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I gasped when I looked down at my feet. They were nearly swollen beyond recognition!
Why do pregnant women have problems with swelling?
More importantly, what are some safe ways to prevent it from happening?
Here are the 4 best natural remedies I’ve found for pregnancy swelling…
I’ve read that we accumulate 6 to 8 quarts of extra fluid during pregnancy.
That’s a lot to be sloshing around our already swollen bodies!
How To Prevent Swollen Legs & Ankles
#1 – Put your feet up.
I know, I know, you’re heard it before. It’s simply a matter of gravity!
The trick to this remedy is to put your feet up before they swell. From here on out, make it your policy never to sit with your feet on the ground.
You may not feel ladylike, but then again, what’s feminine about cankles?
#2 – Eat a banana every day.
This is my 3rd pregnancy, but I only just now learned that some pregnancy swelling can be caused by a diet low in potassium.
So eat a banana every day to increase the potassium in your diet.
#3 – Swim!
But won’t being in water make water retention worse during pregnancy?
No!
According to the Consumer Health Initiative, “Hydrostatic pressure helps distribute fluids pooled in the feet.”
#4 – Sleep on your left side.
I already knew that doctors recommend pregnant women sleep on their left side — it improves circulation from the veins to the heart.
But I didn’t know that your sleep position could affect how much your feet would swell!
According the Virtual OB-GYN, sleeping flat on your back causes leg and foot swelling — just as if you’d placed a foot on a garden hose. Hmmm!
You’ll find all kinds of natural home remedies for pregnancy swelling online, but these 4 simple steps can prevent the swelling from getting too bad in the first place.
Here’s to slim ankles and high heels in another few months, girls!
I’m a wife, mom of 4, and resident of Brentwood, Tennessee. I love finding fun new things for my family to see and do in Brentwood and the Nashville area! In addition to writing about Brentwood, I also spent a year blogging at The Fun Times Guide about my pregnancy with baby #3.
