Laylah
Silver Member
Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 178
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 Posted: 08/17/06 - 07:32 Post subject: |
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Hello, don’t worry about it, some swelling is normal during pregnancy especially in the second and third trimester. The reason the swelling occurs is because the uterus is putting extra pressure on the veins that carry the blood and slow down circulation. The blood back ups in the legs and moves to the tissues of feet and ankles instead of staying in the veins.
There are a few things you can do to avoid and get rid of the swelling: lie on the left side, this reduces edema (the swelling), keep your legs up whenever you have the possibility, go for a swim as cold water should improve circulation and water pressure should force the blood from the tissues to the veins, go for regular walks, eat healthy, don’t eat salty food nor spicy. When you are sitting, you should stretch your legs as often as possible, wear comfortable shoes, make breaks from prolonged sitting or standing, and drink a lot of water. All these tips combined should do the trick and help you reduce the swelling.
The swelling will disappear once you gave birth, you will be probably sweating more and have frequent needs for urination.
However, if the swelling starts increasing fast, if you start experiencing headaches and high blood pressure, you should see a doctor as it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a dangerous condition in pregnancy that asks for medical help. |
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