Pregnancy is a magical time of a woman’s life. A woman goes through many health obstacles while waiting eagerly for a bundle of joy that is a baby.
A woman experiences rapid changes in the body, and many of them are discomforting and unwanted such as swollen feet.
Causes of Swollen Feet During Pregnancy?
Table of Contents
Well, swelling does not occur in feet during early pregnancy. It happens in the later trimester.
First trimester
The rapid increase of progesterone hormone slows down digestion. It can lead to abdominal bloating before the baby bump is visible. You may see some puffiness in feet and hands, but not much. If you see more swelling in the early stage of pregnancy with symptoms like bleeding, headache, and dizziness, it is good to call your doctor.
Second trimester
The second trimester starts with week 13 of pregnancy that is after the 4th month. It is not common to notice swollen feet around the 5th month of pregnancy, especially if the weather is hot or you are using your feet more.
This swelling occurs because of raising blood and fluid volume in the body. Your blood volume rises by 50% during pregnancy, which is paired with extra hormonal fluid retention.
While it may make your shoes and rings snug, all this extra fluid helps to soften the body and prepare it for giving birth. Rest assured, the extra fluid will rapidly lower in the weeks and days after your baby is born.
Third trimester
Begin with week 28 of Pregnancy. The 3rd trimester is the initial time of Pregnancy to see swollen feet. You will notice swollen feet near the 40th week. Your toes are more likely to resemble some sausages than anything else, and yes motherhood time is glamorous.
Your body is continuing to develop its fluids and blood supply, which can lead to swelling.
The uterus also feels heavier as the baby grows, which can lower blood flow from the legs back to the heart. Do not worry, this is not harmful but uncomfortable.
Other factors that then lead to ballooning feet include:
hot weather
caffeine intake
dieter
When to see a doctor
Swollen feet are a very common part of pregnancy. Some time swollen feet are a sign of hard work your body does to grow that new baby.
However, swollen feet can sometimes also indicate a serious problem. One of these problems is preeclampsia. It is a condition that can grow during pregnancy and causes harmful High blood pressure.
Call your doctor if you see:
Swelling that dramatically gets worse
Sudden swelling in feet, hand around eyes or face
Blurred vision or dizziness
Confusion
a severe headache
difficulty breathing
If you see swelling in just one leg that is also accompanied by redness, or heat, which could mean deep vein thrombosis. A DVT is a blood clot, commonly in the leg. It is important to call the physician if you see signs like blood clots.
How to get relief
While swollen feet may or may not have pain, they can be uncomfortable.
However, you can manage symptoms in simple ways during pregnancy. They may involve a cold drink, snacks, massage, swimming, and shoe changing.
Reduce sodium Consumption
Limiting your sodium is the best way to lower swelling during pregnancy. Eating more salt causes to hold more water in the body.
Try to skip processed or canned foods, as these foods contain high sodium. Also, try not to add extra table salt to your food.
Adding Savory herbs like thyme, rosemary, and Oregano is one easy way to include flavor in recipes without additional salt.
Increase potassium intake
Not having enough potassium can also make the swelling condition worse. Potassium helps your body to balance the fluids to hold it.
Your prenatal vitamins should get extra potassium for you, but it is also necessary to eat from healthy sources of dietary potassium.
What food you eat containing naturally high potassium:
- Banana
- Spinach
- potatoes with the skin on
- sweet potatoes (also with the skin)
- Lentils
- Salmon
- Beets
- Yogurt
- Fruit juices
- Beans
- Carrot
- Pomegranate
- Prune
- Passionate fruit
Reduce Caffeine Intake
Occasional caffeine consumption during pregnancy is not harmful. High caffeine intake is not considered best for a baby. It can also increase swelling.
Caffeine is a diuretic, which causes to increase in urine and then makes the body assume hold more fluid. Try a decaf coffee with herbal tea or milk such as peppermint to boost energy.
Drink More Water
Drinking enough water also helps to lower swelling. If your body gets a dehydration signal, it will hold on to even extra fluid to manage.
Therefore, drink at least 10-glasses of water every day to manage to flush out toxins from the kidneys and keep the body hydrated.
If it feels daunting to consume more water, try getting enough water or keep the bottle to prevent forgetting to drink water. You can also flavor your water with mint, lemon, and berries to enjoy more.
Elevate your feet and rest
Even though you have many things to complete before your baby arrives, try to sit and keep your feet up whenever possible. While sitting all the time is also not healthy for circulation, standing all the time is difficult for the pregnant body. Sitting with your feet elevated for some time helps to remove fluids that are pooling in the legs during the day.
Wear Comfortable Clothing
Wearing tight clothes around the waist, wrist, and ankles can increase swelling. Loose clothes help to keep going the blood circulation. Try to wear loose and comfortable clothes and also avoid tight elastic bands. Wear maternity maxi dresses in the summer season, sweaters, or flowy cardigans in winter for comfort.
Stay cool
During pregnancy, it is important to keep yourself cool and calm. Staying indoors during the summer season is best to prevent heat. Also, skip a vigorous workout to lower swelling. You can also wear cool clothing, keep cold compresses on your feet or use a fan nearby.
Wear Waist-High-Compression-Stockings
If you are feeling persistently swollen feet or have to be over your feet all the time, you can try wearing waist-high-compression stockings.
These stockings smoothly squeeze your legs and feet to help circulate fluid. Try to skip the knee-high compression stockings, as they may be tighter in the middle of the leg and increase swelling.
Walk
Going for even 5-or 10-minute several times each day can assist with working on your course, which lessens swelling.
It can likewise be a decent break in your day, and it’s an extraordinary way of getting pregnancy-safe exercise.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Must and should avoid high heels during late pregnancy. Take a break from high heels and wear comfortable or orthotic, well-fitting shoes is important to lower foot swelling, also stop back and hip problems that can increase your center of gravity shifts and increase weight.
Additionally, swelling, the ligaments in the body, including feet, try stretching during pregnancy so that your feet may change size. Some female feet return to their previous size, but different females find that their feet are permanently a half size or more.
Swim
There is no research showing that water pressure lowers swelling during pregnancy. The different female does get relief from swelling when they spend time in the pool.
Try swimming or standing in a pool where the deep water is almost up to the neck. At the very least, you will experience cooler, lighter, and get some exercise. You may also see your legs and feet are less swollen.
Get A Massage
Massage helps to circulate the fluids that tend to build up in the feet, which will in turn lowering swelling. So grasp your water bottle, hold your feet up and ask your partner to massage your feet. Adding some lavender or peppermint essential oil can make this more relaxing.
If you are nowhere close to the due date, to be safe you will wish to get your partner to skip firm pressure over some acupressure points that are linked with uterine contractions. I will reduce swelling and relieve the stress of pregnancy.
Sleep On Your Left Side
Sleeping upon your left side when probable can increase blood flow, which decreases swelling of the feet. Lying on your left side takes the pressure of your uterus off of the inferior vena cava, which is the large blood vessel that returns blood to your heart.
Home Remedies For Swollen Feet
Epsom Salt
What You Need
1/2 cup Epsom salt
Warm water
A bucket or tub
Note:
According to the level of swelling, you could add 2-cups of Epsom salt in every bath.
How to use it?
- Take a suitable size bucket and fill warm water.
- Add salt and mix
- Immerse your feet in saline solution for 10-15 minutes.
- You can also add normal salt instead of Epsom salt.
How often should you try this
You can try this whenever you get swelling. It is done best at night before sleeping.
Epsom salt consists of a crystal of hydrated magnesium sulphate that helps to treat tired and swollen feet.
Tonic Water
For those women in the dark medical age, tonic water is carbonated water added by some quinine. Initially utilized as a treatment for malaria, tonic water is also the best way to lower the swelling of the feet. The quinine acts as anti-inflammatory properties, and the fizz in the carbonated water is the best relaxant.
What You Need
Tonic water
A tub
How to use it?
Fill your tub with sufficient water to soak your feet. The tonic water should be at room temperature.
Dip the affected foot in this water for 10-15 minutes.
Wash the part using normal water later
How often Should You Use it?
Use this if getting feet swelling, and keep tonic Water handy at your home.
Contrast Baths
It is another way to reduce foot swelling and utilize the easiest of every medium water. One of the natural treatments for swollen feet. The different temperatures of water work by improving better mood circulation in the feet.
You Will Need
- Coldwater
- Hot water
- 2-buckets
What You Have To Do
Add hot water in a bucket and half cold water.
Soak your leg in the warm water for 10-minutes.
Switch to the cold water for 10-12 minutes.
Again, put feet in hot water one last time. This time soak your feet for 5-minutes.
How many times should you use it?
Use a single routine for contrast bath to get relief from swelling.
Lemon Solution
You Will Need
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1-teaspoon lemon juice
1-teaspoon milk
1-teaspoon olive oil
How to use it
Combine the ingredients to get a liquid paste.
Apply it all over swollen feet.
This remedy is best applied overnight on swollen feet.
How many times you can use it?
Do this before sleeping and see swelling-free feet in the morning.
Why This Works
Normally lemon is utilized both externally and internally for its anti-inflammatory properties. Cinnamon and olive oil also help in decreasing swelling as they continue the same properties as lemon.
Olive oil will also nourish the feet’ skin and make it soft. Your feet will soak up all beneficial ingredients, and you will see no stiffness and swelling the next morning.
Apple Cider Vinegar
This remedy seems strange, but it provides good relief to swollen ankles and feet. The vinegar has adequate fluid absorption, which eliminates fluid accumulation. Once the extra fluid gets drained, the swelling and stiffness will go. It is best for the swollen ankle.
You Will Need
2-3 cups warm water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 cups cold water
A towel
How to use it?
Mix warm water and a half cup of apple cider vinegar in separate bowls.
Soak the towel in warm water first, remove it extra, and wrap this around your swollen foot.
Put the towel on until it gets down to room temperature.
Repeat the wrap using cold water with vinegar. Keep this wrap for 5-minutes.
How many times should you do it?
You can do this process once again after some time of swelling.
Parsley
If fluid retention is the reason behind swollen feet, you can bust it with parsley herb. Parsley is a natural diuretic, which will benefit the body to remove the excess fluid, which accumulate in your feet. Parsley also gives anti-inflammatory properties.
You Will Need
A cup of hot water
1-tablespoon dried parsley leaves
How to use it?
Include parsley leaves in hot water for some time
Strain and consume warm tea
How many times you should use it?
Consume 2-3 cups of herbal tea in a day.
Barley Water
It may not taste good, but this mixture is the best diuretic. Barley helps the body to remove toxins that increase fluid retention and get down edema in the feet
You Will Need
1-2 cups water
A handful of barley grains
How to use it?
Boil Barley till the water forms a light brown hue.
Strain and cool down this solution.
Have it at room temperature or after cooling in the refrigerator.
How often should you use it?
Take 1-2 glasses every day.
Baking Soda
It is a simple, unassuming ingredient that has different remedial benefits. The baking soda in this mix has anti-inflammatory properties. In combination with the rice water, it helps to absorb the extra water that gets accumulated in the feet. This remedy also enhances blood circulation in the affected part.
You Will Need
- 2-teaspoons rice water
- 2-teaspoons baking soda
What Do You Have To Do?
Boil rice and utilize the starchy water that you have once the rice is getting cooked.
Mix the baking soda with the rice water to prepare a paste.
Use it on your feet and let it for 10-15 minutes.
Wash your feet with water and moisturize them to make them soft.
You can also take a high quantity of this paste and add some water in it to soak your feet in it.
How many times should you use it?
Utilize this paste as a quick remedy to lower the swelling in the feet.
Coriander Seeds
Coriander is another diuretic; it will help to remove extra fluid from swollen feet. The edema will go down once it happens and provide you relief.
You Will Need
1-cup water
3-tablespoons coriander seeds
How to use it?
Boil the seeds in water till they are lower to half of their previous volume.
Strain and consume this infusion.
You can also soak the coriander seeds in warm water for some time and grind them to prepare a paste. Apply this paste over the impacted area for some time, and check the swelling is reduced or not.
How many times should you do this?
Consume this two times a day
Cabbage Leave
It is also the best remedy for swollen feet. Cabbage is the best water absorber and removes extra fluid from feet. It also has healing and anti-inflammatory properties.
What you need
White or green cabbage
Bandage
How to use it?
Take cabbage leaves, clean them but don’t wash them. You may feel more relief if the leaves have been cooled in the fridge but not frozen.
Keep them over your feet or tie them with a loose bandage.
Remove the leaves after 30 minutes.
How many times should you use it?
Use it once in 3-4 hours if needed.
Cucumber
Cucumber is popular for soothing. It reduces edema and stiffness to relieve swollen feet.
You Will Need
Bandage
A cucumber
What You Need To Do
Make thin slices of cucumber.
Keep these slices over feet and cover them with a comfortable bandage.
Remove the bandage after 20-30 minutes and notice the difference
You can also take the cucumber juice and add in water to apply on your feet to get the same results.
How Many Times Should You Use It?
You can utilize this remedy any time you get swollen feet.
Dandelion Tea
It is an amazing herb for swollen feet. Dandelion provides water expulsive properties and rich antioxidants.
What You Need?
A cup of boiling water
1-tablespoon dandelion herb
How To Use It?
Prepare Dandelion tea from boiling the herb in water. Let it steep for some time.
Drinking it warm helps to provide more effects.
How many times you can use this?
Consume 1-2 cups every day till you get relief from foot edema.
Ice Pack
An ice pack is always helpful for lowering swelling. The cold temperature of the ice pack changes the blood flow, which lowers pain and swelling.
What You Will Need
Ice pack
How to use it?
Keep the ice pack for 10-12 minutes on the swollen area.
If you do not have an ice pack at home, try using some ice cubes and one wet towel.
Keep the cubes over the towel, wrap them around.
How Many Times Should You Use It?
Do it again after some time if the swelling does not reduce.
Grapefruit Oil
This essential oil is an amazing anti-inflammatory agent due to its diuretic properties. It also holds antimicrobial properties.
You Will Need
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 drops grapefruit oil
How to use it?
Mix everything and massage the influenced part with the mixture.
Leave it on overnight.
How Many Times Should You Use It?
Repeat this remedy every night until the swelling is lower.
Essential Oil Soak
Essential oil is best relieving mind and body pain. The combination of essential oils utilized in this remedy also acts as a natural relaxant from its beautiful aroma.
You Will Need
- 3-4 drops peppermint oil
- 3-4 drops of eucalyptus oil
- ½ bucket warm water
- 3-4 drops lemon essential oil
What You Have to Do
Add some essential oil to the water and mix well. You can include half cup to two cups of Epsom salts to the soak to raise anti-inflammatory effects.
Soak your feet in this blend for 15-minutes.
Take out your feet from the water and pat them dry.
How many times should you use it?
Do this remedy one time daily until the swelling goes away.
Ginger Essential Oil
This oil consists of ginger benefits without the sting. Ginger naturally provides anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to increase circulation and eases the cramping occurred by swollen feet.
You Will Need
2-3 drop of ginger essential oil
1-2 tablespoons of carrier oil like jojoba oil, olive oil, or coconut oil
How to use it
Combine all the essential oil and carrier oil.
Massage your feet slowly with this oil blend for 5-10 minute
Leave this oil overnight
How many times should you do this?
Do this before sleeping.
Most of all these home remedies might work for you. However, merely utilizing these remedies is not enough. Try giving ample rest to feet to lower swelling. If you do not take enough care, you might experience painful cramps and edema in the legs and knees.