Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Stretchmarks strike back
Only recently I was blithely asserting how I had nary a stretchmark on my belly. Yes I was aware that everyone in my family gets them. Yes I was aware that puberty left me with enough to make a hot tire jealous. It's called denial. Each day I smiled as I slathered on cocoa butter and told others the virtues of lotioning and hydrating. But you see- I hadn't really fully examined my belly since at the moment its hard to access visually the dark side of the moon, or as its otherwise known the underside of my planetary belly. Today after my shower I took a hand mirror and looked and um, yeah- there they were, enough to congregate and have marches and rallies. On that note I must say I love Jack very much. Why? Because I've shown him my belly as I lotion up and have proudly said see honey? no stretch marks anywhere! To which once he hesitatingly said um I think I might see one.... To which I shrieked with a look of panic, to which he quickly covered his tracks and said no no, it was just a shadow. And yes I believed him because I'm quite good at the art of denial. I'm not saying moisturizing/hydrating doesn't work. Maybe I'd be beat up skating rink if I hadn't done so, but I am saying that I gots them. And yes- I will accept them like the battle marks they are. I got these from carrying my son so if one must have such marks, they're the best damn stretch marks one could ask for.
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It's true, moisturizing can't stop them. It's genetic. =(
ReplyDeleteMy mom got them bad and I have tons on my thighs from puberty, too. I'll most likely be joining your stretch mark club shortly.
Cute post, strange to say that about a stretch mark post, but you've managed to do it. Sorry they came calling, but you have the right attitude. As someone currently inhabiting the state of denial, it's good for me to read a reality check. At the same time, I think it's good that this kind of thing is the least of our concerns.
ReplyDeleteI don't kow how I escaped them, with all the ones I have from puberty. I was obsessively inspecting the lower belly in the mirror the last couple weeks, just hoping they weren't going to suddenly pop up because I went so overdue.
ReplyDeleteHad I gotten them, she'd have been worth every one.
Hehe, if I remember correctly, I got them pretty bad the last month of pregnancy. Some of my stretch marks way down yonder are an inch wide!!
ReplyDeleteNone this time around but I am patiently waiting!
Ahh yes, the beloved stretch marks. I only got a few on my @$$ when I was pregnant with Bean, I was pretty excited because I never had to see them. But this pregnancy has absolutely DESTROYED my stomach, it looks like a war zone. :( I highly recommend this cream: http://www.amazon.com/Mustela-Special-Maternity-Lotion-Stretch/dp/B0009MYUI2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1269395913&sr=8-3
ReplyDeleteSome people expect the cream to prevent stretch marks, which is impossible, hence some of the negative reviews. But this cream has really helped reduce the appearance of mine, especially post-birth. Start now and then keep using it for a month after sunflower comes. It won't make the stretch marks disappear completely, but it helps. It's pricey but well worth it IMHO.
To answer your question, yes I already have a C-section scheduled for April 7. I will be 38.5 weeks at that point. At my hospital, they won't schedule a C-section before 38 weeks without an amnio to assess lung development, no matter what. Of course if I go into labor they will just go ahead and do the C-section without an amnio, but that date is the earliest they could get me in after I hit the 38 week point. Two weeks from tomorrow. I can't *imagine* I'll make it that long, but I've been surprised so far!
Hey, here from ICLW!
ReplyDeleteYour last line is awesome. They are totally worth it to have a gorgeous little baby. Good luck with the birth-not long to go now!!
I am a mess of stretchmarks from my first pregnancy. They were so wide sometimes I thought I would split open! THe faded after a few years and I didnt get any more with my last two pregnancies. But the old ones...they're still there. My battle scars. Its unfortunate but all the cream in the world wouldnt help me, I have no elasticity in my skin apparently. Spells disaster for me as I age! I'll look a hundred by the time I'm fifty!
ReplyDeleteI'm not at the stretch mark point yet (22weeks) but I am expecting to see them.
ReplyDeleteI love your attitude that they are love marks from your son!
ICLW
ooooooooo, that is a bummer, i have a few on my sides that i got from expanding in my mid-twenties and also a couple on my boobs, i don't think you can do anything about it though, if you're going to get them, you're going to get them, but it certainly can't hurt to hydrate. hopefully you'll just have a few and they'll be nice and low :)
ReplyDeleteYou know, it wasn't until the past six months or so that I learned that it's genetic. You can slather on all the lotion you want, and it will relieve itching, but if you're going to get stretch marks, there isn't anything to be done about it. Makes me sad because my breasts got SO jacked up with my first pregnancy, and I was really hoping some lotion would prevent more of that in the future.
ReplyDeleteThat said, think of them as a badge of honor! This is a much more meaningful way to get them than a growth spurt, and he's worth it for sure! Plus, they'll lighten over time, I promise. :)
Totally the same for me. 30 weeks i had no stretch marks. 32 weeks, I had a few. now at 34 my belly is like a road map. I have rubbed in creams liberally since the ealry weeks and was feeling a little smug I'm not ashamed to say.
ReplyDeleteI just tell myself how many more I would have if I did hadn't rubbed in so much cream and bio oil, and how they will scar less and fade more quickly. I hope!!!!!