Why don't I ever see stretchmarks in Mothering or other Mags??

[CeraMae]

It just occured to me.... of all the beautiful bellies I see in the pages of Mothering or other books/magazines having to do with birth/parenting.... I never see stretchmarks!

Maybe I'm wrong here, because I've only been subscribing to Mothering for the last year or so, and because I rarely look at the other magazines. But I can honestly say that the only time I see pictures of other people's stretchmarks is if:
-they post them on the internet
-the picture is used in an add for a product to "reduce/prevent" stretchmarks.

Am I the only one noticing this??

[fyrflymommy]

i coulda sworn i've seen stretchmarks in mothering before......i think it might have been an ad for a list of websites....


i've seen stretchmarks once in a mainstream mag. but that was boob marks, not tummy marks.


ya never see stretchmarks bcuz of the wonders of makeup!

[mirlee]

I am sure they don't want to portray that aspect of being a mom. I mean, I have stretchmarks that have stretchmarks.

Oh, and photoshop can really help take away those marks. If I put my mouse on my belly and click, will they all go away????

[~Megan~]

Anne Geddes took a most beautiful picture a few years ago. It was just a tummy in black and white. The background was shaded so all you could see was a pregnant tummy covered in stretch marks. It looks really great. I've never seen a stretch marked tummy portrayed that way.

[Greaseball]

Anne Geddes also has a picture of breasts with lots of prominent blue veins.

I have seen stretch marks in Mothering. I ordered a back issue where one of the captions was "sexy moms" :D and there they were.:)

[kama'aina mama]

Now that she has ditched the hokie stuff like the flower pots and such Anne Geddes really works for me! I can almost imagone the picture you are describing and would love to see it.

[CeraMae]

I just wish that seeing stretch marks was *normal*. I mean, I don't have any statistics, but I' pretty certain that at least half of all women get them. I wouldn't be surprised if most do. Yet, I never see them! So I guess they exist but I'd think they'd be seen on a regular basis.

But I guess since over half the population of our country is overweight and you never see that either (in magazines) that I might be unrealistic here.

No, I think it is different. I mean, obesity and stretch marks are two different things (unless one is because of the other:) ). Am I alone here?? Am I the only one who thinks that they are beautiful, and that we should be proud of them? I know that some women don't like their stretch marks, but maybe if they saw them as "normal" and not a sign of failure to gain/moisturize correctly than it would be easier to have pride in this permanent change in one's body.

[Mothra]

My guess is that more than half of women who've had kids have them. I have them on my hips and breasts, but only a few on my belly. I remember having an NST the day I went into labor with my first, and looking at the room full of exposed bellies in the antepartum testing room. I was the only one who did NOT have them all over the belly.

I haven't ever seen them in Mothering, but if people say they've been there before then I guess there have been pictures of women with stretch marks in the magazine. But I think the point is that the vast, vast majority of representations of the pregnant belly in the media, even the "alternative" media do not include stretch marks, and that is a shame. If women knew how common they are, they might waste less money of those anti-stretch mark cremes and lotions that won't do a darned thing if your genetic code says you will have stretch marks.

[Lucysmama]

kama'aina - Click here to see the stretch mark photo! (http://www.annegeddes.com/indexpages.cfm?P=G&U=GPureindex.cfm?page=pure) It's a thumbnail, click to enlarge it! Beautiful!

[georgia]

you've not seen them in mothering because mothering has not invited ME to model for them yet:thumb my friends and i were actually featured in a mothering article earlier this yr. (but were wearing shirts so you couldn't see the stretch marks!)

i've seen stretch marks in mothering, but i've been subbed since '99. the most recent photo in my mind is one of those co-op ads for the mama websites. it's a mom in a black tank with her hands on her belly. very real!

:love

amy

[DalaiMama]

Katie, that is a great picture! Thanks for posting the link!

Amy, was yours the article about the mamas slumber party?

[Apricot]

Originally posted by Lucysmama
kama'aina - Click here to see the stretch mark photo! (http://www.annegeddes.com/indexpages.cfm?P=G&U=GPureindex.cfm?page=pure) It's a thumbnail, click to enlarge it! Beautiful!

Apparently, if you are pregnant with triplets, it's okay to have stretch marks, even in print media!

It is a beautiful photo.

[fourlittlebirds]

When I saw the thumbnail of that, I at first thought it was the top of a baby's head as it was being born!

I've seen lots of stretch marks at the pool. It's amazing to me the variety. I myself have some but they are under my belly and they are light-colored. So there is no opportunity for anyone to see them. But I love to feel them.

I would love to see Mothering do an article on the beauty of stretchmarks! I bet they would if it was submitted.

[CeraMae]

I would love to see Mothering do an article on the beauty of stretchmarks! I bet they would if it was submitted.

Yes, yes! I have the greatest picture of my full, stretch-marked belly. I wish I could post it as an attachment since I have no webpage...

It was funny to me how the whole beginning of my pregnancy I was trying my hardest to prevent the stretchmarks, but the second I got them I *loved* them. I know I don't speak for everyone, but for me personally, they were a badge of honor for carrying and delivering a 9 lb baby. Even if he'd been 6 pounds, I'd still be proud of them. They are like a scar that constantly reminds me of the power and beauty of the body. How capable it is of doing so much.

[georgia]

Rachel,

Yes, that's the one!! I think a stretch mark story would be fantastic, btw.

All the best,

Amy:wave