Ugh, hideously swollen legs & feet - any ideas for relief?

[MummyMellie]

Been to consultant today for check up and they don't think it is anything worrying, although they are running a few tests just to make sure. However, am so uncomfortable - can't bend feet, keeping me awake at night as so hot and swollen etc etc, and they don't go down at night any more. Anyone got any super ideas or remedies - I can't reach them to massage them!!!

Oh I sypathise. I was very swollen when pregnant. I did try a leg spray (I bought it in Boots) that was cooling and made me feel a bit better. I'll see if I can find a link...

this one sounds nice but it wasn't the exact one I used

this is the one I had

Go for a walk. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it worked for me.

When I was heavily pg with no3, and suffering from swollen legs (exactly as you describe), my friends arranged a day when they did all the school runs for me so that I could rest. By the evening my legs were so badly swollen that my calves filled my bootcut flares. When dh got home I managed to squeeze my feet into unlaced trainers and went for a very slow walk. Within 15mins I was able to lace up my trainers, and by the time I got home about 20mins after that my legs were back to normal too, tho till slightly swollen compared with non-pg.

Lesson learned: I had to go for a walk several times a day.

I slept on my side, with a thin cusion under my lower leg, and a fat cusion between my legs, and kept the fat cushion in place when I rolled over.

While watching TV in the evening, I would get dh to stroke my legs upwards from feet to thighs, to try and help the oedema disperse.

Only real relief is to give birth!

Yes cusions at night is a good idea. I had a big cushion from Ikea, a fairly firm one, and I put it at the end of my bed so it lifted both feet up and that provided some relief.

I have this now, Im 38+4. I had it a lot worse when I was pg with dd though.

The best thing you can do is keep your legs raised as much as poss. I used to put a flannel on my feet at night that had been in cold water - That was heaven!

Mine took a few weeks to go after the birth of my dd.

Try acupuncture if you can.

My ankles went back to pre-pregnancy size overnight, and haven't swollen again (a week after the treatment).

Ooh, that sounds interesting! I can't do much in the way of walking / exercise as am on crutches with SPD, but acupuncture sounds like a good plan. Maybe even a good massage from DH would help if I could just persuade him!!

Ugh. You poor thing, MM, swollen legs and SPD. I imagine that the swollen legs is made worse by the lack of mobility due to the SPD. I had SPD in my 2nd pgcy, was lucky enough to escape it in my 3rd. Tho I suspect that that may partly be because I expected it to happen again and therefore was very cautious from day one about being imbalanced.

Can you swim? Or even just hold some floats under your arms and 'walk' or 'cycle' in water out of your depth? Exercise in water is hugely helpful for both SPD and swollen legs.

Hi PrettyCandles, Very heartened to hear you managed to avoid SPD for your 3rd pg, I had it for DS1, but is now much worse with pg 2- so bad that some days I can't breathe without being almost in tears! Not planning DC3 anytime soon, but nice to know that it might be possible one day rather than a definate no-no.
Swimming sounds like a great idea, although the only trouble is am pretty much housebound at the mo, will look into it though, legs still look like something out of scary propaganda film of some sort!!