LIfe's an itch.

I had a case of hives once in my late 20s. They were medically deemed as "urticaria." What I am feeling now, with baby in tow, is not the same thing at all. It is similar in that it is a deep, maddening itch from within, but there is no visible rash. It comes and goes. It is localized. It is hell on earth. Currently, it lies in wait behind my knees, like a spider. If it's anything like urticaria, it will move to various parts of my body, and always mirror said parts on both sides.

Steve, doting and caring, rubs lotion on me and tries to help. But because it's not a skin condition, nothing helps. I'm sure my incessant scratching wakes him and if it doesn't now, it surely will the more pregnant I become.

I've read that generalized itching of this nature (meaning all over your body), with or without a rash, and late in pregnancy is a sign of a very serious condition and could cause problems. I've also read that the itching in pregnancy could be caused from hormones, or from the liver's production of bile salts which seep into the blood and hang out in the lymph nodes. Neither sound pleasant. The phrase "bile salts" sounds like something that seeps from the mouth of a monster in a horror film.

But, don't worry (Helen!), I've also read itching is quite common during pregnancy, and rare (1%) that something could be wrong or risky. Plus, this is the nature of my skin - it itches. It's known to have hives. Pregnancy or not.

So, then, a few things will ease this itch and my mind:
1. Suck it up and try to ignore it
2. Slather on calamine lotion which has been stored in the fridge to keep it cold
3. Ditch the hot baths I love so much and trade them in for warm ones with oatmeal
4. Moisturize my skin in an obsessive fashion
5. Get blood tests to determine that my liver isn't in danger due to being pregnant (Lordy knows I've done enough to it since I've been old enough to drink).
and, importantly,
6. Have Baby Rowland. The itch will apparently go away upon his/her arrival.

So, come on, Baby Rowland! We have just one more reason out of millions that we can't wait for you to get here, and I have no doubt an itch will be well worth seeing your sweet face.