Horrendous stretch marks... & mummy tummy

[pollydolly]

I'm absolutely covered in horrendous stretch marks. I don't so much mind them as much as I used to to be honest, but they're not fading at all which is upsetting. They're really thick, going upwards from my bikini like all the way to just above my belly button and the whole width of my stomach and hips. I also have them on the inside of my thighs. They make my 'mummy tummy' look even worse as it's so saggy and because of the stretch marks it's quite dimply. (I don't know how else to put it!)
Does anyone know how I can make them fade or attempt to? & any tips on getting rid of the wobbly belly? It's making my PND so much worse, I can't even look at myself in the mirror without feeling totally unattractive. Even my boobs are covered & the outsides of my thighs. I'll never wear a bikini again 😔 I'm even open to surgical/non surgical options. Heeelp a mamma! Xx

 

[ClairAye]

I will just say that it can take more than 5 months for them to fade. With my first they just started to fade about 1 year PP but I was pregnant again so they got bad again and still have barely started to fade at 7 months PP.

Oh and mine are mainly at the sides of my belly button to and on my hips, my back, from my belly button up to under my boobs the horizontal ones under my boobs and across just above my waist. My belly ones are SO fat and deep. They used to be pure red!

 

[ButterCup17]

No advice but in the same situation buybuy bikinis

 

[kirstybumx3]

Mine have only just now very slightly started to fade and rio is 13 months old. they will in time Hun x

 

[emyandpotato]

Just time sweetie. No exaggeration I was purple from my knees to my ribs with stretch marks. There was barely a gap between each one. Now they're completely white and although it gives my tummy a wrinkled effect they don't bother me and aren't that noticeable.

 

[staralfur]

I'm 2+ years PP now and have loads of stretch marks. They are either way better than they were even a year ago, or I care way less that they're there. I'm guessing that they've actually faded quite a bit since I tend to dwell on these kinds of things... it's not like me to just not notice them as much all of a sudden.

Give it some time, I think it can take years.

 

[StephtheHiker]

You're not alone...for me I hate the stigma, like it's by fault for not applying more cocoa butter or something. Grr!! Genetics, people!

 

[Nevaie]

It will get better. It can take ALOT longer than people realise though. I had very thick, deep and dark stretchmarks across my entire stomach and hips from my first child. By a year after they'd faded but were still deep and thick. By 3 years they'd thinned out some. By 5 years they'd filled in and were almost flat. 9+ years later they're definitely still there but they are fairly thin, very nearly flat and almost the same color as my skin. It just looks like sort of thin wrinkly stripes, for lack of a better description. My second child didn't add any to my belly so they've continued to heal, but my legs and breasts weren't so lucky. Hopefully these new ones will heal up some soon as well.

 

[minties]

I think the only parts of my body that don't have stretch marks are my hands, head and feet! They suck. It does take time for them to fade.

 

[liz1985]

They will fade. I got bad stretch marks with ds and I thought they would never fade. 9 months pp they will still purple. By about a year they started to fade. Luckily I only got a few new one's with dd and my originals stayed white. My belly still looks wrinkly because I need to tone up and loose some weight, but you can only see the stretchies if you look up close as theyve fades so much. Im trying to do stomach toning exercises everyday. My goal is to be confidant enough to wear a bikini next year. With ds I was so depressed at the begginning I researched what could be done medically and to be honest there isnt much. Only thing I really found was laser but even that wasnt that effective.

 

[Pearls18]

I think the only thing for stretch marks is time. As for the mummy tummy I've been going to the gym and a boot camp class, not so much to look better but feel better, you may find doing something proactive makes you feel a bit more confident and exercise obviously releases endorphins which would be great for PND, but it's just getting the motivation in the first place I guess! For me it's not a chore I like getting out. 5 months is still early days.

 

[Louise88]

I know exactly how you feel regarding stretch marks, with my dd I got loads of little fine ones which faded quickly however being pregnant with ds made all of these fine stretch marks combine into big huge ones they look like scars, they have faded a little bit but you can still see them!

As for mum tum I was quite lucky in that I needed physiotherapy due to split stomach muscles from being pregnant with my ds and it was all gentle exercises which also helped flatten my tummy again, have a look online for some postpartum exercises and try and do a couple once a day when lo is sleeping

 

[iiTTCii]

I've got patches of stretch marks on both sides near my hipbones. I've just returned from Ibiza and before I went, I was debating whether to wear a bikini. In the end, I wore one and I'm so glad I did. Getting the sun on my belly and getting a tan have made my stretch marks almost completely fade and in certain light, you can't see them.

 

[HKateH]

I didn't get stretch marks but I did go from having a flat stomach pre baby to being pretty wobbly. People say nine months on, nine off, but I feel like I only really got back to normal 14 months PP. Your wobbly stomach will just take time.

 

[pollydolly]

Thanks ladies.
I guess it's nice to know it's not just me I guess as I was feeling like the only one, like I was being punished for forgetting the bio oil! Xx

 

[ClairAye]

Nope! Use any product and you will still get them! I even have them on my inner elbows.. How!?!

 

[Pearls18]

Thanks ladies.
I guess it's nice to know it's not just me I guess as I was feeling like the only one, like I was being punished for forgetting the bio oil! Xx

A dermatologist posted on here when I was pregnant and said absolutely no amount of moisturisation stops stretch marks, it's just one of those things

 

[jd83]

It just takes time. 5 months pp isn't long enough to give them to fade. I think mine took between 1-2 years to really fade. I had a TON of them. My tummy was just COVERED from DS1. But they are all faded now, kind of slivery-white looking. I'm still not a fan of them, lol, but at least they aren't angry red looking anymore. Just part of being a mom, is how I've treated them. My kids were worth the marks. They may make me more self conscious, but I just keep them covered up. NO biggie. I wear a one piece swimsuit now. And my tummy is still pretty flabby anyways, since I still haven't lost the baby belly weight completely. So bikinis are a no anyways.

 

[pollydolly]

Thanks ladies.
I guess it's nice to know it's not just me I guess as I was feeling like the only one, like I was being punished for forgetting the bio oil! Xx

A dermatologist posted on here when I was pregnant and said absolutely no amount of moisturisation stops stretch marks, it's just one of those things

Well that's good to know at least. I'm considering laser tbh! Xxx

 

[pollydolly]

Nope! Use any product and you will still get them! I even have them on my inner elbows.. How!?!

They appeared on my calves by 8 weeks gone! How?! Haha! It's crazy where they appear. I have them in places I can't even see xx