Stretch marks commonly appear on your abdomen, upper thighs, buttock and breasts during pregnancy. Exactly when and where they appear varies between women. After childbirth, they may fade but will unlikely disappear completely. They occur due to your skin stretching and becoming thin as your pregnancy progresses but do not affect your health or your baby.
Here are some tips to help with stretch marks:
Keep an eye on your pregnancy weight gain Calculate your body mass index before pregnancy, and use this chart to help you gauge how much weight you should be gaining during pregnancy. Excessive weight gain can put a strain on your pelvic floor muscles.
Recommended pregnancy weight gain (single baby)
Recommended pregnancy weight gain (twins and above)
13 – 18kg
Discuss with dietician
11 – 16kg
17 – 24.5kg
7 – 11kg
14 – 23kg
5 – 9kg
11 – 19kg
Adapted from Institute of Medicine Guidelines (IOM 2009)
Keep yourself hydrated Drink enough fluids to keep your skin hydrated and supple – this reduces the risk of developing stretch marks as compared to skin that is dry.
Maintain a healthy diet Include vitamin C, which is important for collagen. Collagen helps maintain the elasticity of your skin, which may make it less prone to forming stretch marks.
Treat stretch marks Keep your skin moisturized and speak to your gynaecologist or dermatologist for options to treat stretch marks as they appear. Although there are many products on the market that claim to be effective for stretch marks, not all of them are proven and results may vary.
