itchy skin

Hi there all mums to be i probably sound mad but i am nearly 23 weeks pregnant and over the last few days have developed the most intense itchiness around my abdomen boobs back and even my bum cheeks also on my wrists !!!! Is this normal i scratch and get the greatest relief but the itch just spreads elsewhere. I have also noticed when i scratch small bumps appear on my skin like a rash especiall on my wrists and i have read on the net that this can be a sign of something wrong with your liver which can affect the baby. I know i sound neurotic but just looking for some reassurance is this normal? is anyone else having these symptoms? i don't want to phone my midwife just yet incase she thinks i am off my head!!! Help!

HI Denise
Your body does all kinds of weird things when you're pregnant and this is probably just the body's way of counterbalancing some other need.
My tummy got really itchy as it grew and I got those little skintags you can sometimes get during pregnancy.
When is your next midwife check-up due? By now presumably you're having monthly ones?
If it's not for a couple of weeks, try a few days of moisturising your skin (try something simple like E45 cream or a good, organic cream from a special maternity range like deadseasource or Zita West), and try to make sure you're drinking lots of water so you're not dehydrated.
Some pregnant women get a bit chesty in dry weather or their nose gets blocked, and it could be that your skin is reacting to a respiratory discomfort. Nothing longterm serious, just a pregnancy reaction to hayfever etc. Some women get things like that even though they don't usually suffer with hayfever, or have never had asthma before.
If you are still feeling bad into next week, maybe call your midwife and mention your concern about liver performance. I'm sure you are going to be fine, but there are lots of simple blood tests that can be done during pregnancy, just to make sure you're on the right track.
Laura (editor) x

Thanks so much Laura for your advice. I have been using palmers stretch mark cream and bio oil to help prevent stretch marks. i called my midwife yesterday and she advised me to see my g.p due to the rash and it turns out i have prickly heat!!! Got some cream and tabs which hopefully should help. So feeling much more relaxed all round that my liver isn't packing up!
thanks again. x

Hi Denise,

Thought I'd write to share my itching experience! I am 34 weeks now but around 20 weeks I suffered the same and can honestly say that through my whole pregnancy those were the worst days all thanks to the itching. I can't explain just how miserable the itching made me, it was completely unbearable. I had blood tests to make sure my liver was functioning properly. I had steroid cream from the doc and tried E45 itch relief cream, calamile lotion, woke up several times in the night to apply all these potions and the only thing that ended up working for me where low dose anti-histemines prescribed as a last resort from the doctor.

Within a couple of days of taking these it was like nothing was ever wrong and only wish I'd got them far earlier.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and wish you lot of luck for the future.

Emily x

hey ya,
just a msg to say im 21 weeks preg and have started to notice i have really bad dry skin along my bum cheeks and back. its really nothing to worry about as its due to alot of hormonal changes! but if you still feel really unsure give your doc or midwife a call for peace of mind. x