Who Decided Stretch Marks Are Bad?

I remember the first time I heard stretch marks being referred to negatively I was a bit surprised because I'd never thought of them as anything but positive. I recall thinking; 'Maybe they're bad and I just didn't know, oh my god maybe I'm wrong maybe everyone thinks they're ugly and horrible'. I have to admit though it didn't really change my opinion, I still don't see stretch marks as bad things.

When my mother used to complain about the stretch marks on her stomach from being pregnant with me and my brother I used to think that they were pretty cool, they showed everyone that she'd done basically the most amazing feat the human body can endure, giving birth. And she did it twice!

I think they're kind of wonderful, they're so natural and normal, we all have them. They're like the rings on the inside of a tree stump, they track our growth from teeny saplings into fully grown trees (or however else you want to finish that analogy).

I have so many all over my thighs, stomach and boobs. They're all different shapes and colours, some more vivid than others and I could spend hours looking at them and marvelling at how they were created.

Stretch marks are like tattoos that your body picks out and etches out for you. It's sort of like your body is saying; 'This one right here, I made that one during that summer you went from an A cup to a C cup! Oh and this one is from when your hips widened to allow the potential for childbirth!'. They're like a map of your life so far, they each tell a little story. If you don't agree that that's one of the coolest things the human body is capable of then I don't know what to tell you!

I don't know who decided they were in any way negative but I completely disagree. I for one, love my stretch marks and I'm eager to see what new ones are created during my life! I hope at some stage we can all be pro-stretch marks.

Any opinions? Leave 'em below or hit me up @EarthToNiamh on Twitter x