Stretch Marks

Look. I imagine that first-time pregnant women tend to be the most needy, insecure, and anxious of all medical patients, and I know I am no different. I may even be more needy, insecure, and anxious than other pregnant women. But when my husband's first words to me in the morning are "Have you called the doctor yet?" it's hard for me to think that my concerns are completely invalid. I just want to talk to a doctor. I'd love to see a doctor, but since the first thing is apparently impossible, I'm guessing the second one is, too.

Everything is fine, and I'm sure my doctor would look at me as if I were stupid, but I don't care. I need to see someone about my stretch marks. They get worse--noticeably worse--every single day. Five or six days ago, I had one stretch mark from pre-pregnant weight issues and that was it. Now I have eight. Eight new ones. And four of them are much deeper and darker (purplish red) than the rest. And they hurt. I've tried googling painful stretch marks, and most of the things I read have plagiarized each other: "While not painful, the stretching of the skin may cause a tingling sensation." Tingling is not how I would describe this. I'm trying to remind myself to deal with all pain more patiently in preparation for labor, but this...this STINGS. I can deal with aching, bruising, pinching, even stabbing pains, but stinging? It's my least favorite kind of pain, and the fact that it gets worse every day and the terrifying fact that I have 7 more weeks of growing and stretching concerns me. Should it? Is this really normal? Is there anything I can do to help the stinging or slow down the stretching process? These are things I would love to ask my doctor. Unfortunately, no one can see me--or even talk to me--until Monday.

Dear belly,

Please don't burst open in the next few days.

Sincerely,

Uncomfortable Me

On the upside, at least my stomach doesn't look like this, which is supposedly an image of a first time belly at 33 weeks. Scary. Do not want.