I have a 13 yr old and loads of stretch marks from going from 110 to 165 while pregnant to 135 shortly after birth to 200 lbs now in my thirties. After losing & gaining so much weight, i have them on my hips, belly, breasts, arms, buttocks, etc.

I have a lower belly problem too where it looks like I developed a fat lip just above my bikini area and stretches hip-to-hip! I wear my tribal belt just above this but below my belly button so it's an illusion that it doesn't exist!! My belt ties at both sides so it's easier to adjust on my hips. I have friends that wear belly nets/hose because they are slightly self-conscious about their "rolls". Maybe a costume change is in order?

Stretch marks are a natural occurence in the life of being of woman. It's all about how you present yourself. If you think you are sexy and beautiful and don't care how your belly looks, other people will pick up on this. This is really why we dance isnt it? Because we are beautiful women in every aspect and we believe we are sexy.

If woman remarks on your stretch marks, it's because THEY are self-conscious, not because you should be ;) If this was a male that remarked this to you, their opinions don't count !!! They will never understand =) Don't take it to heart.

I'm so with you! I love, LOVE, pregnancy, childbirth, my son...the works...but I've got the "chicken skin" too! I agree...I think it gets worse the thinner I get. I am really new to belly dancing and actually have my first performance (recital) at the end of the month. I am still debating about costuming. There are lots of women in my class that have great attitudes about their bodies, and are totally free from feeling any restrictions on what they "should/should not" wear. I'm just not there, yet...maybe one day?? Right now I'm leaning towards buying a unitard (i think that's what they're called) with the mesh middle to wear under my costume. anybody have any suggestions/opinions/thoughts about these?? The only place I know to get them is www.sugarpetals.com.

I'm with you on that one. I gained 50lbs with my daughter and went from a 32 A/B to a 34 D! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a maternity bra in 34 D? It's next to impossible to find a maternity bra in D at all, nevermind with a measurement that small! Anyhow, you may just want to consider meditating on it. Just breathe in the beauty of everything you are and breathe out all the expectations of how your body should look. Stretch marks are like battle scars. They're part of where a body has been, what it's done. They really are beautiful in that they represent life, they represent something that isn't perfection. I mean, who would really want a whole bunch of Barbie doll clones anyway?

On top of having stretch marks on the belly (and in other yummy places, like the breasts, hips, in between my thighs...oh yeah, that's sexy...) I've also got a bit of that "mama belly" though barely any at all, and my breasts are all streched and loose because of nursing my daughter. I have to be real careful how I wear certain bras and tops because my breasts will get a little fold in the excess skin if they're sitting the wrong way. Now to add to it, I've got a rather nasty looking scar on my elbow from surgury last December. My body is less than perfect and I just need to come to accept that. It's beautiful in it's own right. I'm still not quite there yet. I'm still not comfortable wearing clothes that show off a lot of cleavage and I'll only ever bare my belly when I'm dancing, but at least I'm pushing those boundries. I think you'll find that people will be supportive of you, and will consider you beautiful no matter how many stretch marks you're wearing.

To give you an idea on just how hard this was, I think it'd be easier to tell you where I've come from, what I had going for me before I was pregnant. Before I had my child, I had the perfect body. I had these perfect perky little breasts, a flat little stomach with muscles so strong that I've litterally had a 200lb man stand on it and was able to support his weight with my abdomen with ease. Yes, I showed off a bit in high school. In my martial arts class, I was told that punching me in the stomach was like punching a brick wall. I was quite proud of my body, but then again, for a teen, appearance is everything. Don't get me wrong, I was by no means perfect, but I had a figure that people would kill for, and it put quite a rift between my sister and I, as she's always had problems being overweight. Now people are only jealous of how thin I am for being a mother, but my figure isn't perfect. It shattered my confidence and it's taken nearly three years since Corde's birth to get it back. It just takes time.

i have the loose skin and stretch marks, too, from losing a lot of weight very quickly.
i've thought a lot about having abdominoplasty. i know that seems like a vain and shallow thing. in a lot of ways it's something that is diametrically opposed to so much else that i stand for.
but the honest truth is, it blocks me from being proud and demonstrative. it blocks me from enjoying my body in a visible way.
i have totally ripped abs, and no one else can tell, because they're under this loose, hangy skin that hangs over my costume, and it fricken bugs me.

of course, i cant actually *afford* abdominoplasty right now. but it's still on the list of things i'm considering.

LOL...I am born and raised NorCal girl...(humboldt) and I understand the not caring cause it is so accepted..I am a mom of 7, and have a few on my thighs, and I hated them and would not wear a bikini because of them...then when I started dancing, I decided...heck, 40, mom of 7...I dont care...my hubby thinks I look good, and really...I do too...so bikini it is...Bellydaning has helped my mushed up selfesteem so much, and feeling good about my body and myself with out being a hooch to so self absorbed, that I just done care...cause my feelings could be easily hurt by someone
saying somthing nasty..Your marks should be worn with pride...you are Mother! and I'll bet a good one at that!
Hugs...and dance your heart out!
Gigi

You can also use those self tanners. I use Fake Bake, I put it on a makeup sponge and put a little more on the stretch marks. This makes them stand out less.