The Secret To Stretch Marks

...there isn't one. But I've been asked more than a dozen times how I managed to carry triplets and not end up with one single stretch mark. From other expectant moms, strangers, labor and delivery nurses to my doctor and his staff. I thought I'd save myself the trouble by posting my unprofessional opinion here.

#1. Your Genes

Everywhere you turn you will hear that whether or not you get stretch marks depends on your genes. If you're mother had them, so will you. And vice versa. I really believe in this theory. My mother didn't get stretch marks with any of her pregnancies. I however, did end up with SOME on my hips. That's where secret #2 comes in...

#2. Lather, Lather, Lather

I have a ritual that I perform EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. of my pregnancy. Usually twice a day. I did it when I was pregnant with Kayson and the places that I didn't do this to, ended up with a few stretchmarks (my hips).

First, I lather up my belly and hips with this great product. Feels UH-MAZING and it smells even better. This totally soothed any itching I had. I put it on in the morning and after every bath.

Second, I use Palmer's Cocoa Butter on top of the oil. For the first few months I used the lotion. But after getting this thicker, yellow butter version of it as a gift, I became obsessed with it. It just felt so good to rub in and after applying it I actually felt really lathered up. I never felt my skin stretching or itching as long as I had this on.
I know a lot of people don't believe that using these or any products really make a difference. I don't claim that they do or don't. All I know is that regardless of whether I had good genes to begin with or not, I was willing to take my chances and do whatever I could to take care of my skin and if it worked then awesome, if it didn't then at least I did everything in my power. I just told myself that if I didn't try to do help my skin through this triplet pregnancy and I ended up with horrible stretch marks, that I would always wonder if the outcome would have been different if I had at least tried. And that's my two cents on the subject.

Stretch marks aren't anything to be ashamed of...they're nothing but mommy marks that you HAVE to be proud of. I'm proud of the marks my little boy left on my hips...laugh but I am! But for those of you that want to do everything you CAN to try and help your skin through the trama pregnancy puts it through, these are the things that have worked to my advantage. 10% effort & ritual...90% genes.

In the end I really just thank my lucky stars because I was terrified of what would become of my body when I found out I was going to be growing not one, not two but THREE babies in my belly for 7 months. In fact I almost threw away my bikinis...admitting defeat. I guess I need to get thanking my mother I got to keep them :)