Pregnancy: it ain’t always pretty. As the mercury begins to rise, swollen, puffy feet are pretty much par for the course.
The main culprit is water retention, caused by increased blood flow and the ever-increasing pressure of your uterus on the pelvic veins. As a result, swelling (also known as edema) can get worse later in the evening and you might find it’s not limited to your feet, with fingers, arms and even your face prone to puffing up a little.
On the plus side, your belly is likely to be so swollen you won’t be able to see how fat your feet are looking these days, but there are some tricks you can try to ease the discomfort:
Sleep on your left side: Even if you’re just taking a power nap, position yourself on your left side with a pillow between your knees. This improves the circulation and facilitates lymphatic drainage. It also helps ease heartburn.
Put your feet up: Yes, yes, we know, we can’t all lie in bed eating bon bons in the third trimester. However, easing the pressure for just a few minutes can really help un-swell those ankles. Lock the office door and pop your feet up on the desk at lunch time.
Lay off the salt: Too much salt encourages water retention, which leads to swollen feet. Switch to pepper or use other herbs to flavour your food.
Try compression socks: Okay so they’re not the most attractive, nor are they ideal in hot weather, but if you must be on your feet in the later stages of pregnancy, compression socks can give your swollen muscles some gentle support and alleviate achy calves.
Got a tip we should know about? Tell us what worked for you on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
