u/Aria_aac

Weeks 1–8 are HARD AF…Especially if you’re an overachiever...
We’re used to solving problems by working harder, sleeping less, researching more, and finding the perfect routine. But motherhood doesn’t work like that.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you can’t control a newborn.
Your baby will cry. They’ll have gas, reflux, cluster feeding, and unpredictable days. Feeding every 2–3 hours isn’t a robot schedule. That’s the maximum. They might want to eat again in 15 minutes… or 45… or 90. That’s normal.Think about when you have to go to the bathroom. Most days it’s somewhat predictable. But sometimes, out of nowhere, you suddenly have to go. Babies are the same. Hunger doesn’t always follow a perfect schedule.

The moment things got better for me wasn’t because my baby changed. It was because I did.
I stopped trying to fix every cry and accepted that my baby is the boss.
One day you’ll think you figured it out, and the next day everything changes. That’s newborn life.
And please… ask for help.
IT IS OK TO ASK FOR HELP.
Being sleep deprived doesn’t make you a better mom. Rest makes you a better mom. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re failing.
I’m writing this as a first-time mom of an 8-week-old. There is still hard days, but there is also light at the end of the tunnel.
If you’re worrying this much, I already know you’re an amazing mom. ❤️

Weeks 1–8 are HARD AF…Especially if you’re an overachiever...
We’re used to solving problems by working harder, sleeping less, researching more, and finding the perfect routine. But motherhood doesn’t work like that.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you can’t control a newborn.
Your baby will cry. They’ll have gas, reflux, cluster feeding, and unpredictable days. Feeding every 2–3 hours isn’t a robot schedule. That’s the maximum. They might want to eat again in 15 minutes… or 45… or 90. That’s normal.Think about when you have to go to the bathroom. Most days it’s somewhat predictable. But sometimes, out of nowhere, you suddenly have to go. Babies are the same. Hunger doesn’t always follow a perfect schedule.

The moment things got better for me wasn’t because my baby changed. It was because I did.
I stopped trying to fix every cry and accepted that my baby is the boss.
One day you’ll think you figured it out, and the next day everything changes. That’s newborn life.
And please… ask for help.
IT IS OK TO ASK FOR HELP.
Being sleep deprived doesn’t make you a better mom. Rest makes you a better mom. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re failing.
I’m writing this as a first-time mom of an 8-week-old. There is still hard days, but there is also light at the end of the tunnel.
If you’re worrying this much, I already know you’re an amazing mom. ❤️

I wanted to share my experience because when I was desperately searching Reddit for help, I felt like nobody really described how awful severe PUPPP can be and there is not much that doctors or research can do to bring some relieve to this condition.
My PUPPP started around week 35. Looking back, the very first sign was a strange needle-like sensation on my belly while taking a hot shower. Shortly after, I went to a pool exercise class and developed a rash on my forearms and inner thighs. At first I thought I had picked up some sort of bacteria from the pool, so I stopped going.
Within 3 to 4 days it exploded.
The rash spread across both forearms, both thighs, my legs, hands, back, butt, boobs and eventually almost everywhere. Ironically, my belly was one of the only places I wasn’t constantly scratching- but i could see the bumps on my stretch marks.
By week 36, it became the worst symptom of my entire pregnancy.
I wasn’t sleeping. I couldn’t sit still. Nights were torture. During the day I could sometimes distract myself, but the moment evening came and my body got warm, the itching became unbearable.
I called my doctor a few days after it started and was prescribed a topical steroid cream.
It did absolutely nothing.
By week 36 things had become so severe that my OB prescribed a short course of oral steroids because I was scheduled for a C-section at 37 weeks.
The oral steroids were the first thing that actually helped.
Things I tried:
Did not help me
Expensive oils
Fragrance-free creams
Moisturizers
Topical steroid cream (personally did nothing for me)
Helped a little
Cooling sheets
Cooling pillow
Keeping the room cold
Helped the most
Oral steroids
Pure natural aloe vera
Cold showers
The aloe vera became my best friend. It was the only topical thing that consistently calmed the itching. Even now, 4 weeks postpartum, I still reach for it whenever I have a flare-up.
Cold showers also provided relief. Not a cure, but enough relief to get through a few hours.
Another thing that helped was pine tar soap. It smells like a tire factory and is not glamorous, but it seemed to reduce the itching for a few hours at a time.
One thing I wish someone had warned me about is that treatment isn’t always straightforward.
The oral steroids helped the PUPPP, but because I had a C-section shortly afterward, I sometimes wonder whether they affected my healing. About a week postpartum my incision looked like it might be getting infected and I ended up needing antibiotics. The antibiotics seemed to make my itching worse again.
The hardest part wasn’t actually the rash.
The hardest part was timing.
I was supposed to be welcoming my baby.
Instead, I was recovering from major surgery, dealing with severe itching, struggling with breastfeeding, waiting for my milk to come in, and feeling physically and emotionally exhausted.
I cried a lot.
I felt guilty because those first days with my baby were supposed to be magical, and instead I felt like I was fighting my own body.
Most articles say PUPPP disappears within 1 to 2 weeks after delivery.
I’m currently 4 weeks postpartum and I’m still not completely free of it.
I still get flare-ups on my arms. If I accidentally scratch an area, bumps sometimes reappear. I still have some spots on my back and butt. The arms remain the most annoying.
If you’re reading this while pregnant and miserable, here’s what I want you to know:
You’re not crazy.
You’re not weak.
Severe PUPPP can be mentally exhausting.
Heat made mine dramatically worse.
Cooling anything helped.
Aloe vera was my lifesaver.
Advocate for yourself if what you’re prescribed isn’t working.
It does get better, even if it feels endless.
I would not wish severe PUPPP on my worst enemy.
It’s a living hell.
But if you’re reading this at 3 AM scratching your skin raw, know that you’re not alone.
I’ll continue to update this post once I’m finally completely symptom free.