It is common knowledge that all across the world, Stretch marks are a common source of discomfort during pregnancy. Stretch marks appear in nine out of every ten pregnancies, most commonly in the fifth or sixth month.
Pinkish streaks appear around the stomach, breasts, or hips when collagen and elastic tissue (the fibres that keep your tissue taut) stretch because of rapid weight gain.
Pregnant women have a better chance of minimizing the appearance of these marks when they are new. Scars that have faded to white are difficult to treat.
The two risk factors are obesity and having a family history of stretch marks. While 40 to 80% of pregnant women will develop stretch marks at some point during their pregnancy, many of them will fade and become less noticeable over time.
Even if you are predisposed to getting them, here’s how to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy.
5 Tips to Avoid Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
Drink A Lot Of Water
Good Hydration allows your entire body to function properly, including your skin. Water helps your skin cells function effectively, repair themselves, and prevent (or recover from) stretch marks. If you can’t drink the recommended eight glasses of water per day, try including fresh juices, lime water, and tea in your diet.
Drinking plenty of water is beneficial all through pregnancy for a variety of reasons.
- Water aids in the transport of nutrients to you and your developing foetus.
- It can also help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs), which are common during pregnancy.
- Furthermore, adequate hydration can alleviate tiredness, prevent swelling, and sometimes even alleviate morning sickness.
- A good Water intake can also help prevent nausea and cramps.
- If you are well hydrated, your skin will be well hydrated and even softer. Put simply, softer skin is less likely than dry, rough skin to develop stretch marks.
Soak up some Sunlight
Vitamin D can also aid in the prevention of stretch marks all through pregnancy. It is critical to exercise extreme caution when exposing yourself to direct sunlight, especially while pregnant.
During pregnancy, your skin becomes more sensitive. You should also avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated.
Keeping this in mind, a few mins in the morning sunlight from time to time all through your pregnancy can provide you with the vitamin D you require to avoid stretch marks.
Consume a Healthy Diet
A healthy pregnancy diet is a great place to start when it comes to reducing the stretch marks that appear during this time. Stretch marks appear as a result of rapid weight gain. You can’t avoid gaining weight while pregnant, but you can strive to maintain it within the recommended range.
Dr. Purva Patel, Obstetrics and Gynaecology (M.S.) has to recommend a well-balanced diet that includes the following foods:
- A variety of vegetables and fruits throughout the day
- Whole grains such as Wheat, Oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice
- Chicken, fish, and beans are good sources of lean protein
- Legumes such as Beans, Chickpeas, lentils
- Dried Fruits, nuts, seeds, etc
- Calcium-rich dairy products such as Milk, paneer, eggs, etc
- Filling nutritional gaps with a prenatal vitamin
- To avoid nausea, limit your intake of sweets and sugars.
And because each woman—and each pregnancy—is unique, be sure to ask your OBYGN for the diet that is right for you
Treat new stretch marks as soon as possible
If stretch marks seem to appear, you still have time to treat them. Many creams and lotions are available on the market to help reduce their appearance.
Popular stretch mark care lotions contain ingredients such as vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and cocoa butter. Your doctor can also help you determine what is starting to cause the stretch marks and advise you on treatment options.
Increase your Weight at a doctor-approved rate
Stretch marks are caused when the tissue is pulled apart quickly, so not gaining weight quickly is probably the best way to prevent them.
There are numerous viewpoints regarding how much weight gain is appropriate all through pregnancy. While you should not eat for two, you can increase your calorie intake. It is absolutely plausible to achieve a balance between how much more you should eat and not overeat.
Talk to your doctor to determine what is better for you, as total weight gain varies from person to person. Most patients will weigh between 12 kg to 17 kg.
However, depending on whether you are overweight or underweight, your ideal weight gain number may vary.
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We are pleased to offer prenatal and postnatal care to all expectant patients at Harsh Hospital & Maternity Home. To make an appointment or learn more about our hospital, call us at +91 96385 93366.
