Very achey feet, what can I do?

[catsofa]

My feet are so achey, I desperately want someone to rub them for me but DP lives miles away and can't be here with me until we have a date for our house move, which will be another two or three weeks.

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and have arthritis in my feet. I can't actually reach my own feet much any more let alone rub them, so I just decided to get a proper foot spa with bubbles which I'm sure would feel great.

Then I looked at a foot spa online and read the warning on it that it should not be used in pregnancy! Can all foot spas not be used in pregnancy? Why not?!?

What else can I possibly do to soothe my poor feet? I can't really afford to pay someone to massage them, and I really need something I can do every evening on my own when they hurt the most. Any suggestions anyone?

Does some sort of vibrating pad thing exist?

Nobody?

Hello. I didn't want to leave you with no responses but I don't actually have any advice for you but plenty of sympathy.

It does seem an odd restriction to me though. Hopefully someone with more knowledge could offer you an explanation soon.

What about just soaking your feel in large washing up bowl with a towel folded into the base so it can cushion your feet and relieve some of the pain/pressure.

I don't know about the foot spa thing but when I was getting big & still on my feet all day I found drinking lots and LOTS of water made a real difference.

Thanks folks. Feet just in water probably would help a bit but I still sit there wishing I could give them a bit of a rub too.

I can't work out what is actually supposed to be wrong with foot spas, apart from some comments on forums about it potentially stimulating a reflexology spot that may start labour. Is reflexology woo or real? How on earth can I find out how big a risk it is?

Good hydration is always a good idea, it can sort out loads of things. I drink loads and loads through the day already so pretty sure I'm getting enough - water and roiboosh tea, which I've developed a real "thing" for!

What about those massage roller things? The kind that have bobbles all over them, I've seen both ball versions and rolling versions meant for your back... Could you get a couple, chuck them on the floor and roll them with your feet? That followed by a warm water soak sounds pretty good to me x

That's a good idea, I've got a wooden roller thing that looks a bit like a baby's rattle, but it's hand held so I can't reach with it any more, I need one that goes on the floor.

Anyway I went out and bought a foot spa today, this one said "check with your doctor if you are pregnant" rather than "do not use if pregnant" so it's probably fine... (Is this denial, like a woman smoking only cigarettes with the "can damage your sperm" warnings?!?)

Oh well. Could not handle not having one any longer, it was becoming all I could think about. Had a nice soak in it this evening, have at least stopped thinking about it for now.

Hmm they do say not to use foot spas or to massage the feet too much when pregnant. Something to do with applying pressure to certain points which may cause uterine contractions? Not sure how true it is really.

The best thing I found for sore hot feet was some peppermint foot solution from boots in a basin with cold water. I would sit and soak my feet in there whilst watching telly. Then some peppermint mousturiser on top.

They say all sorts of things, I'm getting a bit sick of being told I can't do things because mumble mumble...

I want to know what the actual risks are so I can decide for myself if they apply to me, or if they're based on pseudoscience, or if the potential risks are outweighed in my case by the benefits.

E.g. If my energy chakras are going to be damaged by a foot spa stimulating the virgo area of my left pinky toenail then I'll take the risk of that to get some relief from the stress and pain of arthritis, please!

But if 1 in 5 pregnant women using a foot spa at 33 weeks goes into labour there and then, I will avoid . Just want some actual information.

Soaking on its own is pretty good, but I'm also desperate for a bit of massage - it's maybe 50% more effective for the pain. Lotions sound lovely but the real benefit would be from rubbing them in i.e. massage, and I just can't reach!