Question About Pregnancy Feet

Unfortunately I had the same problem through out my entire pregnancy. Like your doctor said stay off your feet as much as you can, but if you have to work, then make sure when ever you're not working, stay off of them. When you go to bed at night, put 2 pillows under them, and sleep with them propped up. The elevation will help reduce the swelling. Also, if you haven't already, make sure they check your blood pressure to make sure it's not caused by that. I Hope the swelling goes down soon, I know it's extemely uncomfortable, but it will all be worth it in the end! :o) Congratulations!!!

We do an exercise in prenatal yoga to help this: put a cushion about 3 inches away from a wall. Sit on the cushion, lie back, and swing your feet up onto the wall (so you make basically an "L" shape with your body, with your back on the floor and your legs up the wall). Do this for about 5 minutes a day. When you bring your legs down, lie on your side for a minute before you get up. The legs up the wall allows the blood that is pooling in your ankles and feet to make it to your heart, and the lying still before you get up allows your system to readjust to the "new" volume of blood. Good luck!

I am having the same problem too. Only I am 14 weeks and trying to figure out what to do!

i too had this problem my entire pregnancy....i went from a size 7 shoe to a ten because my feet were so fat...i was on my feet 6 days a week 12-15 hours a day managing a country club i would sleep with my feet propped on pillows piled with ice packs but it is only a temporary fix my dr said to drink nothing but water and absolutely no salt and no stockings or heels this worked but still feet were somewhat swollen...not everyone has the time to sit around with feet up but i did try that for 2 whole days i stayed in bed...it did not work sorry

T.,
Try your best to let your employers know that you need to get off your feet as much as possible. Although I sat through pretty much most of my pregnany, the doc said that I needed a small stool under my desk to actually take all pressure off my feet. Also stress to your significant other that you have got to get off your feet as much as possible.
Viv

Prop up your feet when sleeping. Try to put them higher than your heart - couple of pillows should do the trick. If you are at a desk during the day at all, make sure you put something under the desk to prop your feet up with. Make sure that you let your employer know. Maybe they can make extra accomodations to allow you to sit for more of your job. They would certainly be happier with the idea of you sitting and working than being put on bed rest and not being able to work at all.

Yes, wear those ballarina slippers (they were great for me), and keep your feet elevated as much as possible, especially at night. I had the worst swollen feet when I was pregnant, my husband used to call me "Hobbit Feet"! And I would say twice a month, get to a pedicure, when I told my nail tech my problems with my feet, she would just massage feet and legs and the swelling would be gone. So from then on, I went out, bought my own foot soaker, and made my husband do my feet every night. That was the least he could do, he wasn't carrying around an extra person and running a household, while holding down a fulltime job.

Like the others said... more water and prop your feet. Do you have high blood-pressure? If you do you might talk to your doctor about pre-eclampsia. The two biggest symptoms are swelling and high blood pressure. It can be a big problem... make you go on bed rest or cause the baby to deliver early. A friend of mine had pre-eclampsia and had some pretty major complications, but its usually caught by a doctor. (My friend didn't receive proper prenatal care, that's why it got as serious as it did.)

Good luck! And have fun with the boys!

hi, my first preganancy my feet and ankles did the same thing. try to avoid salt, mine was also due to the fact it was summer time the only thing i can advise is find a good cooling foot rub or if they itch aveno make a lotion that cools a relieves itching

Drink lots of water!! I know it seems like that would make it worse, since you are retaining fluid....but it really does help to flush out your system and get things circulating better. I feel for you- swollen feet and "cankles" were the worst!!

First off, Congrats on the baby boy!!!

I got swollen towards the end of my last pregnancy and my DR recomend support stockings. Or TED hose (diabetics wear them for circulation), the look like hell but the do work. You could also just try wearing a pair of knee highs to see if that helps. Put them on in the morning right when you get out of bed and just wear them for a few hours. Hope that helps!!

S.

Oh, forgot to add that you might want to drink more water too. It helps for some and makes it worse for others. I know, like you aren't going to the bathroom enough right!