I know it's a combination of the warm weather and being 9 months pregnant, but is there anything I can do to reduce my swollen feet and ankles?

I'm spending as much time as I can with my feet up (though it's not that easy when packing up the house ready to move...) soaking them in cold water, drinking plenty of fluids - but nothing seems to make any difference :(

Anyone got any tips?

Well you can start with getting the hubby to do a bit more whilst you are in a fragile state and maybe getting your family to help out too.... being on your feet is making them swell and no 5 minute soak is going to make them feel better.

You sound delicate my love and being up at this time is not natural.... except for me.... trust me, I know.... you should be sound asleep.... you need to get everyone else to sort their priorities out and have a beautiful and blissful pregnancy.... have the kid and then you can take it all out on it when no one else is around. :) I was joking... :help:

Take some time for yourself and make others realise you need it.

hels i was the same spent my final weeks sat in the local swimming baths,was like heaven:thumbsup:

hels i was the same spent my final weeks sat in the local swimming baths,was like heaven:thumbsup:

Aww... you never asked me along. :mad:

wish I could help, but I was the same with mine. I seem to recall being 8 1/2 months gone, and on my hands and knees scrubbing the carpet with a rubber glove because the hoover had broken and was being repaired. Swollen ankles and a sore back was all I gained from that one... I was okay though - it was February, so it was just a little colder!

I suffered really badly with swelling in my first pregnancy, it started at 32 weeks and nothing i did would get rid of it, i had to call midwife one day as it got so bad you couldnt even tell i had knees and i couldnt even bend my legs it was awful, my midwife took one look at me and said you look like you have elephant legs but it was one of those things and just keep your feet up (my feet were always up i could barely walk!!!) i could have cried!!! But nothing i did made any difference. i dont know if its anything to do with the sex of your baby but i went onto have a girl with that pregnancy, i am also almost 9 months pregnant with a baby boy this time and never get to put my feet up having a toddler but i've had no swelling what-so-ever this time, i cant believe it i'm carrying totally different!!! it is nice to put your feet in cold water though in this weather, my daughters paddling pool has been a god send. Good luck with your soon to be new arrival x

Body shop cooling leg gel.

Reduce salt intake which is well known for water retention. Eat loads of fruit/veg which has stacks of natural salts, will be far better for you and have the added benefit of being more easily digestible.

Having never had babies I can't comment on specifically baby related swollen ankles but for every other sort I used to swear by support tights and ice packs for when I was on my feet constantly and suffered from puffy ankles.

Body shop cooling leg gel.

Jakeypoo's.... would you like His number Edna? Free samples.

hels, you have my sympathy. (hugs)

take heart, ducks, you've not much longer to go...

(when is your due date?)

Hiya all, well the old ankles are bigger and puffier than ever :( and i've just spent the past hour in some fascinating positions trying to paint my toenails a lovely pink (can't go into labour daaarlings with chipped nails)!

Had a couple of painful twinges earlier so I'm hoping the next day or so should see the arrival of my boy.

Unfortunately, I'm not sleeping very well at the moment. I don't sleep well at night at the best of times (I think that's partly to do with the ME). The last week or so i've been going to bed about 5am and getting up again at 7am, then maybe having an hour or so doze at odd times of the day.

Never had swollen feet like this before though, they look really wierd! :hihi:

No-one to help with the packing etc so i'm trying to get as much done as I can before my boy arrives. Hubby is busy working at the moment so that he can take a month off later.

Hi Hels -


DK Edits a previous message and adds a :wave:

Oooh might give that a try! Is it the stuff some people use for bruises too?

Look at Edna's post count.... 666.... ooerr! :hihi:

Oooh might give that a try! Is it the stuff some people use for bruises too?
Actually Hels I think I meant Horse Chestnut derived cream and that's not recommended in pregnancy
Not enough is known about how horse chestnut may affect a developing baby, a young infant, or a small child to recommend its use during pregnancy, breast-feeding, or early childhood.
From this webby. (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/PrintablePages/herbMonograph/0,11475,4024,00.html)

Silly old DK :help: <frazzled.

I am a medical student.. as said somewhere - I want to specialise in Alzheimers and am working for the vacation in an old folks' home here in Sheffield.

I do not know where I am supposed to put the introduction bit.

But anyway - I did actually listen and make notes in lectures over my course to date.


My tuppence worth of some help..

This condition is called "Odema" and caused when an abnormal amount of fluid accumulates in the body tissues. Water makes up about 60% of our body weight and is constantly flowing and exchanging between blood and tissues. Any condition upsetting this process can lead to tissue swelling.

To test for odema - press your thum hard into the swollen area for a few seconds. If odema is present then your thumb should leave itss imprint in your skin for a couple of minutes. This flattens as the liquid seeps back.

Several types of odema:

Temporary

Ever been on a long coach holiday or flight? Found your feet and ankles have swollen? Caused by stagaantion to the blood flow from sitting too long at one go. Usually subsides within 12 hours.

Time of the month ladies? Your hormones affect blood flow and some women find their ankles swell just before their period is due and then go back to normal once the their period commences.

Preganancy - the effect of hormones and weight will also be causing this condition. If you have blood in your urine and high blood pressure - PLEASE tell your doctor immediately as this may need investigating further and sooner the better.

Elderly may suffer from chronic ankle odema and they may also have shortness of breath due to fluid congestion in the lung.

Odema can also be caused by some other factors - and if the condition persists for no known reason then I can only advise to see a doctor to rule out kidney problems, reaction to any prescribed/over the counter medicine etc.

What can you do to help yourself?

To avoid the temporary condition - reduce salt intake and drink plenty of fluids. Try to move around ... rotate your legs and ankles if you can on a long coach, plane or train journey.

If chronic - keep your legs elevated. Lie down near a wall and just stretch your legs upwards - feet on the wall.

Relax and get a small pouffee and just put your feet up .. this helps the fluid flow a bit better.

Wear support tights .. lycra ones.

Try to rub your legs and ankles with that nice soothing balm you can get from places like the Body Shop and most Beauty Shops - including Boots. The English Heritage and National Trust shops even sell a lovely range of "medieval" recipe based ointments and I did find one of these worked fine for me.

Hope this helps!

Look at Edna's post count.... 666.... ooerr! :hihi:

That's not right?! There was a whole thread about my post count being 666 a few weeks ago! :suspect:

I met the four horsemen of the apocalypse years ago and they are all typical blokes.:rant: