While you must be eagerly waiting for your little bundle of joy to arrive in this world and enjoy the best time of your life, you also get to experience a much lesser magical side of motherhood – the infamous swollen feet.
Today, let’s talk about the causes and remedies to swollen feet and ankles during pregnancy.
What Are the Causes of Swollen Feet and Ankles During Pregnancy?
Swelling in the feet and ankles during the later or third trimester of pregnancy is normal. During this stage, your body generates excessive fluid to support fetus growth. Moreover, the weight of the uterus and fetus puts pressure on lower body veins, leading to reduced circulation.
Women who suffer from swelling should know that it may worsen during summers or by the end of the day.
How to Reduce Swollen Feet During Pregnancy?
Generally, swelling in the feet and ankles during pregnancy is not painful but inconvenient. There’s no need to worry because these seven tips can help reduce the symptoms during pregnancy.
Drink Less Caffeine
Occasional caffeine intake is normal, but don’t make it a habit during pregnancy. It isn’t good for both your baby and feet.
Caffeine is a diuretic that makes your body get rid of water through urine. This makes your body think that it needs more liquid to retain. Try herbal tea or decaf coffee with milk if you need some energy boost throughout the day.
Sleep Sideways
For people who are back-sleepers, sleeping on the side is difficult initially. But it is beneficial to sleep on your side, particularly left, as it reduces pressure off the veins that carry blood to your heart. This improves your blood flow and reduces swelling on your feet.
Wear Compression Socks
Compression garments can relieve you from swollen feet and hands by preventing fluids from getting collected in your hands, legs and ankles. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways to eliminate chances of blood clotting by improving blood flow.
Compression socks benefits pregnancy by maintaining the blood flow and reducing swelling and extreme discomfort to your feet and ankles. It helps to de-intensify swelling, improve blood circulation, varicose veins, DVT along with a host of other benefits.
Workout and Swim
Gentle exercises like walking and swimming increases blood circulation and reduces swelling.
Although there are no studies done to prove that swimming can reduce foot swelling, a lot of women feel relieved after spending some time in the pool. Try standing in a pool where the water reaches till your neck. You’ll feel lighter and find your legs less swollen.
Stretch Your Legs
You probably need to do a million things before the baby arrives, but ensure that you take enough rest whenever possible! While sitting all day is not beneficial for blood circulation, standing is also not advisable.
Try creating a balance between the two. Whenever you sit down, elevate your feet. This will help drain fluids that collect in your leg all day.
Massage
As you navigate through the beautiful journey of pregnancy, even your partner would want to be an integral part of it. This is the best chance for you two to bond together! Moreover, massages can relieve your feet from swelling by circulating fluids that group together in your feet. It provides relaxation and reduces swelling.
So, relax and let your partner massage your feet gently. You can even add lavender essential oil to enhance the relaxation process.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet during pregnancy is essential. Limit junk food intake, reduce sodium, and increase potassium in your diet.
Increased sodium and lack of potassium in your daily diet can worsen the swelling. So, avoid processed food and try not to include excess table salt in your meals. Apart from this, increase potassium as it will balance fluids in your body.
You can increase the intake of potassium through these foods:
- Beet
- Lentils
- Spinach
- Beans
- Yogurt
- Salmon
- Sweet potato
- Potatoes with their skin
- Fruit juices like orange, carrot, and passionfruit
- Bananas
When Should You Contact Your Doctor?
If you chat with your fellow pregnancy buddies, you will realize how common swollen feet and ankles are during the period. It’s just another sign of how your body prepares for the little one to arrive in the world!
These remedies are meant to give you relief from swollen feet; however, the results vary from person to person. If none of these tips ease your inconvenience, it’s time you visit your doctor.
Generally, it’s not uncommon to undergo this problem, but in some cases, this may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. This condition can cause severe swelling on your face, decrease urine, increase blood pressure, and give you severe headaches. Hence, it’s important to inform your doctor about this problem.
Author Bio:
Rory Donnelly – Rory is the R&D Director and passionate entrepreneur, fascinated by the workings of the human body and natural solutions for common health problems. He’s single-minded in his aim to makeCopperDefence a brand that’s recognized across the globe, by partnering with global brands to make these high-tech materials easily accessible for everyone. If you’d like to get in touch, email Rory at Rory@copperclothing.com or visit copperclothing.com for copper-infused clothing, pet accessories and more.
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