ah-ha, vulva varicose veins!

[DizzyKipper]

So it took me about 7 weeks of aching and pain to actually look down below and what did I see, a big, mutated purple thing! Midwife has confirmed it's vulva varicose veins and there's nowt I can do about it. So that explains all this pain.

Anyone else in the same boat? It'd be nice to know I'm not the only pregnant lady walking about with the most hideous undercarriage you could imagine.

Pregnancy really is the gift that keeps on giving...

I'm fairly sure I have one of these beauties lurking but as I can't actually see it without a complex system of mirrors and pulleys I shall remain slightly in denial.

I had these, they were horrible and itchy. Luckily I could only see them with a mirror.

I seem to remember that a cold compress like a flannel is nice but didn't find any other solutions.

that sounds like a good plan, probably for the best. I've always known I was swollen down there, I'd just never bothered to look until last night whilst trying to 'smarten' myself up.

I know your pain! Twin pregnancy was horrendous that way. I got zero sympathy from medical staff too.

I thought there would be no way the babies would ever get out naturally as I felt so swollen up! . However, apologies for TMI, it didn't make any difference to the delivery. It was fine.