Well, my girlfriend just delivered a baby and I was shocked at how her once smooth belly turned out. I mean, very dark with lots and lots of stretch marks. Same happened to my sister, and four months after the baby, the marks are still there on her belly and breasts.

I wants to know from moms in the house if there are some ointments one can use to reduce the marks or probably prevent them from appearing at all. Please help because I can deal with a shapeless tummy for some time, but I don't want my smooth belly covered with these ugly marks.

^Are you pregnant?No matter how bad your tummy itches you during pregnancy,PLEASE don't scratch it.Get bio oil to occasionally massage your tummy instead.

Not yet, but you know now!! Scratchings makes them come out? Wow, i never knew. I've heard about bio oil but my friend used it n it didn't work. Thanks anyway madam Ify

i reckon Shea butter, Yoruba's call it Ori. I have 2 kids, even though i dint have a flat belly, u would never blv my tummy /skin went through them stretches and contractions, as i do not have a single stretch mark and the skin is still very firm and smooth.

Stretch marks occurs when the skin goes through sudden expansion or contraction, as in the case of pregnancy and subsequent childbirth. Also there is no cure to already existing stretch marks, but one can prevent SM. As such it is recommended it is recommended that you start using it, right form the day you know you are pregnant, do not wait until the tummy starts to protrude. Also, carry on using for months after childbirth.

As SB is hard, smelly and not easy for the skin to absorb, i would recommend melting it in the microwave and mixing with a lotion. I use e45 & drop some perfume oil in it for essence. That way make loads and dint need to go through the cooking process.

It's great for all over the body use, so shouldn't be restricted to the tummy alone, my husband and the whole family still use this mixture to date and many attest to our glowing skin.

Also, if you research many pregnancy cream, ie. Palmer's for pregnant woman, you would notice that Shea butter is magic ingredient on their recipes. So imagine you using it in it unadulterated form?

Thanks! I will love to try the shea butter though i don't know where i can buy the natural one. Do u think i can find it in Calabar markets, and can someone tell me the local name in Ibibio?

@CC i thot about the genetic stuff, but my mum didn't have it and my sis ended up having so much. Anyway, thanks. More suggestions pls

Bio Oil is a big fat lie. It is sold only to collect our money. I started using Bio oil consistently 4 months before i got pregnant and continued till now (my baby is 7 months). I saw the ugly stretch marks only when i had put to bed. My whole thighs, bosoms, and bum were covered in those ugly things and i am quite dark so imagine those things being very visible. I was in shock. It was only my tummy that was spared. It was original cos i bought all of the bottles in d UK. Nonsense thieves.

Abeg go for the Shea butter stuff. I mix it it with vaseline for my baby and his skin is so lovely though it does not have a good smell.

Shea butter worked for me.

Wat kind of cream did ur sister use on her skin b4 pregnancy? If she was toning or bleaching that's y she has all those marks.

I'm in my third trimester and not a single mark so far and I'm light skinned so it would show. A lot depends on genetics but I have noticed a lot of our mothers didn't hve all these stretchmarks my mum didn't have a single 1 after 6 children. I think ori is really good and lyk another poster said DON'T SCRATCH! I was told that too, not just ur tummy ur boobs aswell.

hehehehe you are worried about stretch marks, your list of complete changes neve start

parisienne:

Wat kind of cream did your sister use on her skin b4 pregnancy? If she was toning or bleaching that's y she has all those marks.
I'm in my third trimester and not a single mark so far and I'm light skinned so it would show. A lot depends on genetics but I have noticed a lot of our mothers didn't hve all these stretchmarks my mum didn't have a single 1 after 6 children. I think ori is really good and lyk another poster said DON'T SCRATCH! I was told that too, not just your tummy your bosoms aswell.

That one is not true. I have never used bleaching cream. In fact, i am very very dark. Yet i got all them stretch marks. It is so embarrassing. I never heard of he do not scratch mantra. Maybe if i did, i would have not scratched. When ur pregnant, ur body is all itchy and scratching is a relief (until it forms a blister).

^Oh so you were scratching away and expected not to get marks?

When pregnant,the skin is already stretching so scratching only makes it worst.

When it itches,massage with ori,cocoa buter,bio or olive oil as opposed to scratching away.

@OP,If after trying everything and 'em marks still appears after birth,don't despair,wear it as a badge of Honour.

my friend just delivered and her plan made too much sense -

Immediately she fould out she was pregnant, she started using Vitamin E oil in the morning, Shea butter (Ori) in the afternoon, and Bio oil at night

She dint want to take any chances so she used all 3. It was time consuming, but it paid off.

Combined with tying her stomach down immediately after the pregnancy with hot water bottle for 24 hours of the day for about 2 weeks.

If you see her now, you would never believe she just had a baby ( 3 months old now)

i will have to recommend shea butter to my wifey

@baby.me in Ibibio its called URI.

Tolulop001:

my friend just delivered and her plan made too much sense -

Immediately she fould out she was pregnant, she started using Vitamin E oil in the morning, Shea butter (Ori) in the afternoon, and Bio oil at night

She dint want to take any chances so she used all 3. It was time consuming, but it paid off.

Combined with tying her stomach down immediately after the pregnancy with hot water bottle for 24 hours of the day for about 2 weeks.

If you see her now, you would never believe she just had a baby ( 3 months old now)

Looooooolzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yaa! Ori is good and i will recommend guys to help their woman after giving birth interm of massaging their woman's tommy with hot water and all those stuf, my wife was surprise when i was helping out on this, though my wife got some black spots on her chest and neck, but no SM al all.

interesting thread.gotta bookmark ds for future reference.

nawaoooooooooo

temmytanny:

i will have to recommend shea butter to my wifey

  Me too when I get married.

I used Bio oil during my last pregnancy and had to switch over to Pregnacare stretch marks cream when i found out it looked like it wasnt working. But i think after 3 or more pregnancies, there is no magic one can perform but to have nature take its course on our stomachs!

There's nothing you can do prevent them. The values and textures of

your skin are hereditary. They will lessen after delivery, but never go

away. Sorry. Anything you smear ON your skin is not absorbed into the

layers BELOW the epidermis. The only people profiting from the sale of

expensive creams are those making them . . . ask your doc.

hmmmm, Ladies thread! #*shouting* my wife to be where are you? #
Am enjoying this.

What about the good old Palmers and Vaseline? they worked just great, I used them and still using it, my mother in law used Vaseline and at 65 her tummy looked great. try it.

This is one thing that scares me about women/marriage/kids

Not gonna lie, I wonder whether I'll still be attracted to my wife after pregnancy

Do not scratch your tommy even if the itching is unbearable use a little balm to control the itching, it works for me

ekt_bear:

This is one thing that scares me about women/marriage/kids  

Not gonna lie, I wonder whether I'll still be attracted to my wife after pregnancy

Hahaha. . .datz d way it iz!

wow!!!

A very good thread for all

ok ooo

I honestly appreciate the contributions made so far, I have learnt a lot. my own itching is at the bosom, some times I end up with blisters but now I have gotten the solution. I we also add it in my blog.

iyatrustee:

I used Bio oil during my last pregnancy and had to switch over to Pregnacare stretch marks cream when i found out it looked like it wasnt working. But i think after 3 or more pregnancies, there is no magic one can perform but to have nature take its course on our stomachs!

You are very right iya. There is no cure for stretch marks.
But i think creams such as Shea butter and Palmer's coco butter,can help to reduce the visibility,
but it does not totally erase the stretch marks.As for the bio-oil,it is quite expensive but useless,it is not effective at all.