Dreaded stretchmarks!!!

When did most of you start getting stretch marks? I have heard that there isnt really much you can do to stop them even if you use all the creams and oils. So far I have no new ones but as I got them as a teenager (top of thighs, boobs) I expect I must be prone to them. I am trying really hard to support my tummy as somthing in me feels that if it gets heavy it will stretch.....could be dumb logic.


So whats the story? When do they normally kick in?

I started at about 28wks with my #1.
Spent a small fortune(on creams & lotions etc) trying to avoid the inevitable (my mum had them-& yes its genetic)

Being really small(size 6-8) to begin with and growing a huge baby for my size (9lb6oz)I have them real BAD. They were all blue and stuff to start with but thank god they have faded. But hey, now im proud of my "baby belly stripes" my war medals lol.    

I would recommend Bio Oil. I didn't know about it for my first pg but started using it during my 2nd. It helped heaps & as much as they're still there, they've faded heaps already. I didn't continue using it, but should start with this pg.

I've heard that there is nothing you can do if your skin is the type to get stretch marks - but you can use stuff to help the colour fade etc. My sister & friend didn't get any stretch marks at all. My friend used a coconut cream & she reckons that helped, but I used the same stuff & still got major stretch marks!

I first started to get them around 28-30 weeks with my first pg.

Edited by Italiah

For my first pg I got none, and since I had got some at puberty that really surprised me. Then when I lost weight after the baby they came I got quite a few in my last trimester with #3 though.

I thought it was all good and maybe I'd avoid them completely...until about 33wks! Now I have quite an interesting pattern on my lower tummy!

I have used creams & oils throughout, even though I'd heard you basically either get them or you don't - I've enjoyed the quiet time massaging my bump (or getting DH to do it, which I think he quite likes - talking to bubs etc).

I didn't get any but when my milk came in after I got them all over boobs so I guess everyone is different and they do fade.

I used bio oil and didn't end up with any. But like rachandjack, once my milk came in I got them on my boobs. I do think the bio oil really helped though...

Edited by rubydooby

I got mine at 36 weeks- thought I was safe and then got huge amounts from then on I was using cocoa butter that time- am using bio oil this time because the smell of the cocoa butter made my MS worse this time around! I find the bio oil really good as I itched heaps first time around and haven't at all this time- don't have any new strech marks as of yet but time will tell...

gosh i must be the exception to the rule here - i started getting stretchies at about 10 weeks!!! I know!!!

I am very little though 5ft and there is nowhere for anything to go except out, so at 12 weeks i already have a bump.

Bio oil gave me a rash so got some brand new french cream yesterday from Mustela - Stretch Marks Double Action. After one day of using it, so far so good!

I striped up pretty badly as a teenager (blimmin puberty was cruel!) but didn't get any with pregnancy, which really suprised me.  I was using Palmers Cocoa Butter on the off-chance that it might help (and it was just nice on my skin).  So you never know, you mightn't get any.  But if you do - you forget all about them when they fade!

Does anyone else HATE that Bio-Oil ad where she says how her stretch marks made her not feel like herself anymore??  Puh-lease... they're a bad, bad company for trying to make women feel that miserable about inevitable little marks that really don't matter.