Im 16 weeks pregnant with baby number 1 and due in the first week of August! I always said that gaining a little bit of weight and getting stretch marks from a pregnancy that I so badly wanted would never bother me. Well that pregnancy is here and those stretch marks came early. I've always struggled with my body image, and have some stretch marks, that never bothered me.... on my breasts, thighs, and hips (from puberty). Everyone has always said "You carry your weight well" and "I wish I looked like you",  but they were always empty compliments because I've never liked the way I looked. I'm 16 weeks pregnant and am still in the awkward "is she pregnant or just fat" stage and everyone stares directly at my stomach!! I'm constantly asked "let me see your bump" and "show us the baby" and I just feel violated? I'm not sure thats the right word for how I feel but it's close. I know it's because I'm uncomfortable in my own skin especially right now with my body changing. My husband tells me I'm beautiful and that he's never been so attracted to me but everyday when I get dressed and undressedI look in the mirror and get sick to my stomach and sad. My once bare stomach is now covered in stretch Marks. The stretch marks started coming at 12 weeks and have not let up and no I have not gained any weight. I can't help but think about how terrible they'll be at the end of the pregnancy and it makes me more sad and more upset. I constantly remind myself when I think negatively that this baby is worth it and every stretch mark I gain is a reminder that my baby is healthy and growing stronger inside of me. But I still feel ugly and imagine the sagging stretched mark covered mess that I'll be left with once the baby is born.  Am I alone? Does anyone feel the same...because I feel crazy. I feel ungrateful selfish and undeserving of this child and that makes it all worse. My doctor told me that stretch mark severity comes from heredity (my mother had terrible stretch marks) and hormones. I've tried creams/oils/soaks, nothing helps 😣.