How long before I "unswell"?

[Halfasianmomma]

Another first time mom question with regards to swelling in the hands and feet. I haven't been able to wear my wedding band for 2 months now, and at this point, *all* my shoes, except my Sketchers, don't fit me anymore. I thought it was just swelling but my doc mentioned that feet can grow during pregnancy, which would explain how I can wear my mother's size 8 shoes when I'm normally a 7 or 7 1/2.

I'm wondering if other experienced mamas have seen their hands and feet go back to their original size or if, after they unswell (hopefully they do!), they stay bigger...I might end up having to buy a whole new shoe wardrobe...

Also, how long does it take after birth for the swelling to taper off?

[elfinbaby]

This is my first experience w/swelling and mine comes and goes as it is so I don't know how it works after birth. However, I have seen my feet grow 1/2 size w/each pregnancy I haven't not seen my prebirth shoe size since, well, before I had my first.

[LianneM]

I don't think foot growth goes back... sorry.

Have you tried alfalfa for the swelling? For me, true swelling went away with the supplement. My rings still don't fit from my first pgcy, but I think it's b/c of weight gain.

[sunmamma]

I remember seeing the bones in my feet again the day after I gave birth. It was a lovely experience to look down and see that!!! really! As for the growth, as others have said, you will probably be getting some new shoea, at least to replace the ones that may have bee on the smaller side pre preg to begin with! Although, a pair I got when pregs last time are like boats on my feet now...just took them to the thrift store, actually!

[eastvillage]

My hands and feet swelled with the first pregnancy, and my feet went back to original size within a week or two of the birth. The wedding rings, on the other hand, took over a month to fit back on my hands - some of the weight needed to drop.

I expected - stupidly - to lose like 15 pounds while in the hospital (I figured - the baby is at least 6 - water and extra blood, afterbirth, etc) and when I left the hospital 5 DAYS LATER I weighed in at the same weight I entered the hospital. I was stunned. It took 6 weeks to wear my jeans uncomfortably, 12 to wear them OK.

[mamma2kaden]

This is my first time with swelling, so no advice. But I CAN NOT wait to see my normal feet & ankles again!

[Kylahroo]

Unfortunately, it's likely to get worse before it gets better, especially if you have IV fluids in the hospital. My crocs have been a lifesaver, both during and after pregnancy!

Also, my feet did grow during my 1st pregnancy. I was a 7.5, have been an 8 ever since!

[Qerratsmom]

I don't know about feet, but I never can wear my rings the last couple months of pregnancy but I can always fit them back on within a month or so postpartum.

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

my feet grew A WHOLE SIZE with #1, which was miserable because I used be a 10 and now wear a dainty 11

Swelling, for me, has been gone by day #2 postpartum, but I haven't ever had a whole lot of IV fluids (one bag at most).

[beanmakes3]

I had the worst swelling w/ #1, and have it to a lesser extent this time. The swelling went down quite quickly after the birth, and I would say that my feet didn't grow in terms of size - I'm still an 8 - but did in terms of "spread." this has had the unexpected benefit of being able to fit certain styles of shoes that my feet were too thin for before.

[berkeleyp]

I had to take my rings off by 8 months or so I think with my first. I then had another pregnancy which left me considerably heavier than I had been but even after loosing all the weight, my rings still didn't fit so I had them resized. As for feet - they can grow or it could just be swelling. I can only wear flip-flops at the end of my pregnancies. Hot weather of course doesn't help. The good news though is that the swelling disappears when the baby is born. I remember looking at my feet just a few days post partem and thinking "there are MY feet". Foods that help swelling are: Grapefruit, watermelon, cucumber, parsley, and garlic I believe. That and keeping your feet elevated as often as possible should help. You're almost there anyway.

[Halfasianmomma]

Ah well, I'll have to *sacrifice myself* and get a whole bunch of new shoes once the swelling subsides postpartum DH is going to LOVE that

[kltroy]

The foot "growing" thing is actually the extra weight you're carrying around - it stretches the ligaments that hold the bones in your feet together and so they spread out.

(Incidentally, you would actually notice the same thing (feet growing) if you wore sandals all the time (which I have done for the last several years during much of the year). ...so my feet didn't actually change size at all during my pregnancies, but they did grow by a full size since college due to the sandal-wearing.)

Ok enough biomechanics geeking for me. The swelling should get better within a week or two of having the baby. I've actually been fortunate enough this time around - I only took off my wedding ring at 39+ weeks and that had more to do with it being 90 degrees out than anything else.

[Mama Poot]

It took a few weeks for my swelling to go away when I had my boys. I never swelled with Fleur, which was nice! Before I had kids I wore a size 6 shoe. Now I wear a 7, sometimes 7.5 depending on the brand-and yes the change is permanent. I'm kinda bummed because it seems like everyone on planet earth wears a 7 and its harder to find shoes that fit me now :

[kltroy]

Originally Posted by Mama Poot

I'm kinda bummed because it seems like everyone on planet earth wears a 7 and its harder to find shoes that fit me now :

HAH try wearing size 10 1/2 and THEN see what choices you have!? Nobody even carries them - they only do whole sizes once you get above size 10 : Besides, you see the display shoes out and they look so cute. Then they bring you one in a size 11 and... well, about 99% of them just look scary, not cute.

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

This is true - 11s are not cute I wear a lot of heels because I feel it makes my feet look smaller (?) fortunately dh is 6'5'.

[mousebandit]

I had lots of IV fluids in the hospital, and it took about 2 weeks, maybe a little more, before I could even put on my tennies! My feet looked like little sausages - but I also had that penicillin reaction going on.

Hang in there - the worst of it will be over soon!

Tracey Mouse