Matt
PUPPP, as Amy said. It stands for Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy. Also, as Amy said, nothing short of having the baby will totally get rid of it (and, in my case, seven weeks after the baby was born, a 10-day prescription for prednisone was needed).
Things that can help: -cold, or hot, applications, depending on what relieves it. For me, nothing hot could touch my rash. I used cold wet cloths to relieve it somewhat. -Sarna P lotion; this has worked excellently for me. -I found Aveeno baths did nothing for me, but making a paste from the Aveeno powder and smearing that directly on the rash helped a bit. -antihistamines, like Benedryl, if your doctor okays it. -prescription topical steroids (hydrocortisone and the like) - didn't help me, but apparently can make a difference. -homeopathic sulfur, which mkp's Rebecca Jo's midwife recommended for her (again, don't take my word for this, talk to your care provider about it before taking anything) -not scratching or rubbing (ha! ha!) -wearing loose or no clothing
Here's a great resource for treatment ideas-support:
The good news is, it's almost totally guaranteed to clear up almost instantly after the baby is born. The other good news is, it's very unlikely to recur in subsequent pregnancies, and if it does recur, it's generally milder (this was the case with me - the second time around it was much milder, and disappeared on its own after I gave birth). And, I don't know if this will apply to you, but apparently something like 70% of PUPPP cases are with male babies! Both mine were boys.
Don't feel wimpy if the rash is getting you down. It can be horrible. Once mine cleared up after ds#1 was born, I would have nightmares that it had come back and would wake up panicking and scratching.
Good luck, Melania
