During pregnancy there are plenty of ups and downs, from feeling nauseous to being on cloud nine with happiness. But the effects it has on your body afterwards is the main concern for new mums.
Health on Female First
Okay, so you're not going to jump straight back into your size 10 skinny jeans but it seems that isn't the biggest worry.
New mums fear stretch marks after birth, a new study has revealed.
Mums have even admitted to being embarrassed about the flaw, with one in five claiming that life-long unsightly stretch marks are their number one pregnancy fear revealed baby skincare experts, Bayer HealthCare, makers of Bepanthen Stretch Mark Cream.
The most likely place for the marks to appear are on the tummy followed by thighs and breasts.
Babies are undoubtedly a bundle of new joy, but 5% of mums would go as far as saying that negative feelings towards their stretch marks have made them seriously reconsider having any more children.
Stretch marks have also made new mums (18%) feel embarrassed to get naked in front of their partner.
Bump Care- 3 step routine:
- Touch- use a light pressure-free touch on your bump
- Stroke- use continuous and gentle stroking motions to rub in stretch mark cream maintaining touch with your bump throughout
- Connect- imagine you're stroking your baby… breathe in and out slowly to facilitate a calm and peaceful connection with your baby
Dr Faye Kennedy, GP, said: "Almost 90% of women will get stretch marks during their pregnancy and while many new mums feel embarrassed to admit that a harmless skin imperfection is lowering their self-esteem, this research clearly shows that we can underestimate the real effect that stretch marks can have on a woman's confidence."
Dr Faye Kennedy added: "Mums-to-be should look for a stretch mark cream that can actually help strengthen the skin before stretch marks appear - rather than just trying to remedy the situation afterwards. Look for a product that not only moisturises the skin - but one that can encourage collagen production, as a lack of this is a known root cause of stretch marks. Looking after your bump when pregnant is also a great opportunity to ensure that you are bonding with your baby before the birth."