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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Ultra tight skin on swelling legs - any suggestions for relief?!

7 replies

Tummum · 09/04/2009 22:13

I'm 37 wks with LO3 and really suffering with odema. Has anyone any suggestions (other than put my feet up which I am trying, as far as I can with 2DCs, and is not helping !)

TIA

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 09/04/2009 22:16

Have they checked your urine for protein? Any headaches?

Tummum · 09/04/2009 22:24

Fluffy Thanks for the concern - I was checked every couple of days a few weeks ago with BP creeping up but no trace of protein so MW doesn't seem to be worried about PE. So just the nasty swollen legs to contend with !!!

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littlelamb · 09/04/2009 22:27

O goodness, I remember this feeling so well and I gave birth 10 months ago! The best thing I found was a peppermint leg gel from the bodyshop. I used to bribe dd to rub it on while I sat on the sofa with my feet on the birth ball It was the only thing that gave relief from that 'saussage about to burst its skin' feeling

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 09/04/2009 22:27

Pregnancy puts a huge strain on the kidneys, elevating them is your best bet, raise them to above the level of your heart? The GP may be able to give you something to help. The tissues inside are filling with fluid and your skin can't stretch enough to keep up.
I would get the BP checked again, contact your midwife if you are concerned.

lanismum · 09/04/2009 23:08

Poor you, I had this with dd1 and 2, did have PE with dd1, and the swelling was above my knees the only thing that gave any relief was sitting with my feet up with damp (sometimes wet!) teatowels/flannels laid on my legs and feet, I swear I actually heard sizzling when they went on!!

ilovemyoboe · 11/04/2009 14:02

Hello Tummum,

Much sympathy - I know how you feel. I'm 38weeks and my feet are huge, as are my calves and it's just made it above my knees. My feet feel like they're about to explode at times

When the skin gets really itchy and tight, I've found the best thing that helps me is aloe vera gel. Don't use creams, there's something in them that can irritate. Holland and Barrett have the 99.9% aloe vera gel on sale at the moment, reduced by £2 a tube. Get a couple! Put it in the fridge and then its nice and cool when you put it on. I find that takes the worst of the tightness out as it keeps my skin moisturised without irritating.

In terms of the heat, this might sound a bit odd, but what worked for me was hypnosis. I have a friend who is a clinical hypnotist who I'd been seeing for other issues, and then we got into some birth preparation hypnosis too. She did a bit in a session with me that I can keep 'renewing' and ever since then my feet have usually been cool to the touch, or maybe slightly warm, but not the burning hot they were before. It was a similar sort of method that is used when using hypnosis for anaesthesia, apparently.

Just saw my midwife this morning, and the only thing she could suggest that might help the circulation and reduce swelling is perhaps talking to a reflexologist or acupuncturist. Not sure on that. Think I'll have another chat with my hypnotist friend and see if there's anything she could do to help with fluid drainage from the legs.

At night, I have a bucket of cold water next to the bed, and dunk my feet in there when the tingling/tickly/itching feeling is keeping me awake. It's a nuisance but at least it means I can get back to sleep. Raising my feet above heart level does help a bit but it's so uncomfortable lying on my back that I don't tend to do that much. Was very breathless after doing it yesterday.

Tummum · 13/04/2009 20:36

Thank you all for your suggestions - I'm getting quite nasty pains in my kidney area too so I'll visit the MW tomorrow for some advice, and pick up some AV gel on my way back.

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