Pre-Prego Prep

Northstar1808

Let's talk about pre-prego preparations, aka P3 (I made that up lol)...anyways. I am no where near ready to have a baby but I am terrified of getting stretch marks and whatnot. I heard the creams and lotions don't really work but SIL, who is in med school, says that if you start a few years before you have a baby the stretch marks will be greatly reduced. Thoughts/opinions/comments/suggestions?? What other things are you girls doing to prepare? 

I know there's a getting pregnant board but I don't think I'm ready to venture off there yet haha.

thatjessie

Stretch marks are genetic. They come with the baby. SIL and her SIL have 2 kids and 3 kids they are 100 lbs gain at least 45 with each kid and neither of them have stretch marks and neither of them used any creams. I used every cream imaginable since I found out I was preggo and I have them from my butt to my boobs. They have faded alot in 2 1/2 years but they're there.

shauni27

i think the only thing you can do is hope and pray and use lots of lotions for stretch marks.

i have NO plans on getting preggers in the next five years, but i still take a woman's multivitamin and folic acid every day just in case.  plus, it is good to have been taking these vitamins anyway, it builds up a healthier body and gives your future baby less chance of spinal chord disabilities, etc. 

LiaDee

If stretch marks really are genetic like jesse said, and you are really concerned about it, talk to your mom about it and maybe her sisters and see what she went through. If it seems like it'll be a problem and you want to tackle it, im sure using the creams beforehand wouldn't hurt you at all. it all depends on what's important to you!

as for me, i just accept that i will blow up and have some baby scars from pregnancy! It comes with the territory! My older sister (almost 30) refuses to have children because of what she thinks it'll do to her figure...everyone is different. Helps make the world go round.

Northstar1808

my mom got stretch marks like woah so I will probably get them too...damn. SIL got nothing.

DatsyuksMommy

As far as stretch marks, I ordered the save my skin from pure romance. We shall see if that works. I also am using a superficial fascial release technique I learned in school that is pretty painful, but will probably help the skin not to be so stuck to itself. I am also getting the vitamins my SIL took during her pregnancy because she did a lot of research on which ones to take. I have been nauseous the last 5 or 6 days, but I POAS last night at SIL's urging only to get a neg because it's really too early to test yet.

tbearsangel

Wait Dats. Did I miss something? Are you TTC, or just thinking you have a honeymoon baby on your hands? Keep us posted!

SusieQ1981

:butting in: I am starting on the cocoa butter regimen since it sounds like it works for a lot of people. I actually heard the same thing about lansolin?? it's for you boobs so they don't get chapped/cracked/as sore if you nurse - I know everybody is different but I heard from one woman she did it the whole time she was pregnant and never had a problem after the baby was born. Worth a shot. I always thought folic acid was the big thing for pre-pregos, but apparenlty there is this other (mineral?) called DHA which is really important for the nervous system & other development and they recommend you be on that before TTC - oops for me, but oh well, LO seems just fine so far... And don't freak if you POAS early - I did 2 days after becoming a defective typewriter and it was a BFN - 2 weeks later the little plus sign showed up...for all their claims the research says they're not sensitive enough to pick the hormones until about a week after. :butting out:

arosem23

I went to the OBGYN last week for my yearly check up and since I won't be back there before we start trying (we are going to start trying early spring next year) I asked her what I needed to do. She said just start taking prenatal vitamins 3 months before you plan on trying and see what happens. So, that's what I plan on doing. I already take a multi-vitamin so I just have to switch it to the prenatal ones.

As for the stretch marks - I already have them from losing and gaining weight as a teen and young adult. I don't have any on my stomach but if I do after the baby so be it. I have a lot of scars, marks, freckles, etc on my body - it's called life. I guess I've finally learned to accept my body as it is as I've gotten older.

thatjessie

Susie~DHA is also very important but most prenatals now have DHA in them along with folic acid.

DatsyuksMommy

We're TTC, but it's looking like we may have had a good month ;-) AF visited for almost the entire duration of our HM, so no HM baby.

emilyann21

I'm a little late on responding to this but I definitely agree it's genetic and also depends on which side of the family you get it from (mom or dad). My older sister has 2 kids, and only got stretch marks after her 2nd baby. My little sister just had a baby and has nothing to show for it. Since I already have stretch marks from growing up and gaining/losing weight, I don't care. I don't wear bikinis as it is but they do fade anyway. I would talk to your doctor and see what he/she says and recommends.