Ugh...I have tried to ignore it - BUT I just can't......

punkeemunkee'smom wrote: I have the most itchy rash EVER all over my stomach, hips, chest and now lower back. It is not PUUPPS...I am looking for natural remadies because I have read too much about all the steroids they wanted to give me causing issues with the baby and we have too long to go to do anything that long term. I am going to go pick up Jojoba oil and candula oil at the health food store tomorrow-pray it works...I am losing sleep and I am litterally scratching my skin off in places

cameragirl21 replied: I'm a big fan of evening primrose oil. Idk how quickly it will bring relief to itching, though. Try rubbing some baking soda on your skin to relieve the itching. Hope you feel better.

mckayleesmom replied: Is it normal to feel itchy during pregnancy?
It's not uncommon to feel itchy, particularly around your growing belly and breasts as your skin stretches to accommodate them. Hormonal changes may also be partly to blame.

Some pregnant women find that their palms and the soles of their feet get red and sometimes itchy. This common condition may be caused by an increase in estrogen. It usually disappears right after delivery.

You may also find that things that normally make you itchy — dry skin, eczema, food allergies — make you even itchier when you're pregnant. Finally, there are certain conditions that occur during pregnancy that may cause you to feel itchy (see below).

How can I get relief from the itching?
Avoid hot showers and baths, which can dry out your skin and make the itching worse. Use mild soap and be sure to rinse it off well and towel off lightly. Then slather on an unscented moisturizer — some scents can cause irritation.

Try an occasional warm oatmeal bath. (You can buy oatmeal bath preparations in drugstores.) Wear loose cotton clothing and avoid going out in the heat of the day, since heat can intensify the itching.

Is it common to get itchy bumps on your abdomen?
Up to 1 percent of pregnant women develop a condition characterized by itchy, red bumps and larger patches of a hive-like rash on their bellies. This is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) or polymorphic eruption of pregnancy.

PUPPP usually begins in the third trimester and is more common among women carrying twins and those having their first baby. The eruptions usually show up first on the abdomen around or in stretch marks (if you have any) and may spread to your thighs, buttocks, and arms. PUPPP is harmless for you and your baby, but it can itch like crazy!

Your doctor or midwife will want to see you for a diagnosis and will probably prescribe a topical ointment to give you some relief. She may also recommend an antihistamine. In severe cases, you may need a course of oral steroids.

PUPPP usually disappears within a few days after delivery, although it sometimes persists for several weeks. (In rare cases, it may even begin after you give birth.) Fortunately, it seldom appears again in subsequent pregnancies.

Even more rare than PUPPP is a skin condition called prurigo of pregnancy (or papular eruptions of pregnancy), which is characterized by many tiny bumps that may look like bug bites. These eruptions can occur anywhere on your body, but you're most likely to get them on your hands, feet, arms, and legs.

Although the eruptions can be itchy and annoying, prurigo of pregnancy appears to pose no risk to your baby. This condition generally starts around the beginning of the third trimester and may last for up to three months after you give birth.

In very rare cases, a pregnant woman will develop very itchy eruptions that start out like hives and then turn into large blistering lesions. This rash is called pemphigoid gestationis (or herpes gestationis, although it has nothing to do with herpes virus). The eruptions often start on the abdomen and spread to the arms and legs.

This condition is considered more serious than PUPPP because it may be associated with an increased risk for preterm delivery and fetal growth problems. It usually begins in the second or third trimester, but it can start anytime — even in the first week or two after you have your baby.

Pemphigoid gestationis can come and go throughout pregnancy, and it often flares up after delivery as well. It usually happens again in subsequent pregnancies and tends to be more severe.

Let your caregiver know if you develop any kind of rash during pregnancy. Whether or not the rash is related to your pregnancy, it's a good idea to have your caregiver evaluate it and recommend appropriate treatment or refer you to a dermatologist.

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mckayleesmom replied: Can intense itching ever be a sign that something is wrong?
Severe itchiness in the second or, more commonly, in the third trimester can be a sign of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, a liver problem that affects less than 1 percent of pregnant women in the United States.

When bile doesn't flow normally in the small ducts of your liver, bile salts accumulate in your skin and make you itch all over. The itching can be quite intense. The condition itself doesn't cause a rash, but you may end up with red, irritated skin with little cuts in areas where you're scratching a lot.

Call your doctor or midwife immediately if you think you have cholestasis because it may spell trouble for your baby. Your caregiver will do blood tests to check your liver as well as ultrasounds and fetal heart monitoring to check on your baby.

Depending on your health and your baby's condition, you may be induced before your due date. This problem goes away after you have your baby, although you may get it again with your next pregnancy.

mckayleesmom replied: I would call your doctor just to be on the safe side.


I'm hoping that maybe this itching is being caused by another little sister in there..

My3LilMonkeys replied: I would suggest an oatmeal bath scrub or a bodywash that contains oatmeal. It works wonderfully for dry skin!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Abbie I itched horribly when I was pregnant. Especially in the winter, when I'm usually itchy due to dry skin, but it was so much worse when pg. I also got the rash, which was excema. I used vit E oil and that helped *some*. I never went as far as getting an rx or trying other remedies, but I pray you find the magic cure without fear of causing harm to baby Teagan.

MommyToAshley replied: I was going to ask you if it was PUPPS. I had that when I was PG and it was horrible. I hope you find some relief.

jacobsmama replied: AAAHhhh So sorry you are feeling so crappy with the rash girl!

I also would recommend the oatmeal bath and lotion.

Then do baby oil dailly to your skin. I know it sounds horrid but it works the best.

get out of shower and put it all over you 1-2 times a day if you can. WORKS!

momofone replied: i used coco butter it prevents stretch marks too.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: They are saying not PUUPS because it is early for it. It is not the blistery rash and (Thankfully) I do have red bumps so it is not the liver enzyme problem. I am bathing in Aveeno and using it and camomile lotion ALL DAY AND NIGHT long... It does help some and I thought it was even going away but it started spreading again a couple of days ago...I have an appointment with the derm on Jan 2nd to see what he says but all they have been doing through my OB is pushing steroids. I am going to the natural foods store today and see whatelse they have. I feel much safer doing something natural over even hydrocortizone.....

Jennifer-I actually use primrose oil as a moisturizer already. Unfortunately it is not helping

Thanks for all the suggestions! I can do this just as long as I know Teagan is staying nice and safe inside!

cameragirl21 replied: Abbie, take the EP oil internally...it's not meant to be used externally. It does reduce itchy skin conditions. I am prone to bouts of eczema and whenever I take it the eczema goes away within a few days, sometimes it takes a whole 2 weeks for all the redness and whatnot to go away but the discomfort dissipates quickly. I remember baking soda working really well when I had the chicken pox as far as relieving external itch quickly.

A&A'smommy replied:
yuck Abbie I hope you find something that works!!

lisar replied: Call the Dr my cousin had a rash when she was pg and it ended up on her entire body. It was bad.