Swelling...anyone else experiencing this?

[aywilkes]

I have had slightly swollen feet for almost 2 weeks now. But now, my left foot is gigantic and the bottom half of my left leg is big too. My son said, mom, this is bad - like a negative thing. I'm sure it is for him too b/c he has been helping me put on my socks and shoe. I can only fit one pair of shoes b/c of this one foot and it is not a professional shoe and I am still going to work. I didn't have any of these issues when I was pregnant with my son, but my friend keeps saying, "you're 30 (i will be tomorrow) now and you were 20 with your son".

[timneh_mom]

Usually if you are going to swell, you will swell in both feet pretty much equally. One thought - a lot of people (including myself) tend to sit with one foot tucked under them, or sit with their legs crossed - usually the same one over the other most of the time. Do you do either of these? If not, is there any pain in your calf or the back of your leg at all? Does your health care person know about it at all?

Age should not have anything to do with it. I'm 37 and both my legs swell pretty much equally, if they swell at all.

[Jude Rose]

I was just talking with my doc yesterday about swelling. He says it's so normal that they took it off the list for warning signs of pre-e. He says he was surprised I wasn't experiencing it sooner.
I had one foot go crazy when I had it pinched like Liz described. They say to put your feet up and help them drain. I don't like that position though cuz I'm struggling with posterior babies.
My M/W says alfalfa sprouts and nettle supplements also help. But I was already taking them, so who knows.

I guess I'm saying I don't worry about it. Oh, doc also told me to expect it to get worse. Thanks doc.

[sportychicky]

Swelling is totally normal. MY OB said that if I was concerned with swelling to take my BP. IF my BP was up over 140 WITH the swelling I needed to call - and if not then no worries.

Traci

[WinterBaby]

Sorry to hear about your swelling, I know it can be really uncomfortable. I doubt it's just because you're older though. Every pregnancy is just different. I swelled terribly with my first in my feet and legs. My legs were so swollen you could push your thumb in and leave dents. None of my real shoes fit, only a couple pairs of adjustable sandals made it all the way to the end. And I wasn't even spending much time on my feet - kept them up as much as I could. Wore compression stockings too - which were a drag in the summer, lol. (Mine swelled fairly evenly, but when my mom's feet swell with a medication she's sometimes on, one swells much more than the other - I call it her balloon foot.) All that swelling, but everything else stayed entirely normal for me - low pressure and all. Now I'm 5 years older, but in this pregnancy I'm not seeing the same swelling at all. My feet and ankles have only lately at 37 weeks tended towards being puffy. And I still fit all of my shoes, only a couple pairs have gotten uncomfortable to wear although they still go on. (They'd have never even gotten *on* my feet last pregnancy!) Other things for are different too - I've gotten acne where my skin got clearer and more even before. I grow more body hair this time, where last I hardly had to shave my legs. And I've got this pelvic girdle pain I've never experienced before. But heck, at least I'm not carrying 30 lbs in water weight this time, lol. Now this time I'm carrying a boy, and the first time it was a girl. Maybe all the swelling means yours is a girl this time

[timneh_mom]

I definitely agree swelling of the legs in pregnancy is normal! What was a concern about the OP's post was that it was much worse in one foot. Usually you will swell equally.

[aywilkes]

Originally Posted by timneh_mom

If not, is there any pain in your calf or the back of your leg at all? Does your health care person know about it at all?

Age should not have anything to do with it. I'm 37 and both my legs swell pretty much equally, if they swell at all.

No, I don't cross my legs or tuck one under the other. I do have pain in the back of my leg though. Tomorrow I'm going to see the CNM and she said they'll take my temp.

[anj119]

arrgghh yes.....

the swelling

i heard someone say that their feet looked like cabbage patch kids feet.
on steroids
ahahahaaaa

thats exactly how i feel
i hate walking down the stairs because i can feel this pinching feeling where my ankles have to bend and it feels like my feet will literally pop like blood balloons.

tmi, i know

-anj119

[aywilkes]

Swelling has gone down

My feet/legs are no longer swollen!!! So excited. Yesterday I had a great appt. with the CNM and she explained that my feet needed to be elevated above my heart-level to help drainage and also suggested increasing protein intake to also help prevent/reduce swelling.