Well it was going to happen at some point and my 32nd week of pregnancy was the week where I started using 2 pillows at night to sleep in a more upright position. I don’t want to give the impression that there are just 2 pillows on my side of the bed, I tend to have one or two around my body to stop me rolling over and support me, but this week was the week that heartburn caused me to need to be more upright. A definite pregnancy milestone.

Problems Sitting Down

There hasn’t been a lot going on this week; no appointments and no hospital visits, so that’s good. Baby spent a lot of the week being quite low so sitting down has been uncomfortable. Sitting normally felt like I was squashing the baby, leaning back gives me pain in my back around my tail bone and if I sit on the edge of a seat leaning forwards I have to have my legs further open than is good for PGP. I’m not quite sure how to be comfortable some days.

Mystery Rash

One morning I woke up with a rash all down my arms, on my neck and cleavage. I didn’t have any other strange symptoms so I didn’t worry too much, although it was a little itchy. I eventually decided it was probably due to my body lotion. I had used the body lotion throughout my pregnancy, but mostly just on my bump. The day before I had used the body lotion all over the top part of my body, my bump was still fine, but the rash was everywhere else I had applied the cream.

It’s strange how our bodies can become more sensitive when we are pregnant. My skin has become more sensitive to creams this pregnancy, when I was pregnant with my youngest I became temporarily allergic to peanuts. I have been fine with peanuts before and since, my youngest doesn’t have any signs of an allergy to peanuts, yet I developed a mild but definite allergy. I don’t say that lightly, it wasn’t a case of me going off peanuts, I would had reactions to airborne particles of peanut. 

I think the first time I noticed it was when my partner was drinking a cup of Peanut Hottie I had been sent. The drink didn’t appeal to me, but he is a peanut fan so he thought he would try it. Soon after adding the hot water my eyes felt a bit puffy. I ended up going out into the garden while he finished the drink and I felt much better. Having banned him from having peanuts in the house again I was ok until a few weeks later at work. I was sitting in my office with the door open and suddenly my eyes and throat started to feel itchy. The door to the office next to me was also open and when I went out to check I found my boss was eating a packet of peanuts. I think I managed to avoid them for the rest of my pregnancy, but I found the reaction strange and worrying. 

I’ve mentioned this a few times to people in person and online and I haven’t managed to find anyone else who has heard of people developing a temporary allergy while pregnant. Maybe I’m just odd?