Preventing Stretch Marks

I agree with all of you...i used cocoa butter and i have a mark above my belly button, and that didnt show up untill I was eight months...my advice to you is: DONT SCRATCH!...if it itches, apply lotion!!! But I really dont think you can prevent them...Good Luck! =)

Good Morning J.! I was pregnant not too long ago, and I used the Cocoa Butter made especially for pregnant women...it worked like a charm.

Good luck with everything!

I used Vitamin E with my first 2 kids and it helped me with the stretched marks

Congrats on your pregnancy! I read that if you're going to get stretch marks, you can't do much to prevent it. I'd just apply cocoa butter or shea butter to try and keep the skin moist and "stretchy". I didn't get mine until my 8th month of pregnancy - and post-partum, they faded pretty quickly.

Hi. I have heard and it seems to hold true that getting stretch marks is hereditary - if your mother got them you probably will too. I got huge with both of my kids - both were 9 lbs and I gained 40 pounds with each. I used lotion everyday on by belly but I never got one stretch mark amazingly enough but neither has anyone on my mothers side of the family after multiple pregnancies.

This being said, ask your mom if she got stretch marks.

Good Luck.

Hi, J.. First-congrats on being preggers! Second-like the other people said, you can't prevent stretch marks. I got very few stretch marks with my pregnancies, and when I saw them I used the Belly Basics Belly Balm (or butter; can't remember). Usually within a couple of days of using the cream the stretch marks faded. Good luck!

Palmers makes a great cocoa butter and vitamin E stretch mark cream. You can find it at any place like Walgreens. Just be sure to use it all over your breasts, tummy, back, butt and even thighs. I found that where I used it stayed stretch mark free, while those places I was less vigilant with left a mark or two. Some say it is hereditary and you will either get them or you won't, but I really think it helped me. Plus, if you get your man to put it on, it's a great excuse for a massage :)

My doctor told me you can rub as much oil or cocoa butter on your stomach but what it comes down to is genetics. Some people have skin that is more elatistic than others. I've had 5 kids and have the stretch marks to prove it. It's part of motherhood, embrace it. :)

I am certainly no expert on this topic. I'm a mom to only one 5 month old. But, what I have heard is that you really can't prevent stretch marks. I have also heard that getting stretch marks is mostly determined by your genes. They are hereditary. Unfortunately, that's all I can help you with. Luckily, I did not get them.

Hey J.,
I always used the cocoa butter...make sure it has the shea butter/cream with it. Somehow, I'm told, that makes a difference. I went the whole time with no stretch marks..well My baby was born 2 weeks late and I got my first one 3 days after her due date. But If you do get them... put Vitamin E oil on them 3 times a day. I'm telling you this works so good. You can only treat stretch marks when they are red. When they turn brownish you are stuck with them. Good Luck.

H J.! I may be able to give you some advice depending on your particular problem. We may be able to work on preventing and eliminating/reducing the marks. Please give me a call at 877-736-7630 or ###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com.

I've heard cocoa butter works too. I just used regular lotion from bath and body works and i kept my belly lotioned all the time and I ended up with very few, if any, stretch marks. Good luck.

Hi Jess! I had my first in January and I was lucky and didn't really get any stretch marks. I used Palmers strecth mark cream the entire time, but I don't know if that was what really helped because they say it is hereditary. You should try it though!

More then one midwife has told me there isn't a lot you can do that it's genetics. If you are going to get them, nothing you do will prevent it. However, they can be itchy, so do moisterize well.

After having 3 babies, I'm not sure about preventing strtch marks, but diligent and excessive moisturization should help prevent them from being as severe...also keep it up afterwards too! Congratulations on your first!!!

Yes it's not something that can be prevented. Lotions and oils might relieve dryness and some slight coloring, but for the most part its up to your body. That being said, you've got enough to worry about being pregnant so don't sweat something you can't control. Embrace these marks as signs of strength not ugly lines.

I used vitamin E. I took my prenatal vitamins then later in the day I took a vitamin E pill and I also rubbed vitamin E ALL over my belly. Sometimes more than once a day. I ended up with zero stretch marks. I think if you're prone to stretch marks you're gonna get them no matter what you do, but it doesn't hurt to try. Vitamin E worked great for me. You can find it in the vitamin aisle usually on the bottom shelf if it's not in alphabetical order with the rest of them. I swear by it 'cuz I think I am prone to stretch marks. I already had some from long, long ago and figured I'd be covered with them after my children, but I wasn't. So I swear it was the vitamin E.

J., I wish you luck because I think alot of it (stretchmarks) is genetic. That being said, I bathed my large belly in a lotion purchased from the Winn Dixie pharmacy. It was expensive, $12. a bottle for 16 ounces, it's key ingredient was Emu oil. The bottle is a white translucent pump bottle with blue print "Hand Lotion" on it. I had been told it was good, not too greasy, and soothes itchy skin. I used it through two pregnancies and no stretch marks at all! And oooohhh the relief it offered my belly. (And, in case no one has told you, you can also get pregnancy stretch marks on your breasts and buttocks, so use whatever lotion you choose to go with, use it on those too!) Good luck and congratulations, stretchmarks can be your proof of motherhood, not a bad thing!

I got them late in my pregnancy. I found out after reading a dermatologist article that once you get them you can't reverse them - UNLESS you get them when they're still purple. You can just lube up (they say there are many types of cream but many work) when they're in the purple stage. Once they're silvery or light colored, they're there until time itself erases them.

As for the itching, I was a scratcher! I had to lube up all the time BEFORE they got itchy to prevent me from scratching them.

Hope this helps!

Actually I never used any special product. I just used my normal Lubriderm lotion everyday and didn't have any problems with stretch marks.