Ahhhh the many joys of pregnancy! Stretch marks is just one of them. While there are genetic factors, there are ways to help prevent & avoid stretch marks. The secret is in skin elasticity. The more elastic your skin is, the less likely it is that you will have stretch marks. I used this belly butter while I was pregnant and while my body was bouncing back to pre-pregnancy shape and had amazing results!
Be sure to scroll to the bottom to get some bonus tips!
Ingredients In Your Belly Butter
The following ingredients are moisturizing, hydrating, & healing for your skin and promote elasticity. You can swap out any of these in your belly butter recipe.
- Coconut Oil
- Shea Butter
- Cocoa Butter
- Mango Butter
- Vitamin E Oil
- Beeswax
- Almond Oil
- Rosehip Seed Oil
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Avocado Oil
- Calendula Oil
- Jojoba Oil
Essential oils can be soothing, moisturizing, and great for skin. These are my favorite to use in my belly butter:
Belly Butter Recipe
Ingredients:
Note: Feel free to experiment and swap ingredients from the above list to find a consistency & formula that is best for you. This is my favorite combo:
- 1/2 Cup Shea Butter
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
- 1/4 Cup Jojoba Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Beeswax
- 1 Tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel
- 2 Teaspoons Vitamin E Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Rosehip Oil
- 10 Drops Frankincense Essential Oil
- 20 Drops Gentle Baby Essential Oil
Instructions:
- Heat Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Beeswax, and Aloe Vera Gel in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Stir until all of the ingredients have melted.
- Remove from heat.
- Add the Vitamin E Oil, Rosehip Oil, Frankincense Essential Oil, and Gentle Baby Essential Oil.
- Stir to combine.
- Put in the fridge for a couple hours to completely cool.
- Mix with a hand mixer to make a whipped belly butter.
- Pour into glass jars. (You will need two 8 oz jars.)
- Store at room temperature for up to 1 year.
- Apply 2-3 times per day focusing on your stomach, hips, thighs, & breasts (where stretch marks most commonly occur).
Bonus Tips!
Drink Lots of Water
One way to improve your skin elasticity is to moisturize from within by drinking lots of water. I use a Berkey Filter. It's recommended to drink between 64 t0 96 oz of water daily while pregnant.
Collagen
Benefits of collagen:
- Important for joint health (I believe collagen was a key factor in healing from previous back surgeries & back pain - read about that here)
- May prevent wrinkles
- Has protein
- Important for digestive health
- Great for your skin
Collagen comes from animal bones, skin, and tissues. The animal parts are boiled to extract collagen. It's important to get a good collagen from sustainable sources. I use this collagen. I add it to my smoothies, coffee, & tea, sprinkle into soup, sandwiches, & yogurt....it's easy to add collagen into your diet.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits including supporting healthy, nourished skin. Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include
- Walnuts
- Fish
- Flax Seed
- Chia Seed
- Eggs
- Omega-3 Supplement (I like this one)
Sulfur
Sulfur is the 3rd most abundant mineral in the body. Sulfur is a vital component of hair, nails, joints, tissues, and cartilage. Having sufficient sulfur promotes skin elasticity.
Sources of sulfur:
- Kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, garlic, onions, broccoli
- Meat
- Eggs
- Sulfur supplement (I like this one and it's my favorite hair, skin, & nails supplement that I take daily, pregnant or not)
Dry Body Brushing
Dry body brushing is an easy way to get rid of dry skin & cellulite and increase circulation. Dry body brushing is easy is simply brushing your skin with a stiff brush. Learn more about dry body brushing here.
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