6 Ways To Deal With Itchy Skin During Pregnancy

Itchy skin during pregnancy affects many women! We’ve compiled some great ways for you to deal with this problem.

Itchy skin can be annoying. According to BabyCenter, around 20% of pregnant women experience itchy skin, especially in the stomach. Unfortunately, it can be a cause for concern for some mums. Please read our guide to learn about the causes of itchy skin during pregnancy and some ways to deal with it!

What’s the cause of stomach itching? (Or itching in general!)

Itchy skin during pregnancy

Did you know that hormones are just one of the reasons why you might encounter itchy skin?

During pregnancy, estrogen will often cause your skin to become dry and sensitive. As a result, you might feel itching just about anywhere – including the stomach, legs, calves, palms and breasts.

Another big (no pun intended) culprit behind itchy skin comes from your enlarging abdomen. As your belly grows more prominent, your skin stretches and collagen can tear. This often causes your skin to start itching! Itching skin can be a sign that stretch marks are about to appear.

If you’re starting to get worried, don’t panic! We’ve prepared some simple remedies for itchy skin.

Six ways to deal with itchy skin during pregnancy

Pregnant woman scratching itchy skin.

1. Avoid using hot water

When you have itchy skin, using hot or warm water is a terrible idea. Hot water dries out your skin, which can worsen your problem.

Try bathing with water at room temperature! Another great way to relieve your itch is by applying cold compresses to your belly.

2. Reduce the use of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

This might be hard, as SLS is ubiquitous in all your soaps and shampoos! (Take a look at the ingredient list). In addition, SLS is an irritant which can cause your skin to become itchy.

A great natural alternative to SLS is sodium cocoyl glutamate. Additionally, it would be best to use a gentle soap with a soft texture during pregnancy.

3. Use a soft towel to dry your stomach

Every time you rinse or wash your stomach, make sure to dry it! Switching to a softer towel is a good idea if you’re suffering from itchy skin

It also helps to apply a safe moisturiser after a shower to prevent your skin from drying out.

4. Don’t scratch it!

We can’t emphasise this enough. It’s challenging, but you must try not to scratch your itchy skin. Scratching an itch will only worsen it because it will inflame your skin and cause more irritation.

Additionally, scratching itchy skin can cause stretch marks to worsen or appear much more quickly.

5. Wear loose and comfortable clothes

Your skin is a living thing – it needs to breathe too! Wear loose-fitting maternity clothes with a softer fabric so that there’s less friction against your skin. As a rule, you should always wear comfortable clothes (and footwear, but that’s for another article).

6. Find a great stretch mark cream to use regularly

It might sound counterintuitive, but you should start using stretch mark cream from early pregnancy. Itching can be an early symptom of stretch marks.

Pro tip: Stretch mark cream is most effective when you use it early.

It’s also a plus when your stretch mark cream functions as a moisturiser.

Find out about our triple-acting Mama’s Choice Stretch Mark cream here.

When do you need to be worried about itchy skin?

Pregnant woman worried about itchy skin

Firstly, remember that you shouldn’t overreact. Itching is a typical experience for pregnant mums, especially in the third trimester. But, in case you were wondering, itching does not affect your foetus!

However, there can be situations where it’s a good idea to seek medical help:

If your skin condition worsens despite proper care, and you encounter festering, rashes or peeling
If itching begins to spread rapidly to other areas of the body

Itchy skin can be a sign of stretch marks

If you’re encountering itchy skin on your belly, hips or thighs, it’s probably a sign that stretch marks are about to appear. So it’s time to start using a stretch mark cream!

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If you’re looking for a good stretch mark cream (especially one excellent at preventing stretch marks), try our Mama’s Choice Stretch Mark Cream.

We’ve specially developed a safe formula for pregnant and breastfeeding mums. That means we’ve taken special care to avoid harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates and alcohol.

Find out more about our stretch mark cream below!

We have a secret behind how our formula removes stretch marks: Lipobelle™ Soyaglycone!

Lipobelle™ Soyaglycone combines the best of nature and biochemical innovation. Derived from soy, Lipobelle™ Soyaglycone thickens your skin by up to 12% to reduce the risk of stretch marks appearing!

It also promotes collagen production, which helps repair your skin and fade any stretch marks that might appear.

Are you ready to discover the soothing and moisturising effect of Mama’s Choice Stretch Mark Cream? Click on the image below to head to our store. 🙂