There are few experiences, if any, that cause more change to our bodies than pregnancy. Becoming pregnant forces us to reevaluate more or less every aspect of our lives, from what we eat to what we wear. Fortunately, the internet is full of helpful information on how to deal with each and every one of these aspects. In this blog, we’re going to examine how you can take care of your feet during pregnancy.
Swelling
Pregnancy changes every part of our bodies, and the feet are no exception. There are a number of different ways that the feet can be affected, but one of the most common symptoms is swelling, and there are several reasons that this takes place.
The first is the weight gain associated with pregnancy. Unfortunately, if you thought your feet were immune from gaining weight, that’s not the case. In reality though, weight gain is only a minor factor in the changes your feet will undergo.
Another factor that causes the feet to swell slightly is the release of relaxing, a hormone that causes the muscles in the body to expand and loosen. This hormone is released during pregnancy to facilitate childbirth, but it also causes our feet to appear swollen as a result.
A more influential factor is fluid retention. Despite the fact that many women do not have an increased amount of fluid in the body during pregnancy, the expansion of the uterus interrupts the flow of blood, which causes your feet to swell. Furthermore, some women will retain an increased amount of fluid during pregnancy, which will cause the feet to swell even further.
Finally, the extra weight that we carry during pregnancy causes more pressure to be placed on the feet, meaning they swell up faster than they usually would.
Other Problems
Swelling is far from the only problem our feet face during pregnancy. Over-pronation is when a person stands or walks with their feet rolling slightly inward, almost as if they were standing on the sides of their feet. This is quite a common problem outside pregnancy, but the changes to our weight and mobility make us particularly susceptible to developing over-pronation while pregnant.
Plantar-fasciitis is a condition where the plantar fascia, the ligament that connects the heel to the toes, becomes inflamed through overuse. The changes in the way we move as well as the symptoms mentioned above can cause this painful condition to develop.
While these problems could potentially appear at any stage during pregnancy, they become increasingly likely as the pregnancy progresses. The best action you can take to either tackle them or prevent them before they occur is to get proper footwear. Some women may need to go up a few shoe sizes during pregnancy, while others won’t, but the important thing is to choose shoes that are comfortable, cushioning, and offer good support.
When you’re not walking, it is best to keep your feet elevated to help move around some of the excess fluid. Finally, if you want to try and reduce the amount of water you retain, you should actually try drinking more water. While it may sound counterintuitive, this will let your body know that there’s no shortage, and no need to retain it.
While it is inevitable that your feet will experience discomfort during pregnancy, being aware of the most common problems, as well as their solutions, can help you avoid as much discomfort in your feet as possible.