Better yet, don’t show up to begin with!

Stretch Marks:  Two words that strike fear into the hearts of women everywhere.  Pregnant women, especially.

It’s no shocker that pregnant women gain weight.  About 25-35 pounds if you maintain a healthy pregnancy.  Healthy or not, stretch marks are a wild card.  Supposedly you have no control over whether or not they show up.  You can eat healthy, gain weight at a moderate pace, exercise and still those little buggers could pop up.  Now that just doesn’t seem fair, does it?

They (whoever “they” are) say that stretch marks are genetic.  One of my pregnancy email updates even told me to consider the marks a “badge of honor” for what my body was doing in growing a baby.  Are you kidding me?  As if!

In case you haven’t gotten the point yet, you can do nothing to prevent them.  Well I’ll be damned if I don’t try.  I am only 26, and I refuse to believe my bikini days are over.

Enter this woman:

Do you think this woman has stretch marks? Neither do I.

Yes, Victoria Beckham.  Posh Spice, that saucy minx, has proven to be my stretch mark saving grace.  While researching how to prevent the unpreventable, I came across an article in which Ms. Beckham raved about Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil Blend as her secret to remaining stretch mark free.  (I also suspect Victoria may not eat, which could additionally contribute to her lack of stretch marks)*.   But who cares – if this oil is good enough for Posh, it’s good enough for me!  She was my favorite Spice Girl, after all.

Japanese Camellia Oil

So far I have not been disappointed.  The oil is light, non-greasy and even smells pretty.  And more importantly, I have been using it for about three months and have yet to find a single stretch marks.  Don’t get me wrong, I still have nine weeks for these belly (and thigh and back and butt) blights to appear.  But for now I’m going to keep slathering this stuff on as if there is no tomorrow – I’m not going down without a fight.

Not pregnant?  No worries!  The camellia oil can also be “used for the care of nails, hair, scalp and combination skin”.  I love a multi-tasker, don’t you?

Moms or Moms-To-Be: Any other tips for avoiding the dreaded S-word?  Please share!

*Please note: I do NOT advise not eating to prevent stretch marks.  Or for any other reason.  Please, eat!  Stretch mark prevention is not worth starvation, okay?  Stay healthy, folks.