I'm a Balloon!

I am a Pregnancy Massage Therapist. I see this frequently in my practice. Do you get massage? Many times fluids become built up in the body during pregnancy and need a little assistance getting balanced again. It is only natural for high blood pressure to follow suit with swelling. The usual ideas of increase water , put your feet up throughout the day when you can and lower sodium are suggested as well. My clients use massage to reduce swelling and to calm their nervous system which can have a direct effect on blood pressure. Feel free to contact me if I can help. ____@____.com

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I had this. DO NOT LOWER YOUR SODIUM. It will have the opposite effect. I had Preeclampsia and I also never salted my food. That isn't the issue. You need to UP YOUR PROTEIN. Big time. And, that will usually solve the problem. If you start having huge headaches or spotty vision, you need to get into the dr ASAP. PreE is usually a nutrition issue, so try that first, and if that doesn't help, then you need some bedrest to keep the baby and you safe.

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I was exactly like you when i was pregnant i gained 20 lbs in 2 weeks and i ate basically two meals a day so it happens its just your baby getting bigger and your amniotic fluid coming in more no big deal

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You are almost there! Everyone always says to rest and keep your feet up when you see that they have become swollen. This is something that you will want to be sure to do after the baby arrives. We had visitors in the hospital the day after our baby was born, so I was up and moving around more. My feet were so swollen that it hurt to walk on them, so be sure to keep your feet propped up or at least lie down as much as you can before you leave the hospital.

Please take it easy and just keep your feet up as much as you can before your little one is here. I used to work in a hospital and there was a patient that had preeclamsia, and her blood pressure spiked way high, and lots of complications followed.

Congratulations and be sure to keep your feet up ;)

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Hi there,

I am so sorry you are so uncomfortable!!! I hope that you do not have preeclampsia! I can only imagine how worried you are. You should check into the Brewer diet. It is especially for pregnant women. If you go to www.bradleybirth.com it will give you the diet guidlines for the Brewer diet. Dr Brewer believed that most complications that happen with pregnany and birth are linked to your diet. Studies have shown that women who suffer from preeclampsia weren't getting enough protein. Check out the website or google Brewer diet you will find some great information!!! Good luck and Best wishes!

M.

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Hi!
I think they need to watch the preclampsia very closey. It sounds like you may have it. I gained ALOT of weight in my last month, but not 20 lbs in 2 weeks. Id say 10 lbs in a month. I did swell a lot too, but it was just my ankles and hands. If you are busy and on your feet a lot or sitting in the same position it will make it worse. I never had knees swelling though. A friend of mine had the same problem with the swelling, she started bleeding and went to the hospital and her preclampsia was a very dangerous level and had to have a c-section @ 33 weeks. Do they test your urine everytime you go in? Also some foods to watch out for is soups, most condiments like salad dressing, or mustard, chips, deli meats, hot sauce, A1. Just look at the label. I think Milk is ok, its probably just a small amount, and it shouldnt hurt you. I think your next visit you should tell them how worried you are and make them give you a better answer that you can understand and feel better everything will be ok. Also I had to quit working when I was about 36 weeks, I was just too big to function properly. I takes a toll on your body being busy all day and carrying around that baby. Believe me I know how that feels, my son was 9 lbs at birth. It was such a relief to get him out! And he was a week early! Good Luck! And take a nap! =)

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The worst thing you can do it stop the salt. Go to www.blueribbonbaby.org and look at the info there. How much water are you drinking? How much protein are you eating? How is your diet in general? If you are working, you are probably not eating enough- always on the run- anyway- I have had 9 children, had some swelling with all of them, but when you start retaining fluids, and extensive swelling- you need to address it or you will be induced at 36 weeks for pre-eclampsia- not fun. Good luck, S. mom of 9

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Yes, I went through that. I didn't know anything about sodium at the time and it was my first. Me and my husband worked different times so we rarely ate a meal together. There are no meals for one person that isn't loaded in sodium. I remember I at alot of subway. They advertise fresh and owned by doctors, right. Yes I was young and nieve. When I went back, I was worse off and went on early leave from work. I had to lay on my side all day and I ate nothing buy fresh stuff. Frozen chicken, fresh veggies, not even frozen. I'm a sucker for Mexican food so I had my Aunt Mary teach me how to make frijoles, rice, and fedeo that I love so much. I even tried the tortillas but that didn't work out so well. I changed the recipes when needed for the rest of the pregnancy. That, or not working must have helped because my blood pressure went down. This might not be much help, just my experience. Oh, and I have had great blood pressure since. My mother has high blood pressure and they say it is genetic but she also smokes like a chimney and drinks Diet Dr. Pepper like it is water.

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This happened to me the last 6 weeks of my first pregnancy. At my weekly visits, my blood pressure was up a little bit--enough they checked it a couple times. Between 36-37 weeks, I started ballooning like you. My mom would just laugh at me-my fingers looked like sausages, shoes wouldn't fit, etc. Everything was horribly swollen-all I could do was lie down-it hurt to move. At my 37 week Dr. appointment, my blood pressure was sky-high, I had preeclampsia- and they did a c-section 2 hours after my appointment. Then, doped me up on magnesium sulfate for 4 days (nasty stuff). The blood pressure finally settled down and I didn't have any issues with later pregnancies.
It sounds like it's probably going to turn into preeclampsia and they'll want to induce you early (not really that bad of a thing at 37+ weeks). Make sure to call your Dr. if the sweeling gets much worse or you get a bad headache-that's a sign it's getting worse.

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I had a similar situation. My baby went to term, but, because of the blood pressure risk, they gave me magnesium sulfate at the delivery. It made me so sick that I was throwing up while trying to deliver the baby. I was hooked up to every tube imaginable and couldn't move very well, and my neck went out. The ensuing headaches, neck pain, and lack of range of motion (it was weeks before I could get to a chiropractor to fix it) were, I think, much worse than anything that could have happened blood-pressure-wise. If you have any say in the matter, DO NOT let them give you the magnesium sulfate. I swear I would have been better off delivering at home!! I wish you the best and hope you have a happy healthy baby.

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Our Wii Fit runs approx. 10 lbs. lighter than our Dr.'s office as well. I had wondered about it, because I have another scale that was showing higher than the Wii Fit. However, my son was weighed at the Dr.'s the other day, and when we played Wii Fit the next day he showed up the same way-10 lbs. lighter.

1 mom found this helpful

Let me just say that I know what you are feeling and I am very sorry you are having to go through this. I swelled like that in the 6th month of my first pregnancy (I actually swelled all over my body..(face, arms,hands,EVERYTHING!)and it didnt go away until about a month AFTER I gave birth. It is awful!
Unfortunantly I was told the same things and nothing worked. I got to the point where the security gaurds had to come pick me up at my car every morning and drive me to the building (it was quite a walk without being miserable).
The only advise I can offer is to stay hydrated, rest as much as possible-with your legs elevated of course--and just keep in mind the reward you will get when its all over.
: ( I hope you get better!

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I have a 7 1/2 week old baby now and I experienced the same thing during my pregnancy. I started swelling at 5 months and then it got better. About the last 6 weeks it got very bad again. For the last 4-5 weeks I could only wear slippers. I am an RN and this really was not very much fun. Being on your feet sure isn't going to help things! I even had to buy bigger slippers at the end. I was sure there was something wrong. My BP kept creeping up at every Dr. visit. I was concerned with pre-eclampsia but she just said that as long as there was not any protein in my urine it was fine. I think that some people are just predisposed to swelling unfortunately. It sounds like you probably did not have this with your 1st. My mom had the severe swelling with one but not the other. It is strange how different each pregnancy can be! Make sure you drink tons of water. Also keep an eye on your pressure even at home. My BP at my last visit was 160/98. I finally talked my Dr. into inducing me. Be you own advocate! Unfortunately you aren't going to be able to make it go away but you are almost to the end and the beautiful baby will make yoiu forget about it all. And just think how much weight you will lose even before you leave the hospital! :)

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I'm not sure if this will help, but I'm 26 weeks pregnant with twins and I find my ankles and fingers swell big time whenever I eat salsa (it doesn't matter which kind). It happened twice and that's when I noticed it was when I ate salsa. It took 2 days for the swelling to go down. Needless to say, I have sworn off it until after the babies are born. Good luck to you!

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I would wait to hear back on the preeclampsia test resluts you have the signs of it but it could also be other factors to like being dehydrated and on your feet and not resting.Put your feet up and drink up water that is.Lay on your left side only at nite it will help the blood flow.Do you have dizziness,fainting,seeing spots if so call your OB right away that is a sign of preeclampsia

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I had pre-eclampsia durring my first pregnancy and it sounds like you are leaning in that direction. The symptoms are excess weight gain/swelling, high blood pressure. It has reached full eclampsia when their is protein in the urine (ketones) and I think something will be off with your sugar but I can't quite remember. I am suprised that your doctor didn't increase the frequency of your visits. You need lots of rest and keep your feet up. I had to go on bedrest or risk losing my baby. My blood pressure was too high though so you may not be this bad. Eclampsia can be dangerous so monitor your blood pressure and cut out as much salt as you can and increase your pottasium uptake. Bananas, potatoes and tomoatoes are ar few foods high in potasium. Mainly get those feet up and drink lots of water. It will actually help your body stop retaining water because you are telling it that you will give it what it needs. Then it starts releasing the excess water. God bless

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Hi L..
I am a mother of 4 and grandmother of 2. When I was pregnant, I also was a balloon. My midwife told me to eat all dark green, orange, red fruits and veggies. Plus to take alfapha tablets starting with 2 and increasing until you start to loose water. Drink lots of water. Just know that when you have the baby, stop taking the alfapha. Or your milk will increase alot! So if you nurse and feel like your not giving enough milk, take a tablet or drink alfapha tea. Also get some Raspberry tea (the kind you brew) and drink lots of that too. It will help with the swelling and help your pregnancy. Sounds like your looking forward to a happy, healthy baby! Good Luck with your 2 boys. J.

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I have never had this problem, but if your dr.'s suggestions are not working & your dr. doesn't have any other suggestions or acts like it is not a big deal (which it is), seek a second opinion.
God bless!

Do you eat ham or bacon. High sodium.