What to do if your ankles swell during pregnancy

Pregnancy should be a very happy thing for women, because it means that they are going to become a mother and give birth to a new life for the family. However, pregnancy is a very difficult process for women, because there is a growing fetus in their belly. As the fetus grows, it will cause a series of symptoms to the pregnant woman's body. Swollen ankles are a common phenomenon in the sixth month of pregnancy. What is the reason? What should I do if my ankles are swollen and painful during pregnancy?

What to do when ankles swell during pregnancy?

There are many reasons why expectant mothers may have swollen feet and ankles. At the beginning of pregnancy, the body naturally produces and retains large amounts of fluid. Additionally, a growing uterus puts pressure on the veins, which reduces blood flow to the heart. This in turn can cause swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.

So how do you take care of swollen ankles during pregnancy? Swelling of the feet and ankles is very common during pregnancy and usually goes away on its own after a while. However, the following measures can help alleviate symptoms:

1. Avoid standing or squatting for long periods of time. No need to cross your legs. Whenever possible, elevate your feet when sitting, or move your ankles frequently. It is best to elevate your feet while lying down.

2. Wear looser clothes and pants. Avoid wearing jewelry or anklets on the bare feet.

3. Sleep on your side. Elevating the feet with cushions may help relieve swelling.

4. Stay cool. Heat can easily cause swelling of the feet of expectant mothers. Applying ice to the swollen area may help.

5. Take a bath in a large bathtub. The weight of the water helps relieve swollen feet.

6. Maintain moderate physical exercise every day, such as hiking, swimming, etc.

Although mild swelling of the feet or ankles is normal during pregnancy, serious symptoms should be taken seriously, especially if the following symptoms occur, you should go to the hospital immediately.

Why are my ankles a little swollen during pregnancy?

Generally speaking, there are two possibilities for edema in pregnant women's feet. If the edema is below the ankle, it is considered that it may be due to the enlarged uterus compressing the inferior vena cava, resulting in poor peripheral circulation. It is a normal physiological phenomenon and generally does not require treatment. If it is above the ankle. The possibility of gestational hypertension needs to be considered. You need to go to the hospital for examination and treatment immediately. To eliminate swelling in the lower limbs, in addition to not overexerting, frequently changing postures, stretching the lower limbs, you can also eat more winter melon to reduce swelling. This is because winter melon contains more vitamin C, high potassium content and low acetate content, which can help urination. It can reduce swelling without damaging the Qi of patients with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and edema during pregnancy.

Women in the late stages of pregnancy often experience varying degrees of edema, such as in the lower limbs, feet and face, which is mostly normal and will naturally disappear after giving birth. However, if the edema is severe and accompanied by dizziness, palpitations, chest tightness and shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, oliguria and other symptoms, attention should be paid. In the diet, you should pay attention to controlling the intake of water and salt, and try to eat lighter food. It is best to carefully calculate the intake of water and salt to achieve a quantitative to qualitative change that neither affects the growth and development of the fetus nor causes excessive edema. At the same time, eat more vitamin foods, mainly light-tasting, nutritious, and easy-to-digest foods, and eat less fried foods and foods that cause bloating, such as sweet potatoes, onions, potatoes, etc.

Women will always experience varying degrees of edema during the period from March to July when they are pregnant, which is more serious in summer. Slight edema of the feet and ankles is common, which is caused by the compression of the inferior vena cava by the enlarged uterus, which obstructs the blood circulation system. Generally, edema occurs during the day and disappears naturally after a night of bed rest. Generally, no treatment is needed. If the edema does not disappear after bed rest, and indentations appear when pressed hard and do not disappear on their own for a long time, it is called dominant edema; if the epidermal edema is not obvious, but the pregnant mother's urination decreases and she gains more than 0.5 kg of weight per week, it is called latent edema. If the edema is limited below the knee joint, the condition is relatively mild; if the edema is above the knee joint, the condition is relatively severe; if the edema has spread to the private parts and lower abdomen, it is a severe case: if there is edema all over the body, then it means that the condition is very serious. The diet of expectant mothers with edema should be low in salt, the salt intake is 4 grams per day, and salt indigestion should be avoided.