oh, SO swollen!!!

[mia's mama]

My legs and feet are incredibly swollen! Unbelievably though, they are nothing compared to DD#1's preg. when I had hypertension. But they are still huge and totally uncomfortable! Are any of you experiencing this and getting relief in any way? I drink a lot of water and have been supplementing with extra vit.d and calcium. My BP is fine and no protein in my urine whatsoever. The swelling pits also and my OB got a little nervous about that but again, no high BP or protein.

Any suggestions/ remedies would be much appreciated!

[SuburbanHippie]

How much water is a lot for you?  Is it at least 3 liters a day?  I can't think of anything else that would help considering your BP is okay and you're not spilling protein.  I tend to bloat up pretty bad too.  Keeping my feet elevated helps, but with a 3.5 year old at home all day long it's not exactly feasible. 

[HawaiianBlesing]

I know that alfalfa and nettle are "natural" diuretics.  Some midwives recommend them during the third trimester but if you are following the Brewer diet--he cautions against them saying it could lower blood volume and therefore raise BP.

I've been using nettle and alfalfa in my RRL tea since the first trimester and haven't noticed any ill effects on my BP.  So I guess you can take it for what it's worth.

I've also heard that epsom salt baths may be good for reducing pedal swelling.  I have no experience with this.  I would try elevating them to see if that helps or maybe even special socks.

[earth-mama]

One of my friends just told me the other day that when she was pregnant and retaining a lot of water (swelling) her midwife told her to get in a pool for about 20 minutes a day and that would help to equalize it.  Just thought I would mention it.  We went to the pool the other day and it felt great to have everything 'floating'--an excellent break on the stomach and back muscles.  Could be worth a try and feels really good even if it doesn't really help!

[AnnieA]

My feet are super swollen too and not much is helping. I am drinking a gallon (4L) of water a day because the baby's blood supply was restricted and at first that helped with the swelling but now it's not making a difference. On Sunday, I spent most of the afternoon in bed and a lot of the swelling went down but I can't do that every day. I did read recently that soaking in a tub or a pool for 30 mins or so would help but I haven't tried that. I do try to elevate my feet above my hips every evening but it doesn't make a huge difference. My BP is great and no signs of protein in my urine. I just have swollen feet!

[mamasmith]

Yes, a pool really helps.  I was really swollen the other day and swam (well, floated!) for about 45 min and it was way better when I got out.

Also massage.  Yay!  Foot rubs!

[artekah]

Eating watermelon and cucumber can help. And a cold foot bath always helps my feet at least for awhile, and it feels amazing too! I add lavender essential oil to a bucket of cold water and just soak my feet as long as I have time for.

[tourist.]

I'm swelling too.  My solution:  Don't go to work.  haha Too bad that's not possible, but that is completely the cause of my swelling.  I leave work for the week on Thursday afternoon and by Saturday evening my swelling is gone.  It returns as soon as I work a full day in the office (Tuesday) and stays for the rest of the work week.  Frustrating.  I do like that it goes away anyhow.  I think I'm going to go eat some of the watermelon right now that I cut earlier to see if I can encourage the swelling to go away quicker.

Sorry you're swelling.  I don't really have any advice to share, just thought I'd commiserate with you. 

[Strong Mama]

Please watch pitted swelling in the last month of pregnancy. If you have any other symptoms along with the swelling: difficulty in breathing, unable to lie flat on your back without having difficulty breathing, coughing, high blood pressure, urinating a LOT in the night(more than 3 times), chest pains, palpitations, you may be experiencing early signs of heart failure. Just a caution. Happened to me. I was swollen BAD in the last few weeks before delivery and pitting a lot.Nothing helped except foot massages nightly from my hubby. He would rub them for one hour and push all the fluid to my kidneys, where I would then pee all night long. This was a sign of failing kidneys due to my enlarged heart.

[Gismobabe]

I have no relief unfortunately. I have had the swelling with all my summer pregnancies but not in my winter one. So I assume it is the weather. My finger fall asleep from the swelling in my wrists and it is worst at night. My gyno will start acupuncture for it next week and if it helps I will let you know.

[AmyDSG]

I'm so sorry about the swelling.  My mid-wife recommended pineapple with parsley and water in the blender.  

[mia's mama]

Just an update... my swelling is SO much better today and not surprisingly, the level of humidity is down in my area. Thanking the universe for that and cooler temps!! When I was pregnant with DD my hands would swell too and late in my preg., my face got swollen. I am praying that this isn't the precursor to that. But if it's coming and going with the weather, and my level of activity (which I did a lot of walking today despite it being better~ go figure!) I'm hopeful it's just what "I do" and not a symptom of increasing BP or whatever. Haven't had a BP check in a week 1/2... OB appt is Friday.

Thanks to everyone for responses!! I'm going to buy a watermelon, YUM!

[4 in 2005]

WATER water and more water is my Midwife's cure for swelling.   She said everyone has different needs in terms of water.  She has me drinking 1 1/2 gallons of water a day!   I feel like all I do is drink.  LOL.  However doing that my swelling went away and my blood pressure came down.   She said I just need more water than the average person. She started out telling me 1/2 to a gallon of water a day then she said to bump it to a gallon and now I am a 1 1/2 gallons.  I do the gallon when the weather is not that hot/humid but I really push the 1 1/2 on the hot humid days and my swelling has stayed at bay.

(And I eat watermelon!!!) 

[SuburbanHippie]

Originally Posted by 4 in 2005 

WATER water and more water is my Midwife's cure for swelling.   She said everyone has different needs in terms of water.  She has me drinking 1 1/2 gallons of water a day!   I feel like all I do is drink.  LOL.  However doing that my swelling went away and my blood pressure came down.   She said I just need more water than the average person. She started out telling me 1/2 to a gallon of water a day then she said to bump it to a gallon and now I am a 1 1/2 gallons.  I do the gallon when the weather is not that hot/humid but I really push the 1 1/2 on the hot humid days and my swelling has stayed at bay.

(And I eat watermelon!!!) 

You poor thing!  I would need a catheter if I drank that much! 

[4 in 2005]

LOL I feel like I should just camp out in the bathroom esp with him putting all his weight on my bladder.  

[mia's mama]

BP today was 100/68  so no worries!

Doc says up my water intake so I will continue that!!

[SuburbanHippie]

Originally Posted by mia's mama 

BP today was 100/68  so no worries!

Doc says up my water intake so I will continue that!!

That's good to hear!

I must have jinxed myself by posting on your thread because for the past 2 days I swear I have Fred Flinstone's feet.  My ankles have rolls when I stand up!  They itch a lot too when they're all swollen.  Only a few more weeks....only a few more weeks....

[tourist.]

That's great that increasing your water intake helped so much. I can't imagine drinking that much, but I'm a slacker apparently: haven't kept up with my water the past few days and now I too have Fred Flintstone feet. Attractive I tell ya. Ugh.

[SuburbanHippie]

I REALLY wish I never posted on here.  I have pitted edema in my feet today after working hard at our rental house for a couple hours.  My ankles are cankles.  I'm now chilling with my feet up guzzling down liter after liter of water.  As my kids would say (repeatedly in the car until I have to yell PLEASE STOP!) "JINX!"

[lesliesara63]

I swelled from my feet to the top of my thighs with this pregnancy. Then it got worse after. My face swelled so much I didn't look like the same person! The l&d nurses told me it can take 2-6 weeks to go away. Its been almost 2 weeks and my face is almost normal but my feet are still bad.