Stretch marks
Stretch Marks = Love marks! Stretch marks are the physical signs of your growth into motherhood. But there are some things you can do to limit their appearance.
It's estimated 75-90% of all pregnant women get stretch marks. Most likely, they'll appear in the later stages of your pregnancy when your baby is doing most of his growing.
A stretch mark occurs when the dermis, the middle layer of your skin, is stretched to a point where its elasticity begins to break down. At this point, microscopic bleeding occurs along with tissue inflammation, giving the raised reddish purple look of newly formed stretch marks. Over time the marks fade to silvery white.*
Common areas for stretch marks during pregnancy are your stomach, breasts, thighs and buttocks. There's a huge variety of oils, creams and lotions on the market specifically for pregnant women, so whether you prefer perfumed or non, oil or lotion, there's something for you. 
Some products should be applied from the beginning of pregnancy, others from the start of the second trimester. Massage the product over stretch mark-prone skin in a circular motion twice a day, and it will give the added bonus of boosting circulation and relaxation for you.
But also remember, a pregnancy stretch mark is a love mark - a badge of honour to be proud of!
* source allaboutstretchmarks.com
AS FEATURED IN ISSUE 15 OF OHbaby! MAGAZINE. CHECK OUT OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE BELOW
