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Itchy skin

Has anyone else experienced this? Before I got pregnant my skin was ok, slightly sensitive at times but at the minute (and when pregnant with Bronwyn) my legs and hips are very itchy and covered in dry skin! It gets so bad that i draw blood scratching in my sleep!!! Nothing I do seems to be helping. I have tried aquaeous cream, rich L'occitane moisturiser, shower oil.

Any advice would be great!!! Thanks

Replies

  • Aloe gel,have you given that a try.
    Itchy skin is a sign of liver problems but like abbie says i not sure when its most affected in pregnancy.
    Ask your midwife or GP as they should be able to help.

    Oh i use body shops cocoa butter body butter everyday and more so when i get dry skin and it realy does help as its for extreamly dry skin,i have used it with riley and it did help to.
  • I mentioned it to the midwife last time!! She said that it was due to hormone changes! The skin on my elbows and lower arms is like sand paper!! Its really sore at time and is driving me nuts!

    I forgot to mention that its not my washing powder as i use ecoballs.
  • Got a huge tub, tried it and its not working!!!!
  • I had really itchy skin when pregnant with Hollie, but only in my legs and worse in the night when i was relaxed. I found that the only thing to help ease it was to apply a wet flannel to it when i felt the need to itch. No good for when you are sleeping but the cold flannel helped when i was sat watching tv in the evenings.
    My legs have started itching again but i think it is the warm weather returning. xx
  • Yes i was going to mention a cold wet flannel, my eczema was awful when i was pregnant and used to rub some germoline on my elbows to try and stop the itch. It did work some of the time, Maybe put some oilatum in the bath or baby oil as skin itches more when its dry so try and get all oiled up. Also don't get too warm in bed as that makes it worse too. Hope some of this will help a bit x x
  • I was itchy through the later stages of both pregnancies. Its an iron deficiency, i have had it recently and its the same thing. Your body is using all its iron resources making a baby or two, and this is how it shows you they are nearly all gone. When I first presented i was treat for scabies!!! ferrus sulphate made it all go away.

    You can get iron supliment from health food shops, but speak to Midwife or doctor first as too much can be harmfull while preggers, as you're not to eat liver because of the iron and vit a content.
  • Thanks for the suggestion, I am taking pregnacare and eating dried apricots and seeds!! I don't think its a deficiency, its more that my skin is as dry as the Sahara!!!
  • try coco buter its really good and store it in the fridge
    hope this is of some help
    jade xxx
  • Hi Caroline, not sure what to suggest as I've found copious amounts of aqueous cream is the best thing to use. Avoid baths as they are very drying for the skin the body shop cocoa butter i've heard is v.good as Emma has suggested.
  • Hi there - sounds like you've had lots of good advice - would recommend Mama Mio's stretchmark oil though - it's really rich. Pricey but worth it I thought.
    Agree with the other advice though too about checking it out with your midwife - it's probably nothing serious but never hurts to check I reckon.
    Good luck and hope it stops soon!
    x
  • Thanks Ladies.
    I have stopped having a bath with Bronwyn every night. I might treat myself to some nice body cream at the weekend. I just need to remember to apply it constantly!!

    Thanks Sarah, I will have a look online for that oil as I doubt I will be able to find it in deepest darkest Lincolnshire!!!!
  • Have you tried applying baby oil to wet skin and then patting yourself dry. I've got quite sensitive skin and i've been doing this for a couple of weeks now and it seems (touch wood) to be making a difference.
  • My skin has reacted to baby oil products in the past!!! So as you can understand I am pretty cautious of using them. I did manage to use that baby oil gel at one point so I might try that again!! I have an absolute nightmare with skin products!!!
  • and bio oil is good. Its about £8/9 for a smallish bottle but does really moisturise well, its for stretchmarks/blemishes etc but v.good
  • i had the same problem early on in my pregnancy, my hands and elbows were always bleeding because of it. in the end my gp gave me the losest dose of steroid cream and told me to apply a tiny amount once a day for a week and mine cleared up and didn't return! hope that helps x
  • I have got bio oil!!!! I used it at the end of my last pregnancy when my bump was really tight. I love massaging it in last thing at night and bronwyn loved it too and would follow my hands!!
  • I also found The Body Shop's Shea butter was very good.
    I'm hoping that now my skin's not so dry and sensitive i might be able to take Cameron swimming again, fingers crossed!

    Hope you find something soon xx
  • kirsty my hands are like that now. I use neutrogena but as im constantly washing my hands either chaning nappies, getting them food, bottles etc (im a bit obssessive about it!) They are really sore. on a seperate theme tates thumb is really sore and cracked as well where he sucks it. He only ever sucks it when he's in bed poor thing!
  • i also am suffering with the itchyness

    i have really sensitive skin and i always use body shop butters

    coconut is a great one
    i also use cocoa, and shea butter and aloe vera balm depending on where i put it!
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