21 answers

Postpartum Rash

I had a c-section just over a week ago and am now breaking out in a raised, red, itchy rash on my body. The same thing happened with my last delivery 2 years ago (also a c-section) and I thought it was an allergy to penicillin so I avoided that this time around, but I guess that wasn't the problem. Does anyone have experience with this? Recommendations for over-the-counter or natural treatments that are safe with breast feeding?

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So What Happened?™

Thank you for all the responses! I had no idea what a common issue this is. When I had my full-body rash two years ago after my first delivery it would have been really comforting to know how many women had the same thing. Instead I felt very alone and the doctors were not very reassuring. I wish I had mamasource then!

Anyway, my recent rash actually cleared up within a week and stayed contained to the area where they had taped me up so I'm pretty sure it's an adhesive allergy.

Thank you for all the information and advice!

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I had the same thing after I gave birth in October. Has it been spreading and is it the most intense itching you've ever felt? I couldnt take it and nothing the doctors in the hospital gave me helped. I went to the dermatologist and he told me it was something called "pup". I had to take steroids and use steroid cream to get rid of it. Thankfully they said that the medications were fine for breastfeeding and after a few days, it went away. Please let me know if I can help you in any other way. I know how you feel-it was so awful, I thought I was going to rip my skin off.

1 mom found this helpful

Congrats on you little boy!
I did not have a c-section but I did have the rash after I came home from the hospital. The doctor gave me tylenol with codene. I found out the hard way that I am allergic to codene. He told me to stop the pills and take Benedryl. It cleared up right away. Hope this helps and you get better soon.

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I had the same thing after I gave birth in October. Has it been spreading and is it the most intense itching you've ever felt? I couldnt take it and nothing the doctors in the hospital gave me helped. I went to the dermatologist and he told me it was something called "pup". I had to take steroids and use steroid cream to get rid of it. Thankfully they said that the medications were fine for breastfeeding and after a few days, it went away. Please let me know if I can help you in any other way. I know how you feel-it was so awful, I thought I was going to rip my skin off.

1 mom found this helpful

I had a similar reaction after having all three of my kids. My OB said he thought it was a reaction to the anestesia used in the epidural. I never breast fed, so I am not sure what meds are safe, but my OB told me to use either Benedry,Claritin or Zyrtec. Any antihistamine would help if it is an allergic reaction. Good Luck and congrats!!!

Honestly, it sounds like a reaction to the Anesthesia

because if the same thing happened and you obviously did not take penicillin, its has to be something else,

It could also be the staples,

NEXT time try using Glue.

if you did use glue it could be the glue, and a latex allergy

OR a stool softner.

Good luck and feel better, and CONGRATS!!!!

M

Congrats on you little boy!
I did not have a c-section but I did have the rash after I came home from the hospital. The doctor gave me tylenol with codene. I found out the hard way that I am allergic to codene. He told me to stop the pills and take Benedryl. It cleared up right away. Hope this helps and you get better soon.

I had the same thing happen about a week after my c-section. I went to my doctor and a dermatologist and they told me it was pupps. Something that women usually get right before they deliver, but for some reason I got it after. They gave me all sorts of cream, but the only thing that really seemed to work was Claritin (the over the counter allergy medication). I feel your pain, it was awful. I felt like I wanted to rip my skin off. Hope it goes away soon.

During my second pregancy (baby girl) i developed a rash that i thought was poison ivy but since it lasted so long i went to a dermatologist who diagnosed me with P.U.P.P.S. you can start by asking your dermatologist or OB/GYN about this. i know there are various rashes like this. the only thing that made it better was ice packs all over my legs, etc. heat made it itch more. i was itchy all over but you could only see the rash on certain parts of my body. i had it for the last two months of my pregnancy and then about 2 months after. i took prednisone with the hope that it would speed up the recovery but it probably would have taken just as long and i missed out on breast feeding my baby because i opted for meds. the dr. said it would go away on it's own at some point. i think it was triggered by stress too.
Here is a link I found from Google...
Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy - PUPPPPruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP), also known as polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, is the most common rash in pregnant women.
dermatology.about.com/cs/pregnancy/a/puppp.htm - 24k - Cached - Similar pages

I hope i helped a little. Good luck and i hope you feel better soon!

Maybe a reaction to the medication given for the C as my daughter had that for her C but I would ask my ob/gyn to be sure and not treat myself especially if breast feeding.

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