How to help skin stretch? Painful belly!

I'm not trying to be a wimp, here, but I a petite and have always been thin - so now that I'm 16 weeks pregnant with twins, the stretching is really starting to hurt especially as my belly is weighing down and pulling the skin away from the ribcage area.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to help the skin be more elastic? I know I can rub it with lotion and drink lots of water... but any other ideas? If it's this uncomfortable now, I can't wait for the next 5 months!!! I'm so thankful that for now, this is my only challenge and the pregnancy is going great. Any ideas would be appreciated!

 

QUOTE(stacya @ Aug 13 2008, 10:10 AM) [snapback]928092[/snapback]
I'm not trying to be a wimp, here, but I a petite and have always been thin - so now that I'm 16 weeks pregnant with twins, the stretching is really starting to hurt especially as my belly is weighing down and pulling the skin away from the ribcage area.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to help the skin be more elastic? I know I can rub it with lotion and drink lots of water... but any other ideas? If it's this uncomfortable now, I can't wait for the next 5 months!!! I'm so thankful that for now, this is my only challenge and the pregnancy is going great. Any ideas would be appreciated!



I just wanted to pop in and give you hugs! I know how you are feeling. I'm 22 weeks and the skin on my belly is literally numb and hurts a lot of the time because it's just stretched and so sensitive. I keep wondering what it's going to be like in the next 12-15 weeks! Yikes! I put loads of the Palmers lotion on in the morning and at night (if I remember...sometimes I collapse in bed). My friend who is a RN suggested putting baby oil on it as well to encourage the stretching a little easier. I still need to get some of that so I can't say if it works or not. I'm definitely interested to see what other people suggest! I've been feeling this way since about 14 weeks or so - I don't know if it's gotten horribly worse - just a lot more numb feeling. It's very odd. I asked my Peri's nurse about it and she said it's just from stretching so fast and normal in multiple pregnancies. Good luck!!!! Oh and I feel much better when I lay down on my side and support my belly with a pillow underneath.

 

Hi Stacy - my body types like yours and early on in my pg I googled 'foods for skin elasticity' to help my belly stretch. There's a ton of info out there, and I now include plenty of strawberries, eggs, brazil nuts, brown rice, avocados and whole wheat bread along with the water. Good whole foods are never going to hurt anyone and they're doing a great job so far!

Good luck!
Molly

 

Bless your heart! I put lotion on my belly and massage it in atleast 4 times a day! I feel like (atleast mentally anyway) I am helping my skin become more elastic by massaging it. Good luck!

 

I am in the same boat. It started last month and was uncomfortable especially up by the ribcage area, but now at 30 weeks it is just downright painful. I use tons of Burt's Bees body butter, take oatmeal baths, use cornstarch powder before I put my clothes on (it is irritating to even have anything up against me at this point) and I also use a cold pack on the burning and achy muscles up under my ribs and diaphram. My OB says it is just something I am going to have to live with until the babies are born. I did not carry very big at all with my previous pregnancies so I am hurtin'. Also Eucerin makes an anti itch cream that has a small amount of menthol in it that has helped me a great deal when the itching becomes unbearable. Good luck

 

I'm also very petite, and my stretching tummy is giving me alot of pain and discomfort too. I try to apply moisturiser suitable for pregnant women, and I dunno if this works or not, but I try not to eat too full so that I reduce 'stretching' further!!

I also take collagen, which is helpful with elasticity of the skin, hope all these helps to reduce the discomfort and hopefully prevent stretch marks!!!