This is a bit of a strange place to start a blog, but I thought, now's as good a time as any right? I was inspired to start this blog because of my recently diagnosed PUPPP which is an intolerable itchy rash that occurs in less than 1% of pregnant women, and 70% of those women are carrying boys...like me!
I'm 11 days overdue today, frustrating to say the least, but it is made even worse by this horrible itchiness that is only curable by birth. There is little research done into this horrible rash, and unfortunately, some people get it for months before their birth. I was lucky to have only got it at 41 weeks, so fingers crossed this baby comes soon and my itchiness will subside. My case is quite severe, and I was prescribed some steriod ointment, which didn't really help that much. It did clear up my stretchmarks - and by 'clear up' I mean, they aren't lumpy, sore, itchy & weeping anymore. Pleasant I know.
I went a little bit crazy over the first couple of days, but I really had to take a step back and realise that the stress was making it worse, and the state of mind certainly wouldn't aid my quest to go into labour. A combination of positive thinking and cold compresses have helped a lot. I do have the occasional scratch, but I made sure I cut my nails off so I didn't draw blood. I think that some people are driven so mad by this that after a certain point they have itched so much that their skin bleeds just by looking at it. It takes a lot of mental strength and self control not to itch, and maybe on some level that is why I've decided to start this blog.
So 11 days over due and I've tried everything to bring on this labour naturally;
* eating pinapple
* eating curry
* walking
* walking up & down stairs
* sex
* accupressure points
* spicy food
* nipple stimulation both with a breast pump & my hands
* housework
* visualisations
and
* 2 cervical sweeps
Yesterday about lunch time I went for my first round of accupuncture. The accupuncturist said that usually you go into labour about 8 hours after treatment, however if things don't progress fast enough, or at all, she advised me to come back in for a top up.
Last night at about 8:00pm I had a gush of water that got me to leap out of my chair. There was no puddle, and the amount of liquid was minimal compared to what I would expect from waters breaking, but I suppose we'll find out whether or not they broke, or if it was just my hind waters, or what happened when I go to the hospital today.
I have an appointment booked to be induced this afternoon, but if the midwife says its ok, I'm going to wait to see if the 2nd acupuncture works to bring on labour naturally.
Will post more when I know more, but for now, keep smiling.
xx Meagan
