If you are a new or veteran mom, you understand how much your body can change in just 9 short months. A little life is growing in your belly, stretching your heart with every kick and wiggle. With that growing baby comes a growing belly, and that growing belly could result in stretch marks.
While worrying about stretch marks seems like the last thing you should be doing as a new mom, it is completely normal!
Here are my top 10 stretch mark tips that I think about to make me feel like a warrior, and I hope they help you too!
Loving those stretch marks isn’t an easy task, trust me. I am six months postpartum, and I have had many days when I felt ashamed of my body, wishing for it to look as it did before my baby.
We can’t change the past though, and can only move forward and learn to love this new body. It created a life, after all.
TIP #1 – Take pictures. I have a BUNCH of before and after pictures in my camera roll. Some days I couldn’t believe that I’m carrying a little life inside of me! I was excited to meet my new baby, stretch marks be damned. Looking back on the pictures you’ve taken show you how amazing you are.
TIP #2 – Celebrate the natural changes your body is going through. I remember feeling overwhelmed, worried, confused and sometimes angry that my body was gaining so many stretch marks. When really, I should have been celebrating the natural changes of motherhood. Once I changed my perspective on my new marks I celebrated the accomplishment of my growing baby.
TIP #3 – It’s what is on the inside that matters. How many of you ladies have pictures, or have seen pictures of other mothers, holding a bump like this one? Probably not. It’s usually with a cute maternity dress covering the belly at a beautiful, aesthetic AF baby shower. As picture perfect as that looks, we don’t know what is underneath, and that’s OKAY! Because it’s what is on the inside that matters, mama.
TIP #4 – Stretch marks come in all shapes, sizes and colors! Before, during or after your pregnancy experience, you have gained so much knowledge and strength! Your mind and heart have expanded, so it’s okay if your skin did too.
TIP #5 – Creams and lotions are okay, but your stretch marks probably won’t go away. I never bought the lotion specific for stretch marks, and maybe one day I will have a [ link right here where you can buy inexpensive and practical body lotion ] , but for now a picture will do. Go ahead and nourish your skin, pamper yourself and get your self care on. But remember, self care is to make you feel better, not fix a nagging “problem”.
TIP #6 – C-sections count too! I had a natural birth, but I know plenty of mamas that had a c-section. Those scars count too. Especially on your stomach that you scrutinize already for not being “perfect”. About 1 in every 3 women give birth by C-section, and that is pretty amazing.
TIP # 7 – Your marks make you unique. Stretch marks don’t appear only on your belly. I have stretch marks EVERYWHERE. Places I didn’t even know you could get stretch marks – your breasts, your arms, your calfs, oh my! No one else has your exact map of stretch marks, and that is really something special.
TIP #8 – #LoveYourLines. Last but not least, my own pics! I was pretty creative about hiding my stretch marks until they were too loud and proud to hide. So I did my best and embraced them. I found this trending hashtag on social media #LoveYourLines, and found thousands of pictures of all age, gender, and color. How awesome is that!
Do you have any tips that you use to love your stretch marks? Leave a comment below!