When marketers look at pregnant women, they see a bump-sized pot of money. All kinds of products are marketed at…

When marketers look at pregnant women, they see a bump-sized pot of money. All kinds of products are marketed at pregnant women, all claiming to solve one of the many perceived pregnancy problems. If you’re worried about stretch marks, you could find yourself forking out on all manner of creams, ointments and oils each claiming to keep stretch marks at bay.

In truth, there is little evidence to back up claims that these products can prevent stretch marks, so you could simply be rubbing money into your bump (hey, maybe that’s the answer?!). Many experts believe stretch marks to be hereditary, meaning there is little you can do about them. Your skin is simply stretching faster than ever before (do you really want to slow your bump down?!), and once those skin fibres stretch and break, they don’t magically re-form. It is important to keep your skin moisturised during pregnancy, so make sure you are drinking enough water. There’s no need to spend a lot on bump creams, a simple daily lathering of coconut oil will help to keep your skin moisturised