Fun with Stretchmarks « Back to Group Discussions

[sjdragonfly]

Oh, yes, I know we're all looking forward to stretchmarks. I've been using an oil on my breasts and belly every morning after I get out of the shower for the past few months. I have a feeling I'll get them no matter what, though. I tend to get stretchmarks from even the slightest weight gain.

I'm curious if any of you ladies have or have had a navel piercing. I am going to have to take mine out because it's starting to get red and irritated from my skin stretching and constantly getting rubbed by my maternity jeans. It's a bummer because I got this 20 years ago and have never once taken the ring out. It's just too uncomfortable not to. I read somewhere online (I forget where) that if you take out a navel piercing, you'll get these crazy stretchmarks around your navel. This person also said that if you put something temporary in there (I guess you can buy some kind of stretchy something or other to put in there while pregnant) that won't happen. Now I'm torn as to whether I want to bother trying to find something to put in there or just take it out and let it do what it will. I highly doubt it'll close up seeing as it's been so long, so I'm not worried about that, just worried about getting some kind of weird stretchmarks.

[onemomma]

I had a belly ring in with my first pregnancy, and my feeling then was I'd leave it in as long as it felt fine and just go with the flow. Admitedly I am a HUGE pregnant woman. No cute round basketballs for me- my whole self gets pregnant. By about 8 months the skin on the top of the piercing felt like it was going to tear right off. It was super painful. I took it out. And at about 37 weeks a little stretch mark one morning showed up looking like it was crawling up my abdomen from the piercing. And the next morning another. And then more. In the end my whole belly was completely covered. My rude and childless Aunt told me I looked like a cantaloupe. Nice.

I don't think the piercing caused the stretch marks, of course. It was just wild the way they bloomed from that point.

[scowgirl]

I don't have a navel piercing, but it seems to me like it might be worthwhile to try the flexible ring just so you can keep something in the piercing? I'm guessing they don't cost too much (here's one that's not too bad, and several other maternity options came up in the search: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOUBLE-CZ-PTFE-WIRE-FLEXIBLE-MATERNITY-PREGNANCY-NAVEL-BELLY-RING-RETAINER-14GA-/290612548976?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item896043c0ee#ht_3881wt_877). If that is also uncomfortable, you can always just take it out. Of course I don't know if they would make you take it out if you had to have a C-section, and whether that would be difficult or cause more stress at a time that would already be stressful.

[crunchyxianmom]

No belly button ring here, but my naval is already stretching out!  I cannot believe I'm ALREADY getting new stretch marks above my belly button and on my boobs -- and this is my fourth pregnancy!  Like, couldn't my body just re-use the marks I've already got??!  LOL.  Lotions and creams have never really worked for me, but then again, I don't like feeling sticky so I haven't tried very hard.

[mom2a4Rashelle]

I have 3 stretch marks that head straight up my stomach out of my piercing. They got longer with each baby, well 1-3, #4 there was no change so I am hoping no change to my stretch marks this go around. With baby #1 I was able to keep it in, #2 took it out right at the end and with #3 and 4 it was out super early. I actually took it out with this pregnancy in the beginning, for some reason my skin was all irritated and really bothering me. I too have had this piercing for 16yrs. Comfort over piercing ANY DAY!

[sjdragonfly]

I ended up taking my piercing out on Friday evening. I just couldn't take it anymore. It was getting so stretched and irritated and my pants were rubbing on it constantly. There's a little red mark at the top now. So glad I took it out. I guess stretchmarks or no stretchmarks, I have to agree with PP, I'd much rather be comfortable! Maybe I'll just try and do some extra oil in that area a couple of times a day just in case.

[Iowa]

I replaced mine with the flexible nylon maternity one with my first pregnancy and had no issues.  It was comfortable to wear and had no belly stretch marks.  I purchased it online for about $6 so it was really cheap.  I randomly just decided to take my peircing out with this pregnancy.  Keeping my fingers crossed that marks don't show up with round 2!     

[Kimithee]

I still have mine in...we'll see how long I can keep it in. I had it for my 2 previous pregnancies as well. I didn't take it out til close to the end of the pregnancies. I didn't get a stretch mark during either of my 2 previous pregnancies from taking it out.

[scarykarrey]

I'm pretty prone to stretch marks, so I'm sure I'll have plenty before this pregnancy is over. I've noticed that, while the number on the scale hasn't budged, my existing, faded stretch marks on my belly have started to slightly lengthen. This is good! It means that the baby is growing and hopefully eating a little of the cushion that I already had going into this.

[atk2010]

Do creams/lotions/oils work for stretch marks?  I suppose it varies person to person.  I've heard good recommendations for Palmer's Tummy Butter and Palmer's cocoa butter stick, but don't really know of any other products to compare them to.

[scarykarrey]

My understanding, from various readings and nursing school, is that lotion can't ever hurt, but if you're genetically predisposed to getting them, there's really not much you can do to prevent it.

[MaerynPearl]

Yeah, my own personal experience is... lotion makes them itch a bit less when you get them, but won't stop you from getting them.

[sjdragonfly]

Everything I've read online says the same thing. Lotions and oils won't necessarily prevent them, but might help keep them from being worse. I don't know. I've been putting oil on my belly and breasts every morning for a few months now. I should start doing it before bed, too, maybe. I start itching right away when I get out of the shower so the oil makes it feel so much better and stops the itching. I'll keep doing it just for that.

I made the mistake of telling DP that I was worried about getting stretchmarks around my navel from taking my ring out. When he noticed I had taken it out, he started to get very insistent that I try and find something to put in there. I kind of don't want to do that. My navel is quickly turning from an innie to an outie and I can't imagine how raw that would get from rubbing on my clothes. It's actually quite astounding how fast it's starting to turn out.

[MaerynPearl]

I'm jealous of ladies that get an outie. I've never had one, even during my skinniest pregnancy... I normally have a very deep belly button so imagine that's part of it, but when I get my biggest, the inside doesn't line up with the outside and I get a sideways belly button. At least it's amusing, but nowhere near as cute.

[Kimithee]

Originally Posted by sjdragonfly 

Everything I've read online says the same thing. Lotions and oils won't necessarily prevent them, but might help keep them from being worse. I don't know. I've been putting oil on my belly and breasts every morning for a few months now. I should start doing it before bed, too, maybe. I start itching right away when I get out of the shower so the oil makes it feel so much better and stops the itching. I'll keep doing it just for that.

I made the mistake of telling DP that I was worried about getting stretchmarks around my navel from taking my ring out. When he noticed I had taken it out, he started to get very insistent that I try and find something to put in there. I kind of don't want to do that. My navel is quickly turning from an innie to an outie and I can't imagine how raw that would get from rubbing on my clothes. It's actually quite astounding how fast it's starting to turn out.

Have you tried taking a fish oil supplement for the itching.  have Eczema and was told to take a fish oil supplement for the itching. There are some that are safe to take during pregnancy. You just have to make sure it doesn't have any warnings on it. You want to find one that is Mercury/Lead/PCB free. I take the Nature's Made brand. Although I have been reading up fish and you want to make sure it's not a watered down fish oil supplement. The way you can tell that is you put the bottle in the freezer if the pill is not frozen then its mostly fish oil. I have often wondered if fish oil would help prevent some stretch marks.

[sjdragonfly]

Well, we'll see, MaerynPearl! I've never really wanted an outie, but it certainly looks like it's going that way. Right now it's kind of stretched and puffy at the top. Kind of hilarious looking, actually.

Kimithee, I'm vegan, so no fish oil for me. I do take some vegan DHA every day, though. Those are pretty much straight up oil. I pretty much only itch when I just get out of the shower and sometimes after I get home from work. As long as I keep everything moisturized, I'm fine. I think it's probably partially to do with the dry inside air during winter exacerbating my already more-sensitive pregnant skin. 

[scowgirl]

Yeah, I already have tons of stretch marks (I've gained and lost weight several times so that ship has definitely sailed) but I have to oil and moisturize my belly, breasts, sides, hips, etc. every day or the itching drives me nuts. I skipped it yesterday because I didn't end up taking a shower, and this morning my nipples were all scaly and dry. If it helps keep the stretch marks or saggy skin at bay at all, then great, but mostly I just have to do it or I sit around feeling all itchy and dry all day. I use Vitamin E oil from Trader Joe's on the off chance it might help "repair" my skin, but I don't really expect it to make much difference.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by scowgirl 

 I use Vitamin E oil from Trader Joe's on the off chance it might help "repair" my skin, but I don't really expect it to make much difference.

At the very least, I've found vitamin E is what makes it the least amount of itchy for me and lasts the longest, even longer than expensive lotions.

[hsquared]

....so maybe i'm weird, but i can't wait for my belly button to pop...and i keep looking to see if i have any little stretch marks yet! but nothing! do any of you first time moms have them yet? i'm 24 weeks today and not a thing! i don't have a huge belly though, but its definitely there and i put do lotion on my belly and boobs just cause it feels good, and its super dry here....but thats it. 

[sjdragonfly]

I actually just noticed some red lines above my navel this weekend. And speaking of which, I'm pretty sure it's in the process of revolting. I've been turning from an innie to an outtie over the last month or so. It's almost totally popped out now and you can officially see the line of it when I'm wearing clothes. It's all kind of fascinating, really.