The decision to have a baby is a life-altering even, in more ways than one. Emotionally and responsibility-wise, you will never be the same once you have a child who depends on you; but did you know you may also never be the same physically? Many women go into the process expecting to have a child for the rest of their life, but do not realize that they could have unexpected companions: the dark, crinkled rows of stretch marks, which form when the body rapidly expands to accommodate the presence of a baby too quickly for the skin to adjust. Read on to learn more about how to deal with stretch marks, post-pregnancy.
The first thing you need to do, when you look in the mirror after you’ve delivered, is that it’s not as bad as it looks. You are probably tired, your body is adjusting to the sudden loss of weight and the stretch marks are the worst that they will ever be. As time passes, your body will start to calm down and the marks will not always be so deep or red. That isn’t to say they will go away – if you want to get your body back, you will still need to take action. But stressing will only make it harder to heal, so try to relax.
There are two main plans of actions for post-pregnancy stretch marks. One of them completely eliminates the presence of stretch marks and involves having a surgical operation to remove the stretched and scarred skin. The second option is to nurture and support the skin as much as possible, frequently through the use of a stretch mark cream. If you choose the first option, you will need to wait until your body recovers completely and decide when you will be ready let someone else care for your baby while you then cooperate from the surgery. It has the benefit of being drastic and complete; you will never have to worry about the stretch marks. The second option is something you can start right away (even while still pregnant) as it only requires that you spread a cream or gel across your skin. If you’re tired or weak, a friend or husband could even do it for you. This option has the benefit of being fast, inexpensive and still effective. The option you should fit your needs and image expectations.
After you have had a baby, the muscles in your stomach are almost completely gone because they’ve been so stretched out. Regardless of which option you choose for treating stretch marks, you will need to aid the process by getting fit and rebuilding the muscles. If you are concerned about not having the time since you have to watch your baby, consider investing in mother and infant exercise classes (or find the video of one online) so that you can multitask.
Remember that pregnancy and everything that comes after should be a positive experience. Even if your body doesn’t start off where you wanted it to be, with a little work, you can look great again.