Any cure for elephant ankles?

[herbaceous]

Hello there

Am currently 30 weeks pregnant, and feeling pretty good. Apart from a spot of SPD. And my VAST ANKLES.

They've never been the slenderest, well-turned of joints, but now by the end of the day they bulge over the sides of my shoes. Not painful, but so damned ugly. They're OK in the mornings, so don't think they're anything to worry about

I had been looking forward to wearing floaty dresses and bare legs for the last two months of the pregnancy, but my lower limbs are so repellent, I'm going to hve to wear floor-length kaftans or stay indoors.

Is there a safe thing to take to drain them out a bit?

keep them elevated as much as poss. get someone to massage feet and bloaty bits. good luck

Trouble is, I work in an office, sat on my arse all day, and there isn't really anywhere to put them up. As for massaging, I doubt I'd get DP anywhere near them. He finds them almost as repulsive as I do...

You must get up and walk about every hour at least. Also, you need to elevate you legs at least during your coffee break and lunch break.

Sitting at a desk all day increases the risk of DVT, even for people who are not pregnant.

Ankle and leg exercises can help, and will improve the collection and return of the excess fluid building up in your ankles.

I can sympathise as this happened to me too. Sitting with my feet up, massage and reflexology all helped, but really the only thing to do is to wait it out.

But do try and rest with your feet up as much as possible - I was told this and was completely unable to do it - I'm always pottering about. But it was brought home to me that it would have been better to rest, because just after the birth I was confined to bed for 12 hours after a C-section, and lo and behold, after 12 hours immobile and finally having had the baby at 40+13, I had my ankles back. Was amazing to see bones again in my feet!

You could also try some support tights / stockings as they might help to reduce the swelling a bit - I think you can buy pregnancy ones but haven't time to google it I'm afraid.

HTH

I had the same the first time round and its come back to haunt me again!!! AWFUL! I affectionately call them my CLUMPS! last time they took about 3 months to go away after the birth, and this time round they reappeared almost as soon as i found out i was pregnant!

Its all well and good thinking you will elevate them, but nowt seems to work, i even wake up with them the same. Bed time is hilarious, with my feet elevated on cushions, a cushion placed between my legs and my splints on my hands for my carpal tunnel!

Think DH wonders where is beautiful sexy attractive (slightly building myself up here) woman has gone!! Someone stole her and replaced her with Nellie the Elephant! Chin up all Clumpettes! xxxxxx

Massage definitely helps - I used to just stick them on DP's lap so he had no choice! I also used to put them in warm water with some geranium oil, which helped a bit.

Have your feet swollen too? If so beware - as eight months on I have lost all my pregnancy weight but my feet are still a size bigger. I have had to give away some of my favourite shoes.