Ten Strange Pregnancy Symptoms
Itchy skin during pregnancy
As your baby grows, your skin has to do some serious stretching – hence the itchy areas on your tummy, hips and thighs. The urge to scratch is usually at its worst in the third trimester, which is when itchy red bumps might also appear just about anywhere on your body. This condition has a long name (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, or PUPPP), but is harmless to you and your baby and doesn’t last past pregnancy.
Solution
Use emollient products that are soothing to the skin, such as shea butter, Hayes says. “And don’t forget good ol’ oatmeal,” she adds. “Pour a cup of oatmeal into a J-cloth, tie it up and toss it in the bath to instantly ease itchiness.” It also helps to avoid hot baths and showers, which can dry skin out and aggravate itching. If your scratchy skin is keeping you up at night, or if you do develop a rash, talk to your doctor, who may prescribe a topical ointment or antihistamine.
