Need Some Tips

I am a Labor and Delivery Nurse so I can help her!
Ok girl, first she needs to drink at least 64 oz of water every day! decrease her sodium intake, put her feet up above her heart for 20 minutes every so often. And have her try a pregancy belt. Even though the baby is not huge yet, the belt can help distribute the weight off the veins and help with blood flow. Where she works, will they let her elevate her feet during the day? If not tell her to go lay down and lunch time. Tell her to watch her blood pressure too. So don't miss any OB visits!

K.,
I didn't read all of the responses, but wanted to let you know that I had terrible swelling with my first pregnancy beginning at 18 weeks. I kept asking the drs., but they weren't concerned. I finally stopped asking because I got the same response every time - drink lots of water and limit your sodium intake (both of which I was doing). I figured if something was wrong (like pre-eclampsia or something) they would tell me. My daughter was born at 41 weeks and for the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy, my hands, arms, and face also swelled. My legs were so swollen by the end that my kneecaps were pitting! The only shoes I could wear were the Beach style Crocs, but even those left marks on my poor feet. When it was painful, I would sit on the edge of the bathtub and let cool water run over them. I was also working full time and sitting at a desk all day. I elevated them at work and at home, but nothing helped. I always assumed when a woman swelled like that, something must be wrong, but I learned from my situation that some women just swell. About a week after my daughter was born, my ankles appeared again, and my feet did not grow a size. However, my ring sizes on my fingers have increased 1 1/2 sizes so my wedding rings no longer fit. I'm 15 weeks pregnant with my second and praying that I don't have to go through that swelling again!
A.

I walked every morning with each one of my four pregnancies. The only time that I had a problem with swelling was when I sat still for long periods of time--like on a long car trip. It really helps keep the fluids in your system moving if you exercise. Nothing strenuous--just a 30 minute walk every morning before it got too warm outside. Toward the end of the pregnancy I gave up walking up and down hills and went to the track at the high school to walk. Tell her to start out slow and build up to 30 minutes if she is not in shape and if her ankles hurt. Keep hydrated--I would drink a glass of water before I went for a walk and drink another one when I got home. When you are retaining water there is a natural urge to drink less water. What she needs to do is drink more water to flush out her system. Tell her to stay away from caffeine and alcohol and other things that dehydrate your body. I also agree with the woman that suggested a different OB-GYN. Having a great doctor makes you feel more secure about your health and the health of your baby.

Hi K.! I had this problem when I was preggers too. My feet were so swollen that the only shoes I could wear were flip flips, thank God it was summer time. I started calling my toes "my sausages" because they were so huge. It was awful! And like your friend, my doctor didn't have any helpful advice for me either. How rude! I did some research and found MommySox! (mommysox.com) They really helped keep the swelling down.

The only other things I can think of are to keep her feet up when ever possible, drink lots of water and cut down on salt - but those things didn't seem to help me at all.

Hi K.,

You are getting alot of good advice for your friends but something that many doctors are unaware of is that this is a hypertension problem. Her blood pressure may be elevated but doctors need to also look how hard your friend's heart is working. This is called Cardiac Output. If her Cardiac Output is too high or too low she will end up with preeclampsia and have an early delivery. This is not safe for the mother or the baby. Signs are that she is carrying too much fluid and should have it checked immediately! I work very closely with a Nurse Practicioner who has dealt with high risk pregnancies for more than 25 years. She would tell your friend to go to the hospital immediately. I only know this because I work for a company that has done research in this area and has been successfully managing hypertension in pregnancy for more than 6 years successfully. Our website is new but look at www.misttechnologies.com or email me at ____@____.com and I can give you more information. Thanks and Good Luck to your friend and her baby!

Based on my experience (and I have six) it sounds like it's too early to have that much swelling. I'm wondering about two things: first, does she stand on her feet at work?; second, would she consider seeing another doctor? This kind of symptom can be normal or it can be a sign of something more serious. If I were her, I think I would check out the opinion of another ob-gyn.

I agree with the ones who said get a second opinion. I too had a problem in my first pregnancy with swollen feet and ankles and I clearly remember my alarm the day (28 yrs ago!) that I was sitting with my legs crossed and I pressed on my ankle with my thumb, and the indentation remained! I too was working full time. Elevating my feet as soon as I got home and cutting out salt really helped, but for the last couple of months the only shoes I could wear were those Dr. Scholl's adjustable sandals. The fact that her doc didn't offer advice to make her more comfortable, and that he wasn't concerned about a possible problem with her blood pressure is unacceptable. I had no problem with swollen feet with my second pregnancy, so I feel that it's a situation that needs to be addressed right away. I wish her the best!

wow ive never heard of a doctor saying any of that is ok esp in pregnancy... has she been keeping an eye on her bp? thats what it sounds like to me. i would tell her to find another doctor!

K. S

Tell your friend that she needs to elevate her feet. The best way to do this is to lay on the bed (not the couch or recyliner) place pillows under her knees and under her feet so that she is taking the pressure off of her neck, back and knees. This will help with the ankles and the bottom of her feet where they are red and numb. She also needs to cut out as much sodium that she can. She can also try soaking her feet in epson salts, this always worked when I worked on me feet sixteen hours a day. I hope this helps.

Your friend needs to cut out some of the salt in her diet, drink more water. And she needs to make sure to put her feet up often during the day.

I dislike the doctor's nonchalance about this issue. Having hurt ankles and numb feet is not a good way to spend the last 3 months of pregnancy!! I'd suggest finding a different doctor, because he obviously doesn't care about her or doesn't know what to do -- neither of which portend good things from him for the remainder of the pregnancy and birth.

Other people have given some good advice -- put your feet up, use support stockings, swim. Exercise will help move the fluid (the muscles help support the vascular system). And, I too will recommend the Brewer Diet. It's a good, solid, healthy eating plan. Even if it doesn't eliminate this problem, what does she have to lose? And, it probably will help her.

Is there any way that she can put her feet up while she works? While I was pregnant I found that was helpful. I also found that walking around a bit helped and massaging her legs and feet might help too. I hope this helps your friend.

I found foot massages from my husband did the trick for swelling. It helped a lot! My poor husband massaged my feet every night when I was pregnant with my three kiddos. I still had some swelling but it did help to reduce it. Also try sitting at work with her feet up on a stool or something. As much time as possible with feet elevated will help. I had Fred Flintstone feet with my first child, they are sooo worth it in the end!

I was 6 months pregnant at this time of year - and unfortunately it will just get worse this summer! I have heard that compression hose is really helpful. For me, I was able to manage it by just wearing athletic socks and sneakers ALL SUMMER LONG. Each day I'd peel off my socks and my calves would be swollen just til where the socks began and then my ankles and feet would be normal. Then I would spend the evening with my feet propped up as much as possible. My swollen legs didn't bother me nearly as bad as my feet/toes (ouch!) and the sneakers and tube socks really helped to protect that area. Good luck!

She should drink alot of water . It helps reduce the swelling . If she is able to , she also should put her feet up as much as possible . I would also get a second opinion. Being uncomfortable and swollen is part of he wonderfull process of being pregnant , but it sounds like it is worse than "normal" . She may need to try cutting out sugar . I heard that helps you not retain as much water . Good Luck to your friend

I had the same issue when I was pregnant. My doctor said it was pre-eclampsia symptoms. The things that helped me was to avoid salty foods, keep my feet elevated as much as possible. Even at work if she can prop them up on a box under the desk it will help. And most importantly was to purchase a really good pair of support sneakers and wear them constantly. Even in the house, it really does help with the pain and the swelling. Hope this helps.
Leshia

Water Aerobics really helped me. I am eight months pregnant and I can tell whenever I skip class. The first sign is my ankles and feet start to swell. Even if she doesn't have time to go to an actual class just going to a public pool and walking laps for 20 minutes will help (Pullen park, or the pool at Cary Town Center). I take classes through Healthy Moms and have truly enjoyed them. http://www.healthymomsnc.com/.

I have a friend who has the same problem and she's even on bed rest. What has helped her a lot is just being in the pool. It takes all the weight off her and helps the swollen ankles a lot. I hope your friend has axcess to a pool because it is amazing all the stuff it can do for a pregger. It helped my back when I was pregnant too.

I thought this website was great - http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/nat...

I highly recommend acupuncture. I have heard of people seeing the swelling go down while they were on the table.

swelling can be caused by many things I have delt with this problem mine was caused by diabetis and many people that are borderline will end up with gestational diabetis.I would sugest she be checked this could be a underlieing problem and the numbness could be from poor circulation or nureopathy also caused by diabetis but thats where the nerves are damaged I know I also have this very painful problem.while I was pregnate the doctors put me on bed rest my 4th month on and spent the last 4 months in the hospital.my sugestion would be bring this to her doctors attention she might just need to keep off her feet but at least the doctor could check for that and other things.your friend might be told she cant work until her child is born but thats somthing the doctor will deside but first he must be aware of.good luck hope its nothing serious.I am a heart/lung patient and my doctor was a high risk doctor one that had been practiceing 16 years when my cardiologist sent me to her and they didnt expect me to survive my sons birth but I did and the doctor told me I was the most high risk patient she had encountered and didnt want any higher risk.but if her doctor isnt concerned she defanately needs a secound oppenion.

I had the exact same problem when I was pregnant. My doctor told me to watch my salt intake extremely close and try to prop my feet up as much as possible! I hope this helps your friend!

Have her ask her husband to firmly rub her legs and feet nightly. Make sure she puts her feet up, very elevated, every night when she gets home. Also, while I worked I had a box under my desk to keep my feet elevated all day. Cut down on salt for sure and it could be water retention as well.

W. M.

K.,
Do not allow your friend to ignore this issue. My ob told me the same thing when I showed early signs of swollen feet. I'm a teacher and was working full time at that point in my pregnancy, so I thought it was "normal." I didn't find out until checking in to have my son that I really had heart issues that no one had noticed. The symptoms in non-pregnant folks are tiredness, swollen feet and ankles, shortness of breath, all things I attributed to being pregnany. Come to find out, I was experiencing CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE for at least 5 months of my pregnancy!! Please tell her not to ignore this issue!! Better to be safe than sorry!!

My doctor told me to elevate my legs feet. His nurse suggested eating natural diaretic's like asparagus. Good luck!

My ankles were horribly swollen much of the last few months of my pregnancy. I kept asking my doctor about it and she simply dismissed my concerns. At 34 weeks, I was diagnosed with toxemia and immediately admitted to the hospital - I had my son 2 days later. He is perfectly healthy now, but he spent 10 days in the NICU since he was a preemie. With that said, I would recommend that she rest as much as possible, put her feet up, drink water, monitor her blood pressure, and notify her doctor if she continues to feel bad.

Hi K.~
Her MD is right, there isn't much she can do. This is normal and as long as her blood pressure is normal she will be fine. She needs to drink plenty of water (especially with the warmer weather arriving) and keep her feet up as much as possible. She should try to wear flip flops or other shoes that aren't restrictive. Good luck to her!
Paula

Yes... I was world's worst about that. All I can say that helped me is quitting work and laying on my side and my feet up when sitting. The laying down helped more than anything and I had to quit work to stay home and rest all day just to keep the swelling down. If I went to the grocery, I would coome back swelled.

i haven't read any other replies, but did her doc SEE her feet? or did she call in to the office? that swelling sounds way beyond normal to me - i had swelling of my ankles and feet with my first two pregnancies, both of which were mostly normal, but she could be developing toxemia or preeclampsia, or whatever that is that causes the high blood pressure and swelling.

i had an inguinal (SP?) hernia develop around 4 months gestation with my second one, but b/c the pain was in the pelvic area, the nurse at my OB's office just said "Hon, you know all this is normal right? the baby is probably just on a nerve, it could get better!"...

so i gave up trying to ask anyone officially about it, but it got to where i couldn't even walk around the grocery store. i had a toddler at the time, and couldn't hardly take him outside to play or do anything for him. by the time my next regular appointment rolled around (a month after the phone call), i told my dr it was still bothering me, and getting worse. she told me to drop my pants, she took one look and her eyes bulged out of her head and she asked why i hadn't come in before now! i had to have surgery to repair the hernia 3 days later! {and let me tell ya, that surgery was worse than a c-section incision, b/c i couldn't use ANY of the muscles in my right leg, or hardly my stomach. my hubby had to help me turn over in bed, and even get up and down off the potty and take care of the personal business while we were in there!}

too much info, right? i just wanted to make the point, that this does NOT sound normal to me, and if she has only mentioned it on the phone, or didn't explain just how badly her feet are bothering her if it was in person, she may want to get another doctor to have a look. maybe it IS normal, but better to be paranoid than ending up in preterm labor or something horrible happening to her or her baby.

otherwise, she needs to try to stay off her feet (Duh!) as much as possible, get hubby/friend to rub her feet with oils, and maybe wear compression stockings. my husband does physical therapy and he doesn't specialize in women's health, but he does a lot of lymphatic massage (usually huge swellings resulting in cancer patients who have had lymph nodes removed). it is a very gentle massage in one direction that helps the fluid move elsewhere in the body. she can probably find someone near her that does something like that. she should also avoid eating as much sodium as possible - which is really hard to do if she is like me and eats alot of boxed and canned foods. no adding salt!

sorry this is a book, but just reading your request got me worried for her! let us know how things turn out!

A. V

I assume she has had her blood pressure and urine checked for signs of pre-eclampsia. Swelling is usually one of the first signs, although swelling just in the feet is common with pregnancy. Staying off her feet and elevating them is the best thing to do.

Hi K.,

I, too, am 6 months pregnant and experiencing the same thing (although I do not feel any numbness... just swelling, redness and uncomfortable). I am wondering how I will get through the summer if that is already happening now!
Keeping your feet up when you can is important- if she sits most of the day she should keep her feet elevated on something...a stool, etc. I'm sure her dr already told her this...as long as preclampsia is ruled out (she would have other symptoms such as high blood pressure and protein in the urine)then it's just one of those things we have to get through...easier said than done..but all worth it in the end! I wish her good luck!

Your poor friend! My feet swelled up one full shoe size, but only with my first. It is very uncomfortable. I didn't experience any numbing or redness though. All I can tell you is she needs to invest in some quality slip on shoes (sandals) that leave plenty of room for circulation. She needs to make time to elevate her feet, especially in the afternoon when feet naturally swell! Above anything else, she must drink plenty of water and limit her sodium intake. Hope these tips help. God bless!

Hey Kristi

Your friend needs to elevate her feet. The swelling should go down. They should totally be understanding due to her condition. If they give her a problem get a note from the doc.

Take care

J.

her doc needs to make sure her blood pressure is normal...extreme swelling can be a sign of toxemia/preeclampsia. but also jsut the warmer weather and being on your feet can casue swelling too. she needs to elevate her feet when ever possible and try not to stand for any longer than she really has too. also soaking her feet in luke warm water and epson salt should help. and wearing support hose also.

Hi K.,

Pass this website to the Brewer Diet for a Healthy Pregnancy along to your friend. If she follows the diet she should see some improvement. Does she have a job where she stands or sits for long periods of time? I agree that she needs to stay hydrated, elevate her feet as often as she can, walk and invest in some pregnancy support nylons.

If her doctors believes she is experiencing early signs of pre-eclampsia that's all the more reason for her to follow the Brewer Diet Religiously and book mark the site.

Your friend is lucky to have you. I hope she finds some comfort and can enjoy these last three months of her pregnancy.

http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/

Peace,
J.

I don't want to be an alarmist, but it is really important that her doctor actually DEAL with this, and not treat her like a whiny pregnant woman. I was so incredibly swollen with my first one....I have stretch marks on my knees...and upon, delivery was sent into a talespin of medical problems, organ failure, etc., which were a result of TTP. I was given a 3% chance of surviving and spent the better part of 3 weeks in the ICU. Slight swelling is part of pregnancy, extreme swelling is a warning sign to be taken seriously. It makes me sad that her doctor is so nonchalant about it. If her doctor doesn't want to help, she should find someone who is willing to give good medical care. I don't want to get too "soap boxie", but I am grateful to God to be alive after our ordeal and I would hate to have that happen to someone eles. Best wishes!

Just a thought... Please engcourage you friend to keep asking or visiting her Dr. If he/she ignores the issue she should see another Dr. If her swelling is bilateral she may not have the same porblem that I did, but it would be worth checking. At month 6 I developed a blood clot --a massive clot that went from my abdomen to my knee. My leg swelled to be 4" in circumference difference from my other leg. I had a great deal of pain in my upper thigh, so much so I could not walk. It took 8 days for the drs. to find the clot that was even after having an ultrasound. In my one leg my knee and ankle were not able to be seen due to the amount of swelling, I looked as though I had one big stump for a leg. Many of the other responses had great suggestions, I just thought I would put in another thing to look out for, as swelling can be very scary and painful, espically when you the cause is unknown. I wish her the best...

I had a friend who was in a similar situation. First off I should warn that your friend should not try ANYTHING without first consulting her doctor. Every woman is differant during pregnancy and requires different treatments. Some may be harmful to her and the fetus even though it may sound simple. So the advice you recieve needs to be brought up to her DR first.
Try feet elevation whenever she can. (Especially at night)
Limit the intake of sodium. (helps defeat water retention)
Increase consumption of water. (helps to flush out excess water, I know it sounds odd but that's the sience of it!
Get a note from her Dr telling her job that it is crucial that she has something to sit on at all times if she has a job that allows it, or to incorporate mandated breakes every hour consisting of atleast 15 min each.
Put her on a work restriction. Only so many hours, per day, per week.
Keep in mind that these suggestions are related to pregnancy edema of the legs. Other factors could be causing the extreme amount of edema. CHF (congestive heart failure which would most likely not be pregnancy related), Early signs of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia (if she becomes eclampsic then she will have siezures and put her health and that of the baby's in harm... the list could go on but she needs to push the issue to the dr to the point that she is "annoying" him/her.
If her dr continues to dismiss her discomforts then she might want to think about seeking out another one.
Ask your friend to bring these suggestions up to her Dr and see if she approves of them!!!
I practice in the medical field and this is what I have seen in similar cases with your friend!
Best of luck!

Oh and if her feet are numb then the swelling could be restricting blood flow to her legs/feet which is never good.
SEE THE DR!!!

The only think that helped me get immediate relief was to lay down with my feet elevated above my heart - I know this would be hard to do at work, but maybe she can find a break room a couple of times a day - also, cut out caffeine and salt - both make you retain water . . . good luck!

When I was pregnant I had the same problem. I purchased some of the diabetic support knee highs. They cost about $12 but it was worth it. You can find them at Wal-Mart in the pharmacy section. I do suggest not to wear them for a long period of time if she is not up moving aroud alot them she sould try to prop her feet up to help reduce the swelling. This is what I done and it really helped me.

I had that same horrible problem when I was pregnant. I work at a desk all day and don't get to move around much and the longer I was at work the more my feet would swell. So much that by the end of the day I could hardly walk. I cut out all drinks but water, and made sure to drink plenty of it, and I got up at least 2 times every hour to walk around my office for a few minutes. My doc said when you sit or stand in the same position for so long the fluid has not where to go. I also made sure my feet were propped up at night when I slept. Not sure if this will help your friend but I hope it does because I was MISERABLE! And I sympathize with how she feels.

When my cousin was pregnant she was swollen badly also... tell your friend it is part of being pregnant however there are some things that help. First, drink lots & lots of water (it sounds counterproductive but it really does help!)also, tell her to stay away from sodium & salt and to eat lots of FRESH fruits & veggies.

Look into herbal remedies like Verigone or Butcher's Block. I haven't tried them myself, but have a friend that used Verigone with good results. My Chiropractor recommended the butcher's block.

Also have her monitor her diet... and that does NOT mean eliminate salt!! Salt is important during pregnancy. SHe should really make sure she is eating enough protein. Eggs are a GREAT source.

Also check into the SHOES she's wearing. She may have to give up fashion for the last few months. THen again there are some cute supportive shoes out there! I love New Balance shoes. She needs good support.

And I'm sure she's been told to put her feet up at night. If she can take a break during work, she should. I mean, if smokers can get a break, she should be able to put her feet up for 5-10 mins!!

I wish her well!

Great day wishes K.. I hope your friend realizes what a thoughtful and loving friend she has~!!

Please, please, please, please convince your friend to insist on testing. I had the exact symptoms and had pre-eclampsia. The signs are tell-tale. She may or may not have positive readings for protein in her urine (I didn't until the day before my son was born nearly seven weeks early). She should be screened for protein in urine, blood pressure, and an enzyme check for her major organs (pre-clampsia ALWAYS effects a major organ, just a matter of which one; lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, placenta). Her ankles are swollen and feet hurting are likely due to decreased circulation. Decrease circulation also effects her baby. Please advise her to lie down as much as possible on her left side (this is the optimal way to increase circulation). She has tell-tale signs of high blood pressure. Another sign is if her blood pressure didn't drop during her second trimester. This is usually the first sign of impending pre-eclampsia. This is a serious disease, many women and babies DIE FROM THIS. Please urge her to restrict activity that would raise her blood pressure and circulation (she may be having adverse circulation to her baby already and any time she is "winded" it's bad for the oxygen transfer which happens in utero). It may be that she goes on "bedrest" during the remainder of her pregnancy. If this is the case, she will be eligible for disability benefits. Please let her know the seriousness of this situation. All pregnancy books reference pre-eclampsia and it is a KILLER. Ask her whether her hands get "tingly" when she's too active <~~another sign of circulatory problems. A protein in urine, blood pressure, and blood test should be given ASAP to check her major organ function (HEELP syndrome). Again, you're a great (and smart) friend for choosing this avenue to help her. I wish her a successful pregnancy and the radiance that childbirth will bring :-)

The same thing happened to me with my first pregnancy. In my case, it was hypertension and I had to cut out ALL foods with salt. This was a dangerous situation, as my blood pressure was very high and as soon as I cut out the salty foods, my swelling went down and I felt much better. I also had very bad headaches. She needs to stay off her feet as much as possible and elevate her feet and stay on the no salt diet and see how that helps. I wish her the best of luck!

If possible, she needs to keep her feet elevated as much as possible, which can be done if she has a desk job, obviously not if she works on her feet.

Also, eliminate as much salt from her diet as possible. Lots of water (to dilute her sodium level and release fluid). Apple juice is a natural diuretic.

K. you are a great friend. I had the same thing happen to me while I was pregnant. Tell your friend to where support hose. I know that they can be hot in the summer, but the really helped with the swelling, along with rest, elvation of my feet and drinking lots of water.

I hope it works out!

I worked up until the last 2 weeks before I delivered. My bestfriends were a pair of crocs. I didn't have numbness but all the rest I had. I worked at a bank so it was hard to sit down but they did let me and I would try to elevate my feet to try and reduce the swelling. I looked like I had sumo feet. I hope that helps a little bit!

I had similar problems with my feet for the last 4 months of my first pregnancy (but NOT with my second!) At one point I plunged my feet into a cooler of ice water for 10 minutes! Make sure she drinks LOTS of water (I know that sounds crazy since feet are swollen from fluid, but it does help!) Also, do not wear heels or other tight fitting shoes, and make sure she wears shoes that have a good arch support (or arch support insert that you can buy at the store) because if her arches collapse or she developes plantar fasciitis she could be in for a LOT of pain for a LONG time! Have her put her feet up as much and as often as she possibly can. Soaking her feet in a foot bath is also a relief (even sitting on the side of the tub works!) Anyone who can give her a foot rub? The best is if she is laying down with her feet elevated abover her hips and someone can rub her feet with a good lotion in a sliding motion towards her calfs (it can help move fluid out and away from her feet.) If she has to stand for long periods have her try to put one of her feet up on a small stool or foot rest. At one point my feet were so swollen the skin was actually splitting and cracking, and it was HORRIBLE! But the good news is that it should go away after delivery...eventually! One other thing I did was wrap ice packs around my feet with ace bandages or towels as I watched tv or rested with my feet elevated on pillows. Only one of my other friends went through this and she didn't have it quite as bad as I did, but I had a aunt with nursing experience that gave me tips...hope they help your friend! And tell her it DOES get better! (....geesh..the things we go through to have babies!)

Lots of water, and avoid salt like the plague! Remind her that lots of things have high sodium... not just potato chips and junk food snacks but also even things like canned vegetables or sodas. Even "low sodium" versions of pre-packaged foods are usually pretty loaded with sodium. Sticking with fresh produce is the easiest way to avoid it.

When I was pregnant, my coworker and I devised a plan to help me drink the recommended daily amount of water. I already kept a water bottle on me at all times, and refilled it throughout the day, but I still was nowhere near the amount of water I was "supposed" to be drinking. So our plan was this: every time I took a sip of water, I had to chug for a count of 7. My friend helped "enforce" the rule for a while until I started remembering to do it on my on. In fact, she even started doing the "7-count-chug" herself! This plan really worked wonders, and helped so much in keeping down my swelling. Now my son is almost 3, and I still find myself doing the 7-count-chug with my water bottles. Ha! Water is so good for us (everybody), but especially pregnant women. Most of us don't get as much water as we should, and every little bit makes a difference to our bodies.

Oh, another thing that was also helpful was to keep my feet up. I still went to work every day up until my son was born, but I just kept my feet up whenever I was sitting (using the computer tower under my desk as an ottoman, but anything could work... upside-down wastebasket, etc.).

One other thing that made a huge difference for me... yoga! There's a great product called the "Prenatal Yoga Deck" (get it online or at a bookstore). I remember that I didn't have too much time for yoga, so I just chose a few cards from the deck that seemed the most beneficial to me, and I took 10 minutes each morning before work and did those few yoga cards as part of my morning routine. I'm so glad I did... it really helped me to start my day feeling great.

Hope these suggestions help. Best of luck to your friend, and kudos to you for being such a great friend to her!

My feet were swollen only towards the end of my pregnancy, thank god, but i also wasnt working. I had foot surgery a few years ago and they were swollen then. The doctor told me to soak my feet in hot water, as hot as i could take it. Then switch to a bucket of ice water (sounds kinda mean...lol). When you make the switch it's supposed to suck up that fluid back into your legs. I did it a few times and it seemed to help. Have someone massage the feet and get the cirrculation going and try to move some of that fluid up.

Other then that, keep the feet propped up, not just level but up! Watch the salt intake; have her look at the table on the box, you'd be suprised how much sodium is in that stuff. Drink lots and lots of water! Hope this helps, A.

Extremely swollen feet and ankles can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. I don't want to be an alarmist, maybe doc is right but I think I would get a second opinion if I were her. If she is uncomfortable and concerned about it, it's her body, she should be as comfortable as pregnancy allows and the fact that this doctor blew off her concerns as nothing and didn't even tell her to try some lotion is just aggravating. If nothing else, get some type of foot cream (not lotioN) and put that on with some socks and let it soak in really good.

She needs to drink lots of water and try to take in less salts. She should also try to sit with her feet elevated at several intervals throughout the day. Even though she is working, it's just something that has to be done. Especially if she has so much swelling at this stage, then they need to get used to her needing to sit, because it will only get worse as she progresses through her third trimester. I wish her the best of luck! Poor dear.

K.,
I would HIGHLY recommend chiropractic treatment. The changes that her body is going through and the moving of organs, back, etc. causes the numbness, etc.
Find a highly recommended chiro and she will see great results. I swear by mine.
Good luck!
W.