Painful belly...from stretch marks??? « Back to Group Discussions

[Sunshine_Amy]

Hi ladies,

My belly has been having lots of sharp discomfort on the surface, and I can see that I've also got a whole bouquet of stretch marks forming, where the pains are.  Baby is posterior and I think that his kicking in these new spots, on top of my being a very taught watermelon belly at this point, is causing it to happen in sharp spurts like this. I didn't have pain from stretch marks in my first pregnancy! It seems so bizarre! I'm wondering if anyone else is/has experienced this. Is it normal??? 

Also, I confess it's making me REALLY cranky. Partly the pain, but also the stretch marks.  My first pregnancy (where I was 3 days late) I got away with just a few little stretch marks, that started basically at my due date. I sort of assumed it would be the same with this one. I'm still 10 days away from my due date still.  Last time around I think I could have been Zen with the fact that it goes with the territory of being pregnant. I was ready for it.  But this one being #2, I kind of figured I was in the clear and that somehow I could avoid this, but it's not looking that way.  I am totally NOT feeling zen about it.   Arrrrgggghhh. CRANKY.   

[loveandgarbage]

Sorry :(. I didn't get any stretch marks with my first (12 lb 41 weeker) but got a few with my second (8 lb 38 weeker who I gained 20 less lbs with!). So I think it might be a second time pregnancy thing. I don't remember them being painful, but just super itchy and irritated. My belly skin right now is *so sensitive* to touch but it sounds like you're dealing with something more severe. Maybe another mama is experiencing that, too.

[Sunshine_Amy]

Thanks, Jean! I appreciate the empathy.  Yeah, it's weird. I think I can feel my skin basically tearing. I have plenty of stretch marks in other areas of my body, including some huge ones across my back from a teenage growth spurt. I've never had this experience though.  Maybe it's because my belly was already super sensitive, like you are describing!   

[etsdtm99]

yes! i'm having this and it is EXTREME this time - (#4) my chiro and midwife agreed it was the pain of stretching/tearing (internally, more than on the outside) scar tissue that formed when my belly stretched before..  apparently there was scar tissue somewhere/somehow in the skin and when it stretches again or tears .. ouch!  i have new stretch marks in the areas where it hurts the worst,   i got most of my stretch marks from my first pregnancy and just a couple for the 2 after that, but this one i'm getting more, they are small but mighty :P

[Adaline'sMama]

towards the end of my pregnancy, my belly was hurting so badly. It hurt for DD to touch it at all (which she did, multiple times per day) . I used coconut oil, but it didnt help much. It did feel really awesome to get in the pool, and then moisturize really well afterwards. 

[sgsnyder]

Ouch! So sorry, gals. I have some sensitivity around my belly button, but nothing like the skin-tearing sensations that you're describing. Sounds like another fun thing to look forward to with multiple pregnancies! Sending healing vibes...

[rocknmama]

Wish I had some sort of response that might help, but all I have is sympothy. I have extreme "ripping/tearing" pain under my breasts at the top of my belly. I literally feel like I can feel my muscles/skin tearing. It's the pits. I agree it's been making me pretty grumpy as well. But I've been kind of grumpy this whole pregnancy in general, so add it to the list. :) good luck.

[loveandgarbage]

Arnica oil/gel/cream is good for topical pain relief.

[Sunshine_Amy]

Originally Posted by etsdtm99 

yes! i'm having this and it is EXTREME this time - (#4) my chiro and midwife agreed it was the pain of stretching/tearing (internally, more than on the outside) scar tissue that formed when my belly stretched before..  apparently there was scar tissue somewhere/somehow in the skin and when it stretches again or tears .. ouch!  i have new stretch marks in the areas where it hurts the worst,   i got most of my stretch marks from my first pregnancy and just a couple for the 2 after that, but this one i'm getting more, they are small but mighty :P

Staci, thank you so much for this information!  I told my lay midwives about it, and they said it was common, but couldn't tell me what it was exactly. I was feeling it was related to stretch marks, and what you are saying sounds like it exactly! It makes more sense to me, and I find some comfort knowing that most of it is from internal scar tissue; perhaps some of the visible scarring will be not as bad.

Holly, YES, that's totally how it feels. I can hardly bear to be touched by my daughter on the belly.  RocknMama, it sounds like you are having a very similar experience, maybe even the same thing, just in a different location!  Ouch.  

Thank you Jean and SgSnyder.   The pain isn't unbearable at all, especially now that I feel  reassured that it's normal. My crankiness was mostly me throwing myself a pitty party over the loss of youthful belly! I actually don't mind the marks, but was hoping to retain some elasticity of the skin.  Not that I'm a bikini model or even care to be, but just...well, I'm sure you all understand.

I feel a little better knowing it goes with the territory of a second child. It makes more sense to me, and feels less like random misfortune at least, and more like something unavoidable.

Jean, that is so wild that you got worse stretch marks with the second child, even when you gained so much less weight!  I guess that proves the point.

Thank you all for letting me vent, and being so sympathetic! And helpful!

[loveandgarbage]

Hope your belly feels better soon. Or at least it will postpartum, right?! My younger son also loves touching my belly and it HURTS especially around the belly button. It's hard to tell him not to "hug the baby" because it's so darn cute, but ouch.