Sweeling in Feet While Pregnant

I had terrible swelling with my first two pregnancies, then almost none with my third. I think the difference was that I was a SAHM by the time I was pg with my 3rd, and I was able to rest more. I would sit down with my feet up a few times a day, and lie down in the afternoons for 15-20 minutes when I could. With my first two, it was pretty much impossible to put my feet up or lie down while I was at work! The heat also doesn't help. The good news is that the swelling went away once the baby was born. Try to rest as much as you can. Good luck!

At delivery I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. I also had placental abruption. I never ate salt on my food, and don't eat prepackaged foods. When I was given saline (salt) water in an IV the swelling went down and I felt better too! So you DO need some salt. Just stay away from prepackaged foods (check out the sodium content if you do.)

I am a midwife and it is very dangerous to eliminate salt from your diet. This can lead to preeclampsia. You can read more about what your diet should be and about salt intake in pregnany at www.blueribbonbaby.org. Swelling is common right now in the warmer months. Be sure you drink at least 64oz of water a day. Sitting down can cause the fluid to pool in your feet. Try to walk more.

Lisa

You are on the right track as far as eliminating as much salt as possible from your diet, put your feet up when you can, massage your legs and feet also (or have your partner do it, thats always nice).
I always noticed that long car rides didn't help me when I was dealing with that issue- just hang in there! There is really nothing else you can do, its just a complication that comes with the territory! The numbness is also normal, just a poor circulation thing. If your shoes aren't fitting you well anymore do not squeeze into them, get a pair or two that are looser and a size bigger, you will be glad that you did. Also, make sure your socks don't bind your ankles too badly, buy a different type if necessary.

Don't sit for more than 15 minutes without at least standing up for a minute. As you sit, shake your feet, wiggle your toes, rotate at the ankles, etc. You might should also buy a small stool that you can prop your feet up a little higher than the floor. This will take some of the pressure off of your legs and back.

Hi D.:

You may want to walk or excersise. I suffered with the same during my pregnancies and work in an office which accounts for poor circulation. The extra weight from you being pregnant accounts for some of the swelling and not sure if you are having a boy but boys tend to place a lot of strange things in our system which make you toxic. Continue to drink water, eat a lot of anti-oxidant foods and get a little cardio in. A walk is a good way to get your circulation going.

I had severe swelling with both of my pregnancies. So bad with the second one that I ended up being induced a month early because I developed HELLP syndrome.

Here are a couple of things that I did to control the swelling.
1. As soon as I got home from work, I put my feet up (higher than my heart)
2. I had my husband rub them every evening. It worked wonders on my feet and felt great.
3. I bought support knee length socks from a pregnancy store that are designed to help with swelling. It provided support for the lower leg and didn't allow the fluid to pool in any one location. In the evenings when I got home and took them off, there was a distinct line where the sock started, but my legs looked so much better than they had.

If you notice your fingers or face appear swollen, or the swelling gets dramatically worse, tell your OB immediately.
No matter what though I would mention it to the OB just so you can be monitored to see if it is normal swelling or possibly pre-eclamsia.

Walking around will help. Eating pineapples or drinking pineapple juice might help a little bit - there is some sort of enzyme that helps reduce inflammation. I remember reading a study a few years ago, that if eaten/drunk for about a week before surgery, swelling was significantly less than expected. It might help with pregnancy, too. I did a lot of pineapple w/ both of mine; but I moved around a lot, too. Give it a week's try. Either way, you'd be adding more fruit to your diet.

We don't eat salt either, but I noticed that with my pregnancy that I drank bottled water, my feet didn't swell, and when I drank tap water with the other pregnancy they did. We have a lot of salt in our soil in our area (College Station, Texas). So that salt makes it into our water. My MIL was having a lot of swelling with her diabetes, too. I told her to switch to bottled water, and I switched to bottled with my 3rd pregnancy. It solved both our problems. Just something to consider.

Well my whole pregnancy I was swollen and I only gained 25lbs. I was eating everything but also throwing up. No salt. At work I got a box and would elevate my feet that way. I also got swelling and really bad pains in my hands, I delevoped carpa-tunnel syndrome, Its completely normal. I just suggest elevation and soaking your feet may help the aches. It helped me alittle .. Good luck with your pregnancy!!

Everyone suggests sit with your legs/feet elevated, but that isn't always an option... If you add some lime or lemon juice to your water that seems to help. My best friend (who is due anyday now!) was told by her midwife that watermelon will actually help take away swelling in your feet and she told me it worked. Um, candied or sugared ginger is an anti-inflamatory, I've been taking it for pains in my back related to sciatic nerve issues... the ginger has REALLY helped my back and my feet havn't swelled since I've been taking it either, that might be a connection? (I'm 6 1/2 months preggo) Good luck!

Elevate your feet and drink tons of water. Monitor your blood pressure. Swelling could be a sign if high blood pressure and you don't want that! You can buy a cuff at wlagreens,cvs or places like that. Best of luck to you!

Oh I am so sorry you are having this problem. I never had that till the day I went into labor and it was terrible for just that day!

I was in retail so I was walking a lot of the time, i think that was what helped..

You sound like you are doing god things on your own.

Here is an excellent link.. It says that the heat can be a major part of the problem, but it has some great suggestions..
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/swelling-during-pregnanc...

Hi,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I am also 5 motnhs pregnant.. so far rthis time no swelling.

Elevate your feet as much as possible when you are not at work. If you are able to try find somewhere where you can lay down at lunchtime to elevate your feet. Last pg I used to go to my car turn it on and lie down on the back seat so the blood could move back up. TRy to always sleep on your left hand side.

Make sure your doctor cheks your blood pressure every visit. If one of your legs swellsmore than the other, it may be a sign of edema which is the precurser to high blood pressure and can lead to pre-eclampsia. I had all of this with my first baby.He is almost 3 and is doing great even though he was born early at 4lbs 5 oz at 35.5 weeks.

Make sur eyou get some salt with iodine, your body needs it. Adding a little table salt to your meals is good. But stay away from preprepared foods and canned/frozen meals they have super high quantities of salt.

Keep drinking lots of water that is the best thing you can do... the more you drink the better your body copes with eliminating excess water.

Wishing you all the best for the rest of your pregnancy and a happy healthy baby.

when i was preggers with my first i sat some days and stood others . it seemed the days i sat too much my feet swelled more. try taking walking breaks and stand up more. good luck it will all be over before you know it!

I remember when I was at the start of the 3rd trimester with my sons, 17 years ago, I had to drive to Illinois. The dr said to stop once every hour and walk around the car one time to keep from cramping & swelling. It worked. If you are sitting at work all day, get up every hour and walk around the room or down the hall.
Many blessings for you & your Family!!

Restricting salt intake TOO much can also cause you to retain more water in pregnancy. That being said, most foods have more than enough sodium to maintain healthy levels. Your blood volume increases by around 50% during pregnancy and sodium is essential to maintaining elctrolyte balance.

If this is your first pregnancy, you are younger than 20 or older than 40, or are overweight; you are at higher risk for preeclampsia. If you are noticing significant swelling at 5 months, I would certainly be taking some action to counteract this possibility. Resting as much as possible (on your left side is best); lean, high protein diet; plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables; monitoring yout blood pressure; elevating your feet; moderate exercise.

I don't want to scare you (maybe I should have said that first) but if you consider the possibility earlier you have the potential to avoid complications later on. I sincerely believe that I avoided preeclampsia because of the early attention my midwife paid to potential complications.

Good Luck.

Let your doctor know.

Your ankles and feet are not get enough circulation because you are sitting all day. You need to take short breaks and stand up. Walk in place if you can't leave your desk.

Actually eating a little salty food is o.k. You need a balance to be good for your kidneys, too little is not good either. Eating foods like watermelon or cucumbers also helps to eliminate fluids from your system. Elevating your feet from a sitting position does little good. Lying as flat as you can is better and you'll see more reduction of swelling in your feet this way. But its hard to do while pregnant sometimes because of an acid reflux or nauseous feeling. You can still expect some swelling, but getting off your feet is not a bad idea.