Psoriasis and Pregnancy
Linzi is 27 weeks at the moment, and she has some top tips when it comes to psoriasis and pregnancy, how to stay comfortable, manage your skin, and focus on what should be a lovely time regardless of how your skin is reacting.
Planning for a family was always in our future, so I had spoken to my dermatologist about my hopes in the coming years. It was a big part of the treatment I had chosen previously.
Skincare During Pregnancy
You do have to be careful with specific treatments for psoriasis. Some of the systemic, all the medications can stay in your system for months after you've stopped them.
My option was coal tar, just something to keep in mind speaking to your medical professional about treatment options when you're trying to conceive and if you're lucky enough to fall pregnant.
A lot of women are lucky enough to see an improvement in their skin while they're pregnant. I'm one of the few who has to endure their psoriasis flaring while they're pregnant, so seemingly I'm one in the minority.
I've decided to go down the route of phototherapy, doing a course for maybe six to eight weeks, and seeing if I can improve my skin before the baby arrives.
Find Ways to Stay Stress-Free
It's an uncertain time, there's quite a lot of waiting, quite a lot of unknown in pregnancy, especially if it's your first time, so I've tried to utilize all the different things.
I do when I'm not pregnant, things like yoga, meditation, reading, baths, anything I can do just to make myself comfortable and as relaxed as possible, and just let my body continues to do what it should be doing and not let stress become a factor.
Hydration Is Important
Staying hydrated is a really obvious tip, but it's something that pregnant women, if you've been in this situation will know, you end up not drinking too much because then you have a lot of trips to the toilet.
So balancing out staying hydrated to alleviate symptoms, staying on top of your water is a perfect way to manage your psoriasis.
Moisturize Every Day
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I think that is probably one of the most important things because whether you have psoriasis or not, your skin is stretching.
Itchy skin is a symptom of pregnancy anyway, and especially in the warmer months, very sunny today. I've been keeping my moisturizer in the fridge just as an additional relief.
Use Sleep To Minimize Stress and Increase Energy Levels
Another one which is easier said than done when you're pregnant is getting enough sleep. Your new shape can be tough to deal with, and your medical professionals will tell you it's preferred if you sleep on your side.
So I have invested in a pregnancy pillow which has dramatically changed my sleep pattern. It has helped me to get a good night's sleep, and it makes sure that you are on your side and not rolling onto your front or back.
It's important to get enough sleep to help minimize your stress, and it will help make you feel better and will hopefully help keep your psoriasis at bay.
Psoriasis May Come Back or Worse After Birth
Lastly, what I've seen online and from the social media world, a lot of women have said that their psoriasis did tend to come back or get worse after the birth.
I think it's just about managing your expectations, maintaining contact and communication with your medical team. You have people to contact, you have treatment options that you are happy with, and you've put things in place that you know will keep you comfortable.
