My Anti-Stretchmark Secret

One of the things I actually was not looking forward to getting when I was pregnant was the "badge" that stamped the majority of preggy gals everywhere--stretchmarks.

Coming from a line of stretchmark-prone women--my grandmother, mom, older sister and actually myself (specifically my thighs from my adolescent years) all bear the mark of the unsightly, whitish irremoveable streaks--I was resigned to the fact that all things bikini would have to be banished forever (check out my gigantic 8 month belly at left).

I'd made peace with this fact and was reveling in my newfound state of finally being pregnant when I came across an article in a magazine that would change the fate of my yet unmarked tummy forever.

A socialite with 5 kids was recounting how she too had accepted the fact that stretchmarks would be her destiny when her Chinese mother-in-law taught her the magic combo of rubbing both lotion and oil on her growing belly--thus leaving her without a single stretchy streak even after FIVE kids!

She, however, failed to mention the brand OR kind of oil she used, unfortunately, but that didn't stop me from diving into this little nugget of wisdom and finding the best (or at least the most ideal for me) lotion and oil in the market.

(I'd heard of cocoa butter but decided to skip it when my sis told me it didn't work for her.)

Haha! I felt like I'd stumbled on the best-kept secret ever! After much research--testing on my own, getting feedback from friends and checking out my oh-so-particular Lola's stash--I decided on committing to Aveeno's 24-hour Moisturizing Lotion and Mr. Coconut Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

I chose the first because even my frugal Lola didn't think twice about the price and used it religiously on her chronically dry skin and the latter because it was what I had in the house.

After every bath, I faithfully slathered on a generous amount of lotion on my entire belly, thighs and back and followed it with a palmful of oil. I did this EVERYDAY until I gave birth. 

Anyway, to make a long story short, I am living proof that it works! Not a single stretchmark has dared make an appearance on my stomach! I have a few strays on my upper thighs but that's it. Eureka! Anyway, I hope this gives you preggy gals out there a fighting chance to keep your tummies stretchmark-free.

*I also want to say that I drink water like a camel preparing for a drought so I'm sure the extra fluids did it's lubricating job as well.

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