Eczema During Pregnancy – Will It Go Away After The Baby Is Born?
As you probably know, during pregnancy your hormones go a bit haywire and some women develop different symptoms or conditions that they otherwise normally wouldn’t have, so what happens if you develop eczema during pregnancy – will you have it forever after, or will it go away after the baby is born?
The good news is that in most cases it isn’t true eczema, but rather just really dry itchy skin. It often develops around the 2nd trimester and can continue up until a few months after the baby has been born.
Itchy skin during pregnancy is actually quite common
With all those extra hormones and growing/stretching skin it’s no wonder it’s dry and itchy!
The best way to deal with it is to get a really good moisturising cream without synthetic fragrances or dyes that is safe for you (and your baby) and use it as often as you want to feel comfortable.
Also make sure you wear clothing that isn’t too restrictive or tight as the fabric can rub against your skin making matters worse. Free flowing clothes, especially breathable fabrics like cotton are best.
It should go away a few weeks after the baby is born once your hormones settle back down to normal.
What if you already have eczema, does it get better or worse during pregnancy?
If you already have eczema then one of two things can happen – it can either get better or worse. Yes I know that sounds vague (and it is), but there is no way of predicting which one you’ll be.
Some women find that it’s better, other’s report it stays the same and a few say it get’s worse. It’s completely random and varies from woman to woman.
It can also vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. One time you might find it clears up and you have perfect glowing skin and the next pregnancy you’ll get even itchier.
Unfortunately this one is just the luck of the draw (and your hormones).
If you do get eczema does that mean the baby will have it too?
Luckily no. There is no correlation between whether you get eczema during pregnancy and whether your baby will have eczema as well.
While eczema can be genetic and occurs more frequently in families where allergies (hay fever, asthma, eczema) are common if you do get eczema during your pregnancy and didn’t have it before then it’s unlikely that your child will develop any symptoms.
