Reducing the Swelling of your Body during Pregnancy

The unnatural swelling that you may experience during pregnancy could shock you and make you panic. But the truth is that it is very common, and can happen to all.

Swelling is a common medical condition experienced during pregnancy that has almost all pregnant women frowning at. The biggest contributing factor to this build-up of water during pregnancy is because the tide of hormones that makes pregnant women retain more water than usual, which leads to uncomfortable swelling. Pregnant women may experience swelling in the legs, ankles, face, hands and feet and they tend to experience this affliction when they are close to the fifth month of pregnancy. Even though the swelling is majorly because of internal sources, the cause could be external as well. Below are some ways in which you can reduce swelling during pregnancy.

Reduce Salt Intake

Limit salt intake from your diet by either reducing the amount of salt you add while cooking or reducing the amount of consumption of salty foods during pregnancy. Salt triggers the body to retain more water, causing the limbs to swell. Pregnant women must avoid junk food as they especially have a lot of salt in them. Also what need to be avoided are overly processed foods.

Drink Lots of Water

Pledge to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. This goes for everybody irrespective of whether one is pregnant or not. While it may sound counterproductive to have more water when it is the fluid itself that causes the limbs to swell, the irony is that drinking lots of water actually eases retention.

Perform Light Exercises Regularly

Exercising is your best friend to keep the blood circulation going. Make sure you engage in light exercises from time to time such as standing up and walking after you have been sitting for over an hour. By walking you would prevent the blood from circulating and making it get worse. Perform water aerobics as this will kick your heart rate to a blissful high and cool your body as well. What is appalling about water aerobics is that most doctor’s approve it and even more recommend it.

Give your Feet the Rest they Need

Ensure that when you sitting, you have your feet placed above your waist by resting them on a footrest or table. Gravity leads the blood to rush to the feet and legs, causing throbbing. Avoid standing for more than 10 to 20 minutes at a stretch.

Stay away from Sun as much as Possible

Exposure to heat aggravates swelling and therefore, the best thing to do to reduce it is to stay in a cool and dry environment. Immerse yourself in a cool pool and relax with a book on baby names perhaps. Remember to stay in a shady place. If any part of your body has swollen to the extremes, use a cold compressor on the area for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce the alleviating pain and swelling.

Cover yourself Comfortably

Since swelling of feet is inevitable, make sure you gather a collectible of comfortable shoes that will stretch to accommodate your swelling feet. Strictly avoid sporting high heels and other formal types of footwear that are not so common with those who are comfort dwellers. The shoes you sport must be breathable sneakers or running shoes with insoles upon putting which all you would need is a blanket to snuggle in. Put stockings and socks that squeeze the calves or ankles at the most avoided corner of your cupboard at least for the rest of the months ahead. These will inflame the sensitive areas and worsen the swelling.

You could reduce your swelling by eating foods that are high in potassium, such as bananas, and also by avoiding caffeine. Consult a doctor regarding the same.

Read more articles on Problems during Pregnancy