5 reasons pregnant women keep butter by the bed (though it won't prevent stretch marks)
Read this before you buy another pouch hoping it will stop stretch marks. You can want less itchy skin without paying for that promise.
| Plain shea butter | Belly oils | Stretch mark creams | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texture | Thick butterWarm in your palms | Liquid oilPour or pump onto palms | Thin creamCommon lotion style |
| Still on your skin in the morning | Yes, it stays putA thick layer overnight | Mostly absorbedFor lighter oil formulas | Mostly absorbedFor thin cream formulas |
| Fragrance | None addedFragrance free | Often scentedUnscented oils also exist | Often scentedUnscented creams also exist |
| What the label promises | Less itch, nothing elseNo stretch mark promises | Often preventionA label claim, not a result | Prevention or fadingCommon label claims |
| Price per container | $45 a pouch3 for $90 at checkout | Wide rangeBottle sizes differ | Wide rangeJar and tube sizes differ |
TLDR: You are choosing thick, fragrance free moisture for your itchy belly, with no promise about stretch marks.
1.It is still on your skin in the morning
If the washcloth helps for ten minutes and the lotion is gone in an hour, you know why thickness matters at bedtime.
Warm a small piece of plain shea butter between your palms and smooth it over your belly and sides. The thick layer stays on your skin overnight, still there at 6 a.m.
It moisturizes dry, tight, itchy skin. I'd choose it for moisture that stays put until it's time to get dressed, not for what your belly might look like in the morning.
2.You can skip the prevention promise
This butter does not prevent, reduce, fade, repair or treat stretch marks. You are buying a moisturizer, with no promise that your belly will look different.
If this is your second pregnancy, you may already know you're prone. You don't need another explanation of what you should have rubbed on. Getting marks is not an application mistake.
For your first pregnancy, I'd make the same distinction: wanting less itch is reason enough. You can leave the drawer of half used bottles alone and choose comfort, without trying harder to avoid marks.
A plain pouch, a practical routine
The same plain butter, looked at through what matters at bedtime.
| WHAT IS IN THE POUCH | WHAT IT DOES FOR THE ITCH |
|---|---|
| Unrefined organic shea butterONE INGREDIENT | Moisturizes dry skin where your growing belly feels tight and itchy. |
| Thick butterSTAYS PUT | Keeps moisture on your skin when you apply it before bed. |
| No added fragranceNO PERFUME | Lets you moisturize your belly without adding perfume to your bedtime routine. |
No fragrance. No water. No fillers.
3.The evidence points to a smaller promise
The American Academy of Dermatology says: "neither almond oil, cocoa butter, olive oil, nor vitamin E prevented stretch marks".
The NHS describes creams, lotions and gels sold for stretch marks with these words: "very little evidence these work". Those are limits worth reading before you spend anything.
I would keep the decision simple: for the itch, not the marks. Nothing you rub on prevents stretch marks. Moisturizing dry, tight skin is the useful job this butter can do.
4.No perfume when your stomach turns
Before bed, warm a small piece between your palms until soft. Smooth it over your belly and sides. The thick butter stays put rather than soaking into the sheets.
It's fragrance free, so there's no added perfume to turn your stomach when you're already nauseous. You don't need a scented bathroom routine to moisturize your belly.
If you'd like help, your partner can spend two minutes warming and smoothing it on. Or do it yourself after a shower. Keep it beside the bed so the step is easy to remember.
“He said moistrize and pray.”
A pregnant woman on r/BabyBumps, not a customer
5.Judge it by your own itch
$45 is still $45. If the moisturizer you already have helps, there's no reason to replace it. If you're considering this butter, the refund terms below give you 30 nights from delivery to try it.
The forum comments here describe the itch and the frustration. They aren't proof that this particular pouch will help you. Your experience matters more than someone else's enthusiasm about a different product.
I'd judge it by how your dry skin feels, not by checking for marks in the bathroom mirror. If it did not help the itch, you can request the refund and keep the pouch.
Plain butter. Clear expectations.
Buy 2 Get 1 Free, automatic at checkout.
What you get
- Keep butter on your belly, out of your sheets
- Skip added perfume when you're already nauseous
- Give your partner two minutes to help before bed
- Moisturize tight skin after your shower
- Stock your bedside and hospital bag: 3 for $90
- Get your refund if the itch didn't improve
- Keep your bedtime routine free of added scent
$45 for a 50 g (1.76 oz) pouch. 3 for $90 at checkout.
Ships in 5 to 9 days.
Use it for 30 nights from delivery. If it did not help the itch, email us for a full refund and keep the pouch.
Severe itching, or itching on your palms and soles, is a reason to call your provider, not to buy a butter.
How many weeks along are you?
Type a number. It only changes what the page tells you next.
“Even if it's placebo, it's relatively inexpensive and it counts as a calming self care routine.”A woman on r/pregnant about another product, not this pouch
What pregnant women say about the itch
From public forums. Not our customers, not reviews of this pouch.
These excerpts explain the itch, the skepticism and the routines because reviews of this pouch are not available.
Questions, answered plainly
Does it prevent stretch marks?
No. It does not prevent, reduce, fade, repair or treat stretch marks. Nothing you rub on prevents them. This is a moisturizer for dry, tight, itchy skin.
Is it safe in pregnancy?
It is cosmetic shea butter for use on your skin. Check with your provider if you have a nut allergy or any concern. We are not clinicians.
Why is it so thick?
The thickness helps it stay on your skin overnight rather than soaking into the sheets. Warm it between your palms until soft before smoothing it on.
What if it does not help?
Use it for 30 nights from delivery. If it did not help the itch, email us for a full refund and keep the pouch.
How much do I use each night?
The resealable foil pouch holds 50 g (1.76 oz). Start with a small piece, warmed between your palms until soft. Smooth it over your belly and sides before bed. You can also use it after a shower if you like.
When will it arrive?
Ships in 5 to 9 days.
This is a cosmetic moisturizer, not a medical product. It does not prevent, reduce, fade, repair or treat stretch marks. Severe itching, or itching on your palms and soles, is a reason to call your provider, not to buy a butter.