Swollen ankles - please help

[tacosplease]

I’m 29+3 and my ankles have been swelling this past week, to the point where my shoes are tight and I can’t feel my ankle bones!

I had my blood pressure and wee sample checked a week ago by the midwife. All was fine apart from they did detect a trace of sugar in my wee.

Is there anything I can do to reduce the swelling? I don’t drink a lot of liquid (I never have done to be honest) so that could be a factor. If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know!

I didn't experience a lot of this but when I did it was because I'd been on them or sat still for a long time.

Definitely try and drink more as that will help, also walk around whenever you can and when you're sat down roll your ankles, a bit like they say for a plane! When you get home don't try and do too much either, if you can put them up for a bit to take some strain off them

Thanks. I have a really sedentary job and barely move during the day. I wonder if that’s a factor? I’ve never had an issue before pregnancy though?

Speak to the midwife asap. It could be a sign of something like pre-eclampsia.

Make sure your legs are raised, and drink more fluid.

Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you. It probably isn't but get it checked out asap, just in case.

I've had horrendously fat feet since 32 weeks and nothing I do helped. No other signs of pre-eclampsia, so it's just a shitty pregnancy symptom.

I have ended up embracing the fatness and buying a cheap pair of converse rip offs from Sainsburys for £9 in the next size up.

Be kind to your flippers. You will feel so much better once you just accept (took me a while!) them as a way of life until your bundle gets here.

Firstly, let your midwife know so just so they can be extra cautious about monitoring you for pre eclampsia. Secondly, this does happen a lot and it's alarming but one of the joys of being pregnant :)

If you’re sitting still, keep your feet elevated (ideally above the level of your heart, but that’s difficult while sitting at a desk!) Take a foot stool or one of those desk hammocks to keep your feet up in work.

Try and get up for a walk every 2 hours - 10 mins is fine with a 30 min walk twice daily if you can

These things will help, but unlikely to completely solve it as it’s just another joy of pregnancy! I see you’ve already been checked for pre eclampsia, so don’t worry about that unless you start getting headaches, visual disturbance or upper abdominal pain

Thanks all - urgh, what a horrible side effect!

I have terrible swollen ankles and feet op I see a big difference when I put my feet up at the end of the day and the swelling goes right down.

My ankles used to swell up in the afternoons at work. It was summer and I had a desk job. If I took my shoes off, I'd struggle to get them back on.

I ended up living in comfortable, very unsexy sandals. And my feet stayed a size bigger, although that probably isn't what you want to hear (I never really lost my baby weight though).

The best thing I can suggest is new shoes, getting up and walking around when you can, and definitely try to drink plenty of water.

So yesterday I drank more water, massaged my feet, did foot exercises, had a soak in the bath and elevated my feet using pillows overnight - and they’re slightly better this morning. I can feel my ankles again at least!

You can also use compression socks to help

I just wanted to update this thread for anyone else suffering from swollen ankles.

I had a long soak in the bath using Epsom salts and today my ankles are completely back to normal. It’s a miracle!