For itching: wet a washcloth with hot water from the tap that is as hot as you can stand it without burning your skin. Apply to the itchy spot and keep it there until the washcloth cools. Reapply as needed. Don’t try to microwave it, you’ll get it too hot. 
You sure it’s mosquitoes and not bed bugs? Bed bugs bites itch and swell like hives
I can hardly believe I’m suggesting this, because I would never have thought it would work…but when I last had a bout with sciatica (not pregnant at the time) I went to the drugstore and bought what I thought was one of those stick-on heating pads. When I got home and opened it, though, it turned out to be a “pain reliever” patch or something. I was desperate, so I tried it–basically I’d say it was like a Ben Gay patch…it felt cool and smelled somewhat medicinal and I thought it would prove useless.
You know…it helped. In fact, it helped more than the heating patches that I used at other times. I suggested it to a friend when she was pregnant, and she found it helpful too. The patches are not too expensive, so it might be worth a try.
Hope you find some relief. Sciatica is miserable.
Best,
karol
I have been pregnant but never had sciatica.
Preventing teh musky-toes: Bite Blocker brand repellent has no DEET but has been proven to work. It doesn’t work as well or as long as DEET (need to reapply every hour or two), but demonstrably better than placebo. Active ingredient: soybean oil. It does not stink, as I think most of the eucalyptus- or lemongrass-based non-DEET choices do, and it works better than them anyway.
Ask your doctor, but it might be OK to use DEET on your outerwear rather than on your skin – have someone else apply it on stuff outside for you first. I believe the main vectors for DEET is through skin absorption and breathing in overspray. IANAD though so go ask.
Easing the bites: Things I have tried that work a little, maybe just for the distraction value, but who cares why, really, if it helps: Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer powder (sold in the Spices aisle in US supermarkets, usually near the seasoned salts) paste (I think it’s better than baking soda paste, though maybe only a little better), After-Bite type ammonia daubers, a spray my allergist gave me for after getting desensitizing shots – maybe called Itch-X?, and a little battery-operated heat zapper thingy (not this one but similar and cheaper). Also, slapping the hell out of the damn bite – seems to partially satisfy the itchy nerves without making you bleed. One of those cheapo slap bracelets is a great tool for this technique, I kid you not.
I’ve never been pregnant but if you’re sensitive enough to mosquitos, the bites do swell up hugely. Quarter to half dollar size is pretty typical for me less than an hour after bitten. The previously mentioned baking soda paste helps a little.
Last I checked there were no human studies of the safety of DEET in the first trimester. There was one study that found no adverse outcomes for the first year of the baby’s life after use in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. It is known to be absorbed through skin, and cross the placenta. And it is not recommended for use in newborns.
It is likely safe, but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Yeah, I’m sure. I’ve always had mosquito allergies like this so I’m familiar with the welts and we check the mattress and other furniture for bed bugs every month or so and haven’t seen anything. Living in NYC we are very careful about bed bugs!
They sell little clip-on bug repellents now, that look sort of like an air freshener attached to your belt. I have heard that they are very effective, and they seem like there would be less risk of it being absorbed and getting to the baby in that form.
IHNBP either, but like you and to poster quoted, I’m very sensitive to mosquito bites, and usually end up on antibiotics at least once a year because a reaction to one goes too far. I have tried every remedy I could find in the stores and on the web and nothing helps except for two things:
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Really hot water as has been suggested before, but the relief is temporary at best (usually enough to get me to sleep).
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Ice packs. I’ve been known to have to sleep with an ice pack or three draped over my legs (strangely, I almost never get bit on my arms, only my legs), but it works.
Never been pregnant, never had sciatica but I get eaten alive in the summer. My lovely father passed down his genes of a ridiculously high body temperature at all times so the suckers come straight for me.
Ice cubes and toothpaste are best.
Also, these inexpensive compression socks (cheap on Amazon & at drugstores, $3 coupon included!) if you can’t put your feet up at work during the day will definitely help you from feeling tired/sluggish. I use them all the time and they’re a real game changer.
I went to Cambodia at 8-10 weeks pregnant and didn’t want to risk DEET on my skin or taking anti-malarials. I got by very comfortably by using stick on patches on my clothes, using an insect repellent clothing treatment and a mosquito net - everything was available at a camping supply store and I don’t recall I got bitten once, even though we were wandering around the jungle at Siem Reep including at dawn and dusk. Prevention may be easier than a cure.
Sciatica: it might just be the baby’s position, but it can also be musculoskeletal issues caused by having a heavy belly sticking out in front, right at a time when your ligaments are all softened from hormones. If you are at the point that you can’t perform self-care such as dressing, I really think you should go see a physical therapist. There are ones who specialize in pregnant women, even. Mine had a table with a big hole for your belly, so you could lie flat while she worked on you.
So anyway, what can happen is the joint gets unstable, then the surrounding muscles try to compensate, but it’s not their proper job, so they get stressed and spastic and unhappy. Then they can actually pull the joint further out of alignment. If you go to someone with a good knowledge of this stuff, they would be able to identify that and do soft tissue work to help release the muscles, as well as giving you stretches and exercises to help the situation. An OB or massage therapist probably won’t have the same expertise.
I know it blows - I had a pre-existing injury to my SI on one side, and I was actually unable to walk or move for several hours after giving birth because I wrenched it so bad during labor (after a long pregnancy of pain and issues with it). But with help it got better! I still need to do my stretches and Pilates, and get medical massage periodically to keep it in line, but if I do, I’m fine.
I didn’t know there was such a thing, or the clip on things mentioned by ENugent. I will look into these!
I will look into this as well. Since I got the belly band it has gotten much better (I dressed myself this morning without assistance) and hopefully after a couple more days it will be to the point where I won’t even need the band any longer. If it doesn’t continue to improve though I will look into physical therapy.
I am 39 weeks pregnant and have made it this far with very little sciatica or pelvic pain which honestly shocks me since I have hyper-mobility in most or all of my joints and I’ll injure myself if you look at me funny.
I credit my lack of pain to wearing good shoes, I wear MBTs 99% of the time or good flat sandals. When I was 20 weeks or so I wore shoes with about a 1 inch heel for one evening where I had to walk maybe 3/4 of a mile and when I got home I had such bad pain I could hardly walk.
I wouldn’t go out and buy a pair of MBTs if you don’t have some already, they are actually not recommended for pregnant woman since it is likely you could trip and fall while getting used to them, but I would recommend wearing good supportive flat shoes.
I would also recommend that if you find a way to exercise painlessly that you exercise as much as you possibly can, particularly walking. It will help build up muscles slowly to deal with the excess weight and the changing center of gravity.
As far as mosquito bites go I have no good advice except to find someone who is more attractive to the little buggers and hang around them
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
I was having really bad back pain starting at about 14 weeks or so. My doctor was less than helpful, and really just said take Tylenol and suck it up. So a friend of mine who is a doula recommended a chiropractor that specializes in pregnant women. A week later I was pain free and I have been going once a week since then. I am 28 weeks along now and feeling great.