pregnancy and itchy skin

[Justine Greenwood]

Hello there,

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy!

Secondly, can I ask, are you itchy all over or just the bump? Is it only external itching? Are there any small lumps at all where you are itchy?

Itching during pregnancy is completely normal and is thought to be caused by a combination of hormones and the stretching of the skin. If the itching does become unbearable, please do let your midwife or GP know as they will be able to support you medications. Also if your itching becomes internal or you notice small bumps or a rash forming, you may need different treatment, so please mention this to your midwife.

You can try these things at home to help your itching:
1. Do not use any cleansing products which are strongly fragranced or contain strong detergents. These irritate your already sensitive skin.

2. Moisturise your skin frequently with an unperfumed product. Calamine lotion may be of use for those itchier patches. If you wanted to use calamine lotion, I would always suggest choosing a cream which has calamine lotion added in. Using calamine lotion on its own can leave a thin film of powder on the skin, which in itself can cause itching.

3. Wear loose clothing to stop yourself from getting too hot. If you are out and about in the lovely sunny weather, try to stay in the shade as much as possible.

I hope this helps,

Justine