SUNBURN! OUCH

[ks3029]

i am 28 weeks with twins, and yesterday i was at a water park where my feet, parts of my legs, my stomach at the top, my face, my chest, shoulders and upper back all got burned. i put on some sunscreen, but i guess it wore off..  =[ it didn't bother me that much last night, aside from my feet which got completely swollen. even my legs got swollen. i have been laying in bed with them propped on a pillow basically all day and the swelling is going down very slowly..  but my feet still look pretty bad.. i think the sunburn is affecting them.. and today suddenly my back, chest, and shoulders are extremely irritated... i don't know what to do.. they hurt so bad! but it's mostly only if i have to move.. but still very irritating. i tried vinegar and milk... both relieved the burning for a very short time, but not good enough. i showered in lukewarm water this morning which helped a lot i think, that is what made the burning stop the longest.. but i don't feel like taking showers or baths all day.... does anyone know of anything else that helps??? i read mayo but that sounds so gross.... and i don't think i have any real mayo in the house anyway..  i don't have any blisters or anything, but it is still extremely uncomfortable.

[MorganElizabeth18]

Well at least its warm where you are ! 16 degrees here today =/

[AnnaLynn90]

I used baby wipes to take the pain away. The non sented kind. It really helped when I had second degree burn on my stomach and chest. It was the only thing that would work for me. You could try baby wipes with aloe in it but I felt that aloe made my skin too dry and felt like it was just ripping. Good luck mama hope this helps.

[sunflower0159]

My daughters feet and legs are very swollen and she is only 17 weeks so what would help her and be safe to use???

[ks3029]

thanks, i have had my burn for 2 days now and it all seems to be getting better aside form my chest =[ i'll have to try something like that

[Clysta]

My midwife told me to use Cortisone 10 (the red and white box). I had 2nd degree sunburns last year when I was 28 weeks, and she told me to go get some of that. Worked really well and was better in 2 days.

[ks3029]

i read most aloe you can't use because of the one ingredient.. it's really bad for baby.  i think the lidocaine you mentioned... but i'll just have to sit it out.. my feet seem to be doing better.. the red looks lighter.. so hopefully the rest will also go away sooooon!

[Ashelen]

Go to the pharmacist and ask what they recommend...there are some really good remedies and most of them are pregnancy safe.


General info on sun exposure during pregnancy:
Avoid sunburn during pregnancy like you avoid alcohol!!! I'm not kidding!

I'm not ragging on you, what's done is done, but I want everyone who comes across this to know that sunburn can and frequently does cause contractions. It can even send you into early labor. Sunburn is trauma, just like any other injury. It also raises the thread of dehydration, which also raises your risk of premature labor.

Plenty of women continue to tan while pregnant, but sunburn in a severe form can pose a very serious danger to a pregnant woman and her unborn baby..so its absolutely VITAL to wear sunscreen if you will be out for more than half an hour, and vital to wear light cotton clothing to cover the trunk of your body (chest, back) and reapply the sunscreen often.

Don't overlook the risks of sun overexposure while pregnant...it's nothing to be taken lightly!! (pun intended)

Now back to the original poster (none of that was for you, LOL, I know it was a complete accident and you're miserable so I'm definitely not getting onto your case, but I had to get that PSA out there for anyone who might click on this and is pregnant and thinking of using improper sun protection :-) )....I sincerely hope you feel better soon, sunburn is absolutely miserable! Short of going to the pharmacy as a Florida girl the remedy I've always used is drink as much cool water as you can handle, take lukewarm baths, and once you CAN use dove white soap (it stings if used too early, but will help the healing process once you can use it without discomfort) and I've always used the sprays with lidocaine and aloe...and usually I'll take an ibuprofen but I would say take some tylenol to help with the swelling. Other than that..visit the pharmacy, or just give it some time..you should feel better tomorrow hon!

[Heatherm4]

I'm not sure what else you could do but just wear light cotton clothing and maybe use some aloe?
When pregnant, your skin is more sensitive that's for sure! You basically need to use sunscreen and cover up!
It must make you miserable but it'll subside in a few days!