I had a baby 2 or so months ago.  I was really happy pregnant – I didn’t worry about anything.  The idea of what my body would be like after the baby came out wasn’t something that was weighing heavily on my mind or causing me to lay awake all night.  Pregnancy is a wonderful thing.  In hindsight I realize I was so caught up in the anticipation of what the little being was going to be like and that it was happy and healthy, everything else was not important.  It was a blissful time without many distractions.  I ate what I wanted, stayed healthy, rubbed my tummy with lots of lotion, and wallowed in the wonder of it all.

Baby came out and realities set in.  Diapers needed to be changed, sleep needed to be had, and the little wee one became the most important thing in the world.  Talk about life changing event – this was the end all be all.  Nothing was getting between the baby and me.  Nothing was more important than taking care of the adorable little thing.  Nothing was going to stop me from being SUPER MOM!

I am fairly confident that I am a somewhat attractive woman and am not considered skinny by any means – a healthy woman in her early 30’s.  I love my husband and he loves me.  Having a first child, or second or third for that matter, is a strain on any marriage.  I will admit that it surprised me one morning when I was getting dressed and he asked how long it would be before those stretch mark things went away.  I looked down and there they were.  Stretch marks.  They had snuck up on me.

I did some research on this whole stretch mark thing.  While I was pregnant, I just tried to keep my skin as lubricated as possible mainly to cut down on the major itch that was always present.  I also drank tons of water.  I hadn’t considered the after effects of childbirth when the skin had to adjust yet again.

So, the facts on stretch marks aren’t too great.  Tearing of the skin due to weight gain or muscle growth causes them.  Hormones can also cause stretch marks.  They will fade in time but not necessarily completely.  We all know what they look like – purple pink scraggly lines that mark their way across our bellies.  You might also find them on your arms, legs, and behind.  With stretch marks from pregnancy, most often they aren’t visible until the end of the third trimester or not at all.  After birth is when they might be more apparent and women start desperately trying to find a quick fix for the abnormality.

How to get rid of them?  There aren’t a lot of sure things.  Many suggest using lotions high in cocoa butter and vitamin E while pregnant to assist in reducing stretch marks, but there isn’t any real proof that it works.  You can use that same lotion after birth with the same results.  Lotions are the not solution.

What else?  Dermabrasion.  Because stretch marks are not on the top layer of your skin, but on the dermis – the second layer – dermabrasion wont erase the stretch marks, but lower the appearance of them.  Microdermabrasion will kick start the collagen production in your skin and help to make it more elastic.  A single treatment might run you upward of $300 in a certified salon.  Many times it will take more than 1 session to provide noticeable results.  Go ahead and give it a go, but at $300 a session, dermabrasion isn’t the solution for me.

Another option – the tummy tuck.  A tummy tuck removes excess fat and tissue and sometimes skin.  This also involves reducing stretch marks.  This does not remove all stretch marks, but will make your stomach look a hell of a lot better.  This is surgery.  It will cost lots of money.  Some do a tummy tuck after giving birth.  I was in so much pain after giving birth, and even 2 month out I am still cringing a bit at the thought of it all.  The idea of more pain and problem in my nether region is not okay.  Tummy tuck isn’t even worth looking into for me.

So, didn’t I allude to having a solution to get rid of your stretch marks?  The best solution is to go out and buy yourself some kick ass jeans that make your legs look great no matter what size you are, and keep those stretch marks covered up.  They make some really nice one piece swim suits these days also.  Embrace your body and the fact that you used it to produce life!  Take power in the fact that the child in your life is there because you provided a nurturing environment for it within your body – and your body will never be the same!  Get used to the idea that your significant other will probably be the only one that is ever up close and personal with your stretch marks, and I have a feeling that after awhile, even they wont be that concerned about them.  Love yourself and your body for what it is and give yourself a break.  In time all scars fade, even stretch marks.