Top Tips On How To Prevent Stretch Marks Effectively

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Whether you are a first time mom or a pro at being pregnant you still have the same question, “Will I get stretch marks this pregnancy or will they get worse?” It’s a common question all pregnant moms want the answer to. While there is no official answer, there are things you can do to help avoid them or at least reduce the chances of them worse. Let’s go through the best ways to prevent stretch marks while pregnant and what has worked for me!

I’m hoping to help you avoid getting them with the below tips. While nothing is guaranteed, I do know that taking these steps gives your greater odds in avoiding them so there is nothing to lose for trying!

What are Stretch Marks?

Let me bore you with the basics here.

Stretch marks are indentations on your body that appear in the form of streaks.

They can look different on everyone. Most of the time they start off as purple streaks and fade over time into a silvery-white streak. Other times they start off white and stay white.

What Causes Them?

Rapid WEIGHT GAIN

This could be weight Gain from Pregnancy, Overeating or Working Out.

So this applies to all women and men now, not just the pregnant women..

If you gain a lot of weight quickly you can get stretch marks!

Pregnancy, however, is the most common cause of stretch marks that you hear about. At least half of pregnant women get them mostly on their stomach. The reason? The main culprit is the obvious fact that the baby growing stretches our skin. In addition, rapid weight gain is another top reason. Some studies say hormones and genetics play a part, but the results are not conclusive.

While gaining too much weight is an issue, the baby is going to stretch our bellies anyway. So whether or not you gain any weight at all your stomach is going to get stretched! It’s just a matter of how much.

The extra weight we gain in pregnancy usually heads right to our thighs, butt, and breast and can, in turn, cause stretch marks.

You just never know where they are going to pop up!

Best Way To Prevent Stretch Marks While Pregnant

Control the Weight Gain:

Do this by eating right and by exercising. Slowly gaining weight is most important.

Stick with the recommended weight gain as your goal. You can’t go wrong with that. Aim for your recommend range as your goal weight throughout your pregnancy.

Don’t gain it all in your first trimester!

If you gain 20 pounds rapidly in the beginning you may likely up your chances of getting stretch marks. A slow and steady weight gain is optimal for prevention.

If you are at average weight before pregnancy then it is said you should gain between 25-35 lbs total.

Keep this in mind.. We have all heard the phrase eating for two. Well, you are, but that doesn’t mean you are eating for two adults!

First trimester- you don’t even need any extra calories
Second trimester- anywhere from 300-500
3rd Trimester- 500 calories

Surprising isn’t it? It’s not hard to get to 300 calories either. Sadly, an apple with peanut butter can get you up to 250 calories!

(Source :WhatToExpect)

Exercise

It’s not only best for you and your baby healthwise, but it will really help you with keeping your weight in check throughout your pregnancy. Whether it’s cardio, lifting weights or walking. Just be active to keep that metabolism up.

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Healthy Food Choices

You need healthy and nutritious foods to keep your weight on track in addition to keeping your skin in good condition. It’s going to be taxed big time as the baby grows so giving your skin the right nutrients so it stays supple is very important.
The right foods will nourish your skin and encourage collagen growth(not collagen breakdown!) and elasticity.

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Hydrate

Drink lots of water to keep your skin smooth and supple. If you don’t drink enough water your skin will become dry and will not have the elasticity it needs to bounce back when being stretched.
Moisturize from the inside out!

Dry Body Brush

Do this before you get in the shower if possible. If you’re not able to do it then just make sure you do this before you moisturize. This is fantastic for increasing circulation and exfoliating the skin. If you exfoliate before you moisturize it allows your skin to hydrate more efficiently. Use long brush strokes towards the heart. For the belly, go clockwise. Start off lightly brushing as to not irritate your skin.

Here is an example of the type of body brush I have.

Your skin is going to feel so much softer and smoother if you do this for a few weeks! I’m hooked on it.

Moisturize

This is another step in keeping your skin hydrated and keeping the stretch marks at bay. Give your skin the moisture it needs when it’s expanding. Not doing this will increase your likelihood of getting stretch marks.

You should moisturize 2x a day, in the morning and evening. Preferably after a shower as that is when the skin will absorb the cream the most.

My Results

I personally followed these steps and I didn’t get stretch marks after three pregnancies. I was stretched pretty far with my last child too! I kept up with a healthy diet, used THIS exercise routine, body brushed and applied a stretch mark cream every single day. I never missed a day!

You may be asking,” Do stretch mark creams really work?”

I can’t say 100 percent yes, but I do believe they are an important part of your routine on preventing stretch marks. Without a good cream your skin will not be able to withstand the stretching.

The best product to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy for me was Clarins Stretch Mark Minimizer .

I used it throughout all 3 pregnancies. I loved the thickness of it and Clarins is such a good product. This was doctor approved of course so make sure to check with yours!

Here are a few other stretch mark creams you may want to try:

Palmers Tummy butter for stretch marks — Palmer’s Tummy Butter

How To Prevent Stretch Marks . Palmers Cocoa Butter — Palmer’s Massage Cream

How to Prevent Stretch Marks — Body Merry Stretch Mark Cream

The best way to prevent stretch marks while pregnant is to follow these tips and stick to it throughout your pregnancy. Don’t stop after the first trimester. Continue all throughout the pregnancy so that you get the full benefit. If you stop too soon they may get worse.

I would love to hear if you have had success with any specific product or routine!

If you’re interested in learning more tips for surviving your first trimester you definitely want to read Eclectically Ema’s tips!!

I wanted to also touch on preventing stretch marks while working out. It may not be as common, but it does happen.

How To Prevent Stretch Marks Working Out

All of the above tips are applicable including the stretch mark cream. It’s not just for pregnancy!

Slow Weight Gain- So as noted above, don’t overeat.
Eat enough, but don’t overdue it. The more you eat to feed your muscle the better, but if you eat too much and lift super heavy you will see lots of muscle growth quickly. This could possibly bring on stretch marks in the area that you are targeting.

Don’t lift too heavy– Lift moderate weights that are heavy enough to push you, but not too heavy that will cause too much growth. (Heavy for some could be 10 pounds).

That’s all! Best of luck and thanks for visiting today!