[Ratchet]

Coming along with my new growth spurt (finally looking pregnant instead of bloated)- my belly has been feeling itchy. What do you all like for stretching belly lotion? I like something with a nice scent to it too.

 

[IwannaBanRN]

I've been using olive oil for my breasts and stomach.

 

[MrsKatie]

I add tea tree oil to my regular preggo body oil (which consists of coconut oil and cocoa butter and argan oil). The tea tree oil helps IMMENSELY with the itching -- but when I use it full-strength the smell is kinda overwhelming (even though I like it) -- so I just bought one of those little bottles of tea tree oil and added about a third to a half of it to my big bottle of belly oil.

Hope this helps!

 

[abc123xyz]

I love the Palmers Belly Butter! It's not greasy although it appears to be but I love that it covers my skin with a nice layer of lotion. AND if it "helps" with stretch marks, great!!!!

 

[Chena4]

I heard tea tree helps with keloids(?) too. Has anyone heard of this? My stomach is starting to itch too. I bought some coco butter oil, cant seem to find it since we moved last month.

 

[Jaimee]

Tea tree is one of those EO's you want to use in moderation during pregnancy (along with lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, etc.). Some say it is contraindicated even, but I think moderate use is fine. 1-1.5% is the recommended dilution for pregnant women. Calendula can be very helpful for itch, lanolin is nice too.

 

[meb2]

Today was my first really itchy belly day! I put coconut oil on my belly and that helped... It's so greasy at first though, so I have to wait to put clothes back over it because I don't want to be all sticky.

 

[meb2]

Okay, so I posted earlier... and had stopped itching. However, tonight I was out and my stomach WOULD NOT STOP. It was terrible. I was trying to stop myself from clawing... Ughhh. The only thing that really helps is to shower I think. Unfortunately, I have other things to do than stand there - even though it feels SO GOOD.

 

[IwannaBanRN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meb2

Okay, so I posted earlier... and had stopped itching. However, tonight I was out and my stomach WOULD NOT STOP. It was terrible. I was trying to stop myself from clawing... Ughhh. The only thing that really helps is to shower I think. Unfortunately, I have other things to do than stand there - even though it feels SO GOOD.

You can get some Dermoplast for the itch. It worked wonders for me right after I had my kids, cuz my stomach itched so bad from the skin being tight and then going down as much as it did. But I found for stretch marks, olive oil helped.

 

[MrsKatie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaimee

Tea tree is one of those EO's you want to use in moderation during pregnancy (along with lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, etc.). Some say it is contraindicated even, but I think moderate use is fine. 1-1.5% is the recommended dilution for pregnant women. Calendula can be very helpful for itch, lanolin is nice too.

Oooh I didn't know that about tea tree oil. I've been using it a ton for the past couple months. Crap.

 

[Jaimee]

Katie, you know how it is... they aren't quite sure what it might do, too much might cause some issues, but no real tests have been done. It's just that some EO's can cause contractions and since they are absorbed through the skin there is concern about the dosage level for the developing fetus. Moderation...

 

[birdhappy85]

Sorry to go a tad off topic, but... Has anybody here had a pregnancy where they didn't put lotion on their belly at all? Is it absolutely necessary in order to prevent stretchmarks, or can I just skip it altogether? I don't like lotions. It's like an OCD thing, lol. I use them only rarely on my legs after shaving. So I'm not too keen on having to use any on my belly unless it's absolutely necessary. People always say that you need to lotion up or else you'll have bad stretchmarks, though, so it has me thinking.

My belly hasn't been itching *yet* but I'm having really bad itching right at the spot where the base of my boobs meet belly. DH says it's probably from the stretching skin. (How the heck he knew that before I did is beyond me, LOL. I often wonder what else he knows that I don't yet...

) Have any of you had the boob itching? It's brutal, lol.

 

[Jaimee]

I rarely put lotion on my body pregnant or not. I've gotten away with no stretch marks the last two times. Honestly, as has been discussed in other threads, stretch marks are largely genetic. You get them or you don't. I think that staying hydrated is probably better protection than any lotion.

 

[IwannaBanRN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaimee

I rarely put lotion on my body pregnant or not. I've gotten away with no stretch marks the last two times. Honestly, as has been discussed in other threads, stretch marks are largely genetic. You get them or you don't. I think that staying hydrated is probably better protection than any lotion.

Personally, I hate lotion. I always feel like I have to get into the shower when I put it on my body or if it's on my hands, I have to wash my hands with HOT water. It's just gross feeling.

 

[birdhappy85]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't like the feeling of lotion! lol

 

[IwannaBanRN]

I just don't know how people lather themselves in it all day. You know, the people at work that shove the lotion bottle in your face trying to get you to smell different lotions all the time? Not only does lotion feel horrible, but it's a breeding ground for germs, especially if it's lotion that's used frequently by other people.