One thing has been driving me crazy this past month. My neck and upper chest area has been terribly itchy. I told my midwife about it at the last appointment, and she looked at me sympathetically. I explained that it was only there, not on my belly or my legs, which is where I've heard that itchiness usually starts in pregnant women.
I did sit out in the sun one day in early May, at high noon, and I know I got a bit burnt. Then I started using an Aveda sunscreen on this area every morning. Later, I looked at the ingredients and noticed the cream contains echinacea, which I'm supposed to avoid because I have hayfever. So many things to think about! So I stopped using that immediately and went back to my Neutrogena moisturizer with SPF 15.
And I was still itchy.
I explained that it's worst in the middle of the night, when I get sweaty from the warmer weather. When I scratch, I just itch more, so it's best to avoid that. She asked me if I could think of anything else new that I've introduced in the last few months, explaining that our skin can be more sensitive when pregnant. I could think of lots of things: We're trying a new detergent (All Free & Clear, which should be non-irritating), and I think we've got a new brand of dryer sheets. I often try out different kinds of bar soaps in the shower, so there's always something new there. I had started using Waterbabies sunscreen (SPF 45) when I was outside, and that actually seemed to soothe the itch a bit. I even thought about new foods I might be eating. I decided to stop having any kinds of nuts, just in case.
My midwife said I could try some over-the-counter cortizone cream if I was comfortable with that, but I really want to avoid using any kind of steroids, even in very small doses. She said she could refer me to the dermatologist, but warned that it could be difficult to pinpoint the problem. I told her I'd try a few more things, and that I wasn't feeling like I was at the level of needing emergency help. Yet.
A friend of mine, who is pregnant and due two months ahead of me, said her calves were quite itchy for a month or two near the start of the second trimester. She said it was so bad that even taking a bath made her itch more, and scratching didn't help. When she noticed that she'd drawn some blood during a particularly fierce scratching session, she decided to ask her husband to hold her hands to avoid scratching when it was at its worst. The good news? The itchiness just went away, miraculously, on its own. I am crossing my fingers, hoping the same will happen to me.
Finally, one night when I had no hope, I got on the internet. I found all kinds of stories from women who were experiencing itchy skin in pregnancy. I read about PUPPS, a skin condition that women sometimes develop in the third trimester, and that goes away again after the baby is born. I scoured through all kinds of suggestions, and the things that sounded best to me were the most non-invasive ideas, including the following:
~ Use a plain soap.
~ Don't soak for too long in the tub to avoid drying out your skin.
~ Use a cold pack wrapped in a towel to sort of numb the itchy feeling.
~ Try to keep your mind busy with other things, so that you "forget" about the itchy feeling.
~ Don't scratch!
I did find some products that were recommended, but none of them seemed to be a sure solution. I worry about clogging up my pores and irritating my skin more.
Then I looked at some PUPPS photos.
Well, I don't have that. Oh my. Oh no. I'm definitely not that bad off. Those poor women! The photos showed wide, angry streaks on abdomens and thighs, painfully purple-red. Nope, I have nothing that looks like that. (I think my thankfulness has cut the itching down by at least 50%.)
Now I have my quick shower each morning with plain clear glycerin soap. And I play "mind over matter." We'll see if it works.
