I had NO idea what pregnancy could do to a body, I had heard from others that it goes through drastic changes but I always shrugged it off thinking those changes would not happen to me. before I got pregnant I was 110lbs, I gained 40 lbs during my pregnancy and I have now at 10 wks PP only lost 15lbs and still cannot fit into my jeans. The weight is not what I cared about, it was the stretch marks I was left with that did not show up until week 32, I thought for sure I was going to get away without them, but no such luck, not only did I get them I got them BAD, everyday a new one showed up, I became so ashamed of my body and embarrassed beyond belief, I am only now beginning to accept them, I am still very self conscious but this site has helped tremendously, I was beginning to think I was the only one on the world to have received such brutal marks. I hate that I have them, but i feel like I cannot complain, my baby is worth it, and to think so many women can’t bare children, I am lucky to have these markings, they are a constant reminder of what I went through to have my baby.
You look good, dont worry about them! They will fade drastically over time, just you wait!
Honestly you look like you’ve bounced right back! I’m an odd sort and I love stretchmarks…mind you I don’t like my own :P With the gorgeous weather here at the moment they’ve been getting a heap of sun and have faded so nicely.
Congratulations, you look beautiful
You know… I wasn’t going to post my 1 year post partum pictures because I still don’t like my body much. Now I think I will. I think if you have the bravery, so should I. Thank you. I think I’m being selfish. What I’ve gone through for my daughter is totally worth the extra pounds.
Mine were very dark at one point, too, but they usually get MUCH lighter in color as time goes on. You just had your baby- your body had the power to grow the baby, and it has the power to bounce back, too. Congratulations on your baby! :) You’re beautiful!
Hi, just read your story! I have to tell you that your stretch marks are beautiful. They have an amazing pattern to them! I too thought i was going to get thru my pregnancies without them but sadly the popped up in the 32 – 38 week mark. this site has helped me feel better about myself, usually i say well i can’t complain mine aren’t that bad! but i do have to say, you do have stretch marks but they are really beautiful!
Your stretch marks will fade to silver. You are right, there are women who can’t have children, and they would give anything to have your stretch marks. I have a friend who had exploratory surgery and her doctor tied her tubes without her knowledge or permission. (He went to jail later.) Anyway, we mothers are so blessed. You have stretch marks because your body did what it was supposed to, it cradled and protected your child.
The pattern your stretch marks form is actually quite nice, and they will fade immensely as time goes on. They’re only so red in the beginning. Congratulations on your little one!
i think they form a lovely pattern, to be quite honest. and they will fade, i promise! my kid just turned a year & i can hardly see mine!
I had stretch marks very similar to yours after my pregnancy with my daughter. Now she’s two and I can harldy see them anymore. (Well, they’re starting to come back now that I’m 26 weeks pregnant again but that’s just it goes I guess.) I’m sure yours will fade too. In the meantime, from an outside perspective, they’re really not as “bad” as you think. I kind of like the interesting pattern you have going on.
I think your stretch marks look really cool! They look like a fire tatoo. =D I also have stretch marks and I think of them as a suvineer of having a baby.
I have a 10 month old and my stretch marks were really red like that too at first, but now you can only see them when the light hits them a cetain way. They have turned a whitish-silver. Also, you do look great! You dont have any saggy skin & you don’t have a lot of weight on. Once your stretch marks fade you probably wont look much different than your pre-preg pic. Hope reading all this makes you feel better. Just enjoy your baby, your body will adjust in time.
I think you look gorgeous. My stretchmarks were really red right after I had my baby girl and now 8 months later they are a silver color, I started using a cream called mother’s friend, and it helped alot, plus exfoliating cream. Congrats on your baby!
Wow. I have never commented before but I have to say this: Your stretch marks are beautiful! The pattern is so awesome and unique.
My stretchmarks looked just like yours. As a matter of fact my husband called them my custom paint job, he said they looked like flames. (He’s a mechanic) I had three kids but mine looked like this from the first pregnancy and all they did with the other two pregnancies was get darker during the pregnancy. My youngest is three and they have all faded to a silver, I barely notice them anymore. Yours will fade too and if they don’t who cares you gotta baby!!! Woohoo!
I was married to a woman with stretchmarks after her two kids, and even though she may not have liked them (the stretchmarks, not the kids), I didn’t mind them.
The skin in the stretchmarks is the softest you’ll ever find on the human body. Enjoy it, don’t hate it :) /H
I think the patterns your stretchmarks make are really pretty – kinda like tribal tattoos.
I found rubbing olive oil into my skin regularly helped my (non-pregnancy) stretchmarks fade to silver quicker.
Something my own mother used with a great deal of success were Swedish Bitters. I’ve used them on my own scars myself, including stretchmarks and have had very happy results. You can pick up a small bottle at a health store for about 14 dollars. Soak a cotton ball and rub it against your stretchmarks twice a day and they should fade to a lilacy/silver quite soon.