36 Weeks / PUPPP

I don't have a chalkboard drawing for this week's update because...let's be honest...I'm getting tired. Hahaha! It probably has a lot to do with my itchy belly. As mentioned in my previous post, I've developed this HORRIBLE rash on my stomach, and the itching has been so intense that I've been unable to sleep well at night (not that I've been sleeping well anyway). And no, I do not have cholestasis - thank God! What I DO have is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) - that's just a bunch of fancy medical terms that translate to: super duper itchy tummy skin for future mommies. 

I guess you can consider this my 36-week belly bump photo. You can see the stretch marks, but they don't look so irritated in this picture...but they are DEFINITELY irritated right now!!!

Some women have come up to me and said, "Oh, that's just your skin stretching. It's normal." Ha. Ha. Ha. NO. My stomach looks and feels as if I have hives all over it, more specifically, on my stretch marks - they are red, raised, and have teeny bumps. It's absolutely awful, and there is nothing to relieve the itching. And people have this misconception that my skin is "just dry" and that I "simply need to apply moisturizer", but that's not the case. During this entire pregnancy, I have been applying cocoa butter balm and vitamin E oil to my stomach several times a day (to prevent stretch marks), and this condition appeared out of nowhere within the past couple of weeks...so this is definitely not due to dry skin.

So...nothing has worked to relieve the ITCHING (Aveeno Eczema Therapy Cream, oatmeal bath, cocoa butter, lotion, vaseline, any type of oil, hydrocortisone cream, Benadryl, Atarax, etc.)...if there is anyone out there that has some magical topical ointment/cream to get rid of the itching, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! And yes, I've tried ice packs...but that only provides temporary relief...and I can't sleep with an icepack attached to my stomach all night.

*Sigh* But it will be all worth it. In less than 4 weeks (oh PLEASE, dear God, let this baby arrive on or before his due date), this baby will be here, and all of this discomfort will all be worth it. Here's the weekly survey:

How far along?: 36 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +21 lbs
Sleep: What. Is. Sleep?
Best moment this week: Finding a stroller/car seat combo at my door step today - special delivery from my Auntie Gaye. Thank you! We love it!
Movement: Always! He gets hiccups a lot too.
Symptoms: Itchy tummy and an achy back...my back hasn't been a problem ever since I stopped working on the floor, but for the past couple of days, I've noticed this dull pain in my lower back. Also, pubic pain...guess my body is getting ready to push this baby out.
Symptoms I DON'T have: Nausea, sciatica, weird cravings (I just noticed that I haven't had a single weird craving this pregnancy).
Food cravings: This week, I've been eating a lot of salad (specifically Southwest-style salads), Chobani yogurt (Double Chocolate Chunk), cereal, chocolate milk, and *gasp* CHICKEN SANDWICHES!

Food aversions: Guacamole.
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: So I was reading up on what labor signs to look out for, and I'm pretty much experiencing all of the pre-labor ones. Scary!
Belly Button in or out?: It's really just flat, and I don't think it's going to poke out.
What I miss: Sleep. Just sleep.
What I am looking forward to: MATERNITY LEAVE...whenever THAT is.
Weekly Wisdom: If you have Kaiser, call member services because you may be eligible for a free breast pump once the baby is due!
Milestones: Hit the 8-month mark - 1 more month to go!