Not everyone has the same experience of body changes. The older you are, the less elastic your skin and the harder it is to lose weight and shift your metabolism. This affects your ability to 'bounce back' after having a baby. Some of my friends went back to a similar size and shape straight away, although most reported at least a bit more belly weight. At 38, being a second time mum, I was blessed with (more) stretch marks and body shape changes.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks occur when the skin stretches too far. The fibres under the skin surface break, causing little ‘rips’ under the skin. When the stretch of the baby is gone, these little ‘rips’ remain, sometimes very visible with purple or red lines under the skin. Over time the marks fade to a silver colour. You might still find some contouring of the skin remains for quite a while – I still have quite a lot even after a year.

Heredity

Heredity is a major factor in stretch marks. If your mum, like mine, has stretch marks, then your chances rise. I have growing stretch marks as well, so I knew I was very likely to be affected. After my first child I had quite distinctive stretch marks around my belly and breasts - strangely enough. This lovely bounty was added to by my second child as the distribution of his weight and my added weight were different. Although I put on less weight, I got more stretch marks on my belly (which was like a basketball out front) as well as some on my legs. After a year, these marks are a bit less obvious but still have small crater like facets to them. I weigh the same as before I had my boys, but I’m not sure if I will dare a bikini again!

Creams and lotions?

Creams and lotions are generally not proven to make a difference to whether you get stretch marks. I was very careful throughout my pregnancies and used almond oil and specially marketed pregnancy creams, but it didn’t make a difference. It does help to use some kind of cream – I used almond oil with some lavender essential oil added into it. That’s a natural, cost effective and well absorbed alternative to expensive creams. The benefit is that when you are pregnant and growing, your skin can become dry and itchy with all the stretching, so this helps reduce itch and discomfort.

Can I stop stretch marks?

There is some information in an article about Vitamin C which you might want to read. According to the doctor’s findings stretch marks are not compulsory! I’m keeping that in mind just in case I find myself with number three.

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