swelling

I am only 18 weeks pregnant. I am starting to swell already really badly in my ankles and legs. I am kind of concerned b/c with my last pregnancy I gained about 40 pounds the last 2 weeks pregnant of water weight. It almost killed me. I was swollen all over. I am wondering what to do to help the swelling. I am already drinking lots and lots of water and I keep my legs elevated while I sleep. Any other advice would be helpful. Also did anyone else have swelling this soon? I thought that swelling came during the last trisemester.

 

A few things I have heard helps with swelling is watermelon, and lemon water. Other than that I don't know what you should do, since your already drinking lots of water and resting quite a bit.
Just ask your dr. the next time you see him/her.

Juli

 

I always had swelling during my last trimester. I started swelling off and on at about 20 weeks. But as soon as it got warm here, I really started swelling (24weeks or so). Now, my ankles are gone! I sleep with my legs elevated as well which helps a little. BUT, if you can get into cool water, that REALLY helps. With my third pregnancy, I went and bought a kiddy pool to soak in. LOL I remember dumping ice into it after the sun had warmed up the water. We have a pool now and that is even better, because you can actually move around and do some exercising.

Always check with your doctor about any kind of swelling. But swelling in the lower extremities is usually normal. If your hands and face swell and you have a headache, see your doctor immediately.

 

Oh honey...gosh I know EXACTLY what you feel like. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw my own ankles and feet at about 20-25 wks and beyond. They reminded me of Fred Flinstone feet :lol: Mine were really bad. I had to buy new shoes because nothing fit. But, my doctor just said to keep my feet up (like on an ottoman or whatever) as much as possible and drink lots of water. It helped somewhat, especially if I had kept my feet up for a long period of time. And contrary to my belief, the swelling doesn't automatically go away after you give birth. <_< It took several weeks and I finally saw my ole feet and ankles again!

 

So sorry to hear you're dealing with this so early on! It hit me pretty early, too... this is my first pregnancy and my doctor said that it's just one of those lovely "twin pregnancy" side effects. Beyond the other great recommendations already mentioned, they told me to soak, completely immersed up to my neck, in either a large tub or a pool (I live in AZ, so lots of people here have pools) for an hour everyday. He said it can take a couple of weeks for this to help, but over time, it should help... he said they don't quite know why, but they think it helps push fluids back into the blood stream, and then the kidneys can flush out the excess. I have been soaking as much as I can, and I must admit that while I still swell I am not as miserable as I was a couple of months ago.

Another suggestion that may help is to drink cranberry juice... again, I was told this helps the kidneys to flush out the excess fluids.

Hang in there... hope you feel better soon!!

 

Sorry to hear about the swelling (I didn't get any until after the babies were born). Here is what American Pregnancy recommends for helping with swelling (some of which you already mentioned but there are some other ones you might find helpful!)

Avoid standing for long periods
Minimize outdoor time when it is hot
Rest with your feet elevated
Wear comfortable shoes, avoiding high heels if possible
Wear supportive tights or stockings
Avoid clothes that are tight around your wrists or ankles
Rest or swim in a pool
Use cold compresses on swollen areas
Drink water, which helps flush the body and reduce water retention
Minimize sodium (salt) intake and avoid adding additional salt to meals