There's no way to guarantee you won't get stretch marks, according to my midwife, but as soon as I found out I was pregnant I started applying moisturiser to my belly. My midwife says that I have the most moisturised bump she's seen, I'm taking that as a compliment.
I think it also helps that my bump is quite neat, I haven't grown huge and until a few weeks ago I could fit into non-maternity jeans, etc. Unfortunately now the way bump is growing forwards my non-maternity trousers no longer fit. My belly button hasn't popped either, which I'm oddly disappointed by for some reason!
I decided against stretch mark creams from the beginning, and went for a more preventative approach. My moisturising routine includes Mr M. I wanted him to be involved in something to help him bond with bump, I think it can be difficult for the man as they don't have all the experiences that us mums to be go through (although I'd gladly give him some of the bad experiences to share such as heartburn and nausea).
At night Mr M rubs Body Shop Vitamin E Body Lotion into bump before his nightly chat. I chose Vitamin E cream because it helps your skin against ageing and the damaging effects of the environment. It hydrates your skin, not that I'm sure if this contributes to stretch marks but I thought hydration means less wrinkles so it might mean less stretch marks. It doesn't really have a scent and leaves your skin feeling smooth and soft.
In the morning either me or Mr M (usually Mr M on weekends now I'm no longer at work so can have a lie in) rub Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter into bump. I loved this before I got pregnant but since I've been pregnant I can't get enough of the smell of this body butter, its so good you could eat it!! All Body Shop body butters contain Shea Butter which is great for your skin. The Body Butter leaves your skin hydrated and feeling super soft, and is reported to last for 24 hours. This is one of the reasons I use the body butter in the morning, I wear a bump band for support and I don't want this to take any of the moisturiser off bump, at least I know that the body butter lasts a good length of time.
I have no idea if this is the reason I have no stretch marks or whether I have just been extremely lucky but if I do become pregnant again in the future I will be following this regime. I also plan to continue it a little after bump is born, at least with the Vitamin E lotion to support my skin going back to normal.
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