Stretch Marks, Stretch Marks, Stretch Marks
Unfortunately, there is no miracle cream that prevents stretch marks. Research is showing that genetics play a role in who gets stretch marks. Also, gaining a lot of weight quickly or woman having twins/triples all have increased chances of new stretch marks.
You know me PREVENTION, is everything.
When I found out I was pregnant with Blakely I knew that there was a good chance I would see some new stretch marks. I already had some on my thighs from having a QUICK growth spurt in 8th grade ( 5’6″- 6’0″ over the summer WTF). SOO–I wasn’t going to sit back and not try everything out there to prevent new ones from showing up.
I did a lot of research and found some of the best ways to prevent stretch marks while pregnant, and duh I implemented them all. Why not, right!
I’m here to say I didn’t get ONE new stretch mark while pregnant.Obviously- – folks I can’t say it is JUST because of these 4 things that I didn’t get new stretch marks but I think it helped BIG TIME!
So let’s get into it: 4 Things To Help Avoid Stretch Marks While Pregnant.
Moisturize: I wouldn’t say I’m the best at moisturizing daily, but staying moisturized while pregnant definitely helped alleviate any itchy skin (a symptom of stretch marks). Definitely later in my pregnancy my skin felt tighter (obviously) and at times itchy. So I knew it was time to lather up my skin and I used a couple products depending on my nausea.
Bio-Oil is what I used most of my pregnancy, it has a mild smell and gave me lots of moisture. Another product I used and is more of a lotion if you don’t like oils is Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks by Spoiled Mama. Every morning and night I would lather up mybelly, thighs, breasts anywhere that you are gaining weight or stretching needs that moisture.
Another great option is rosehip oil, it’s like the Mother of All oils. Rose hip seed oil is packed with trans-retinoic acid, a natural form of vitamin A and omegas that will protect the skin and encourages it to regenerate faster. So oil up girls, it’s truly beneficial!
Eating Healthy: I already have a pretty clean diet, so I knew going into pregnancy that I wanted to maintain that same diet and increase calories gradually, as specified by my doctor. As a nurse I know that amount of food a woman needs during pregnancy is dependent on a variety of things.
For A LOT of people the topic of food and weight gain can be very touchy (myself included), so remember to face it head on with your doctor and come up with a plan. I believe because I gradually gained weight throughout my pregnancy I was able to keep those stretch marks away.
Hydrate: Yes, drink water we hear it all the time and this was the hardest one for me to keep up with. Especially going into my third trimester with the baby sitting right on my bladder. But I did my best to drink 1-2 liters of water daily. Remember the more water you drink the more your skin can take in and hydrate–and hopefully help not develop stretch marks.
Workout and Stretch: My workout routine while pregnant also helped me to maintain that STEADY weight gain while pregnant. My doctor and I had a “chat” at my first appointment just keep me informed on how to work out while pregnant. She told me that pregnancy exercise can vary from my non- pregnant routine, so I needed to be aware of how hard I was pushing myself.
Most exercises you are doing prior to becoming pregnant are safe to continue during your pregnancy, but the body can react differently so be aware of any aches and pains. Most exercise while pregnant is beneficial and can help with constipation, backaches as well as increase your mood and self esteem. Here is a link to some FREE online videos I used while pregnant.
When I feel like something has really help me, that’s when I usually dedicate a whole post to it. These 4 things were so helpful to me while I was pregnant!
GUYS- – I hope this information is beneficial to you or just a good reminder of things you can do while pregnant to better PROTECT your beautiful skin: it’s the only skin you are gonna have so treat it well.
Have a super productive week my little loves & don’t forget lets friends on INSTAGRAM too!
xo- Whitney
Over the last few years I have really started to see my body as a piece of artwork. I only started to view it this way after I had my daughter. Watching my body carry and give birth to a baby allowed me to give myself some grace in the body image department.
