Tuesday, October 20, 2009

4th Time's a Charm?

I don't have issues with my stomach after having babies (except for the inevitable inability to get it quite as flat as I'd like). No stretch marks. No loose skin. As long as I get down to an okay weight I really have no complaints about it (and when I'm actually thin, I sort of love it)*.

But this time around I'm not feeling so certain. Here I am at 32 weeks and my belly is as big as it's ever been in any of my other pregnancies. As I always carry straight out in front (basketball style), I would be very surprised if my skin holds up this time around, since I will obviously be ENORMOUS by the time this little boy comes (did I mention he's a boy? Oh, he is). And my weight gain is just the same as in all my other pregnancies (I always gain 26-32 pounds. That's lbs., not Ł).

I wonder if you can get stretch marks for the first time in your fourth pregnancy?

*I feel okay saying this as NOBODY EVER SEES MY STOMACH so this is an almost useless advantage. Also, if I don't say it, nobody will ever know, and what's the point of an unseen asset? :) Rest assured that I have my pregnancy scars in FAR more conspicuous places. For example I'll probably never really wear shorts or even skirts without opaque tights because of the veins. NOW complain about your stretch marks! HA! I SO have you beat. Plus, I'll likely have the stretch marks in a few weeks, anyway!

9 comments:

Annette Lyon said...

Aw, man! You don't get the bread-dough saggy skin thing?

I will try not to be overly jealous. Because no, I don't have veins. But I do have saggy skin and stretch marks.

Susan said...

As you know, when I had my fourth, any complaint I told my doctors about they said, in essence, "it's your FOURTH BABY, what do you expect?!" I didn't really love that. Here's hopin' you get stretch marks on your belly and your varicose veins just disappear :)

Kazzy said...

I have all of the things you said you DON'T have! Ugh. My husband calls them battle wounds and loves me anyway, so who cares. Right?

Hope you are doing well.

Lesley said...

As I understand it, stretch marks are inherited, so if you don't get them, you don't get them. I've had 4 kids and no stretch marks and my body bounces back rather nicely too, like yours. Even with my 3rd, whom I gained a TON of water weight with (and 45lbs total--we're talking huge, and she ended up being my smallest baby at 7.7) I didn't get stretch marks (and I should've had them on my ankles for as much as my feet and legs swelled, yuk!) So I think you'll be fine!

MelancholySmile said...

I get stretch marks. Hopefully, if you end up with them, they fade away nicely the way I've found that mine do. In the beginning, they look terrifying-- like red lightning across my belly-- but after a few months, they pale and silvery and only noticeable if they're pointed out or being stared at because you can't help but fixate on 'flaws'.

Good luck! I have a feeling that with your brownie diet, you'll be back to your pert little self in no time flat.

charrette said...

My stretch marks always disappeared. But that saggy loaf of bread dough? Still here. *sigh*

Erin said...

Sigh. The things we do for our babies. Of course, it's worth it. But it's still frustrating! Here's hoping the next seven weeks bring about minimal stretch marks.

Carolyn V. said...

Yay~ a cute boy! =) I gained 60 pounds with my babies. My stomach isn't the same, but it is getting flat. It just takes time (hopefully not as long as mine has).

Heidi said...

One of my sisters had six kids and only one stretch mark. Just one! She doesn't have many wrinkles, either, and she is 58. So, I think some skin just is more elastic than other people's. As for me, I got stretch marks when I was 12 and I took ballet--the increase in my muscles did a number on the inside of my thighs. No doubt I will look like a dried apple by the time I'm 58.