Aaaagh- swollen ankles!

[Pinkmarshmallow]

I'm 34wks and just these last few days have noticed a big, sudden change in my ankles. The last month or so they would often get a little bit swollen, but nothing too bad or noticeable. This week, my boots no londer zip up on me my feet look soooo fat, ankles have no shape and legs look like tree trunks. OK, I always knew that this is a common preg symptom, but what I didn't know was that it can also be so PAINFUL! At night I sometimes can't sleep cos the pain in my ankles is so bad and even goes right up the legs. Any miracle cures out there from other sufferers? I am already drinking as much water as possible, try not to spend too long on my feet, do foot exercises to get circulation going, but I can't sit with my feet up on a stool cos this makes my PGP worse. Any help much appreciated.

Bumping for you. I had this with DD, my feet were like balloons so you have my sympathy. I never found a remedy at the time but perhaps someone else can help.

If it is a sudden change, get your midwife to check you out. I had swollen feet from about 18 weeks I think, and the midwives were always prodding and asking if it had always been like this at every check

The only cure I found was lying down TBH. I was in bed lying down with support stockings on for 12 hours after giving birth, and even DH noticed that I had ankles again.

Have you tried doing ankle exercises when you are sitting down - like those you do on a plane to avoid DVT etc?

You have my sympathies

Cant really offer you any help just want to offer you lots and lots of sympathy. Had really swollen ankles and legs in pregnancy, worse 2nd time round, wasnt that painful except when walking or standing. Elevated feet and everything else but nothing really helped. Heard that some people wear stockings like the ones you have to wear for surgery, but you have to be measured for these. Sorry cant be of any help, hope you feel better soon.

I naturally have very narrow feet but when pregnant with DD my feet & ankles started swelling from about half way through and by the end they were huge. Am waiting to see whether it happens again. Particularly bad if winter baby as my first was as you want to be in boots but I couldnt get any on. At least in summer you can get away with sandals so not so bad if it does. I was only able to wear 1 pair of my trainers which had velcro fastening. However they started to look like old lady ortho boots and became so misshapen that I had to throw them out once the swelling subsided post birth (took a week or so if I remember correctly). I had to buy some mens slippers as my slippers were too small. I had to leave hospital in them as by then even the misshapen trainers wouldnt go on. Kept being told to keep them elevated which didnt really help much but was difficult to do while sitting in the position I was told to for my back & pelvis pain - couldnt win. Sorry no magic solution here - just knowing sympathy. Never tried the stockings. If you have any luck with them, let us know.

I was told by my midwife yesterday that if you start to get swollen you should avoid eating salty food and drink lots of liquid. No idea if that works since I'm ok so far (28+6), but planning to try it when it happens.