Dodging the stretch mark bullet

This has taken me FOR-E-VER to write because it feels like every time I sit down to do it, Rhett decides he wants my attention! New mom probs, right?! Also, don't take offense to the title of this one. Stretch marks can be a touchy subject for some. I think it's important to know that I am not body-shaming or condemning the idea of getting stretch marks in the first place, but a lot of women DO want to avoid them if possible, so I'm sharing what I believe helped me in my efforts to prevent unwanted stretch marks. If you are rocking your tiger stripes, you go girl! You earned em, and I'd be wearing mine with pride if they had showed up.

Early in my pregnancy, I read a good bit about stretch mark prevention, and it seems like 99% of what's out there is all about cocoa butter. I did the typical preggo thing and bought some Palmer's cocoa butter, but I honestly didn't like it very much. It felt pretty greasy, and it would seep out of my pores for hours after putting it on! I was sweating chocolate. So if you aren't a huge cocoa butter fan either, maybe my methods will work for you, too.

Upon researching, I learned that a huge factor in stretch marks is genetics. Basically, my mom told me I was doomed. This is the current line of thinking right now, and I'm sure genetics play a big role. Skin elasticity and collagen production can certainly be handed down, but they aren't all that determine your skin's stretchiness. Don't give in to the belief that your efforts are futile just because something can be genetic-- how our genes are expressed is largely up to us and our nutrition.

+Hydrate from the inside out!

The last time I got a massage, the masseuse made a comment about being able to tell how well hydrated I was. For starters, I had brought in my usual liter with me to the session and told him I was getting the massage in prep for a marathon, but he insisted the lotions were absorbed differently in people who were hydrated versus dehydrated. I had never really thought of it making such a noticeable difference in skin hydration, but I found that kinda cool, too. Aim for 3-4 liters a day, depending on your sweatiness.

+Go for gradual weight gain.

So this is easier said than done. I didn't have extreme anything during my pregnancy-- no crazy cravings, mega fatigue, or stomach-churning nausea-- so I managed it pretty well. The standard recommendations are 25-35 lbs over the course of 40 weeks, with most of it being in the 2nd & 3rd trimesters. The more spread out and even that weight gain is, the less immediate stress you're putting on the skin. Ideally, you want it to stretch slowly so it has time to accommodate.

+Get your vitamin C.

Vitamin C is vital to collagen formation in the body. Collagen is the glue in connective tissues that allows them to stretch and bend. No collagen = no bueno. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant which helps undo free radical damage. No fruit juice is worth the vitamin C for the cost of the sugar, so I recommend eating vitamin C-rich foods, like bell peppers, oranges (eat the pulp!), brussel sprouts, strawberries, and broccoli. Read about collagen and vitamin C here, it's actually really interesting!

+Puts the lotion on its skin.

Start using whatever lotion you like early. I mean way before you feel like your skin is stretching. As I mentioned, I didn't love Palmer's cocoa butter, but I did have some Kiss My Face lotion that rocked. I had a big ole bottle of it and it lasted me most of my pregnancy. This is the one I used, and I loved that I didn't feel like it was seeping out of my pores for hours after I put it on. You'll want to put it on immediately after showering when skin is supple and ready to soak it in. When I ran out of it, my friend Brooke spoiled me with some Bert's Bees belly butter, and I still use it. It takes months and months for skin to try to return to its original shape post-baby, so keep slathering that belly longs after that baby is born.

That's all I can think of. Any other tips you'd add to this list? Let me know what worked for you! But also, don't demonize your stretch marks! I have a few small ones on my hips from college, and they're a physical reminder of a time I didn't take very good care of my body. I could look at them shamefully, or I can see them as proof of how far I've come! Baby belly stretching is amazing, and if you end up with some lasting lines, they're only skin deep. Let them remind you of the amazing miracle your body made.