt comfortable.
- Prenatal vitamins were the only supplements I was taking.
- Working out (sit-ups or yoga), not even stretching, was on my agenda because I wasn’t feeling like doing it.
- I wasn’t eating for two during my pregnancies; I ate the amount I always did. If I was eating cake and loved it, one piece was enough, not ten pieces. It’s all about moderation.
- Finally, at the moment of truth, I used lotions and creams (from drugstores that were not expensive). You may be thinking, “NO WAY”! Well, this is the truth. I experimented with different brands with my 3rd pregnancy to see if it would matter, and honestly, I got the same results. The lotions I used with my first and second born were Palmer’s Cocoa Butter and Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula. I also tried a little the Bio-Oil, but I don’t remember why I never got into it. I only remember that when I was in a hurry, my skin absorbed Palmer’s Cocoa Butter faster. Otherwise, I’ve heard great things about the Bio-Oil.
- With my 3rd baby, I changed the game a little bit, not because I wasn’t happy with the results after my previous pregnancies but because I heard great things about Mothers Blend and wanted to give it a try and also the smell of the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter was making me sick at the beginning of my last pregnancy. When I tried Mother’s Special Blend Oil, I wasn’t sure if I would like it because my skin absorbed Palmer’s so fast, but the cocoa scent made me sick. This was the main reason I had to find something else. The Mother’s Special Blend doesn’t smell, but it’s an oil, so you have to have that in mind; it takes longer to absorb. I recommend all the above products because I’ve tried them and was never disappointed.
All the products mentioned are linked HERE.
Pick a product and stick with it, don’t change it very often. Your skin can develop an allergic reaction (this happened to me at eight months pregnant with my firstborn, and it was terrible). You can use two products in one day if you apply them two hours apart. For instance, if I apply the Mother’s Special Blend at night, I apply the Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula in the morning. This way, there was less chance of both products overlapping. If you feel your skin is dry even after a couple of hours, simply apply the product of your choice again.
If your skin is dry and itchy, it’s time to apply a product. This is what I did during my three pregnancies. I got only one tiny stretch mark above my belly button, but it’s so small that it is unnoticeable unless I’m 32 weeks pregnant. I was so obsessed with not having stretch marks that I applied oil whenever I felt my skin was dry, but honestly, to the end of all my pregnancies, my skin looked healthy and had elasticity. Applying lotions and oils designated to prevent stretch marks played a huge part in my skin’s appearance.
Related: Tips For How I Got in Shape After Baby #3
I’m not saying that using products will prevent stretch marks 100% because I’m not a skin specialist, but at least it won’t harm your skin if you try. I hope this post helps you prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.
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