Home Remedies for Swollen Feet During Pregnancy

Home Remedies for Swollen Feet During Pregnancy

First of All Congratulations from us for being Pregnant and we wish for a healthy baby and For Mother's help. Are you Pregnant? You may face this Problem. The test is positive and you are about to start your journey of motherhood and surely nothing can be more beautiful than this phase. You are getting best wishes and blessing from all, everyone is pampering you, and your partner is trying hard to fulfill all your wishes. However, the period of pregnancy can also cause some discomfort.

You may experience morning sickness, backaches, gas, nausea, and swollen feet can make things really difficult for you. Swelling of the feet, also known as edema, can cause immense discomfort and can be nothing less than a nightmare. Since you are pregnant it is anyway best to avoid taking medications but this does not mean you have to live with the problem of swollen feet throughout your pregnancy period, and you can instead follow any of the 10 home remedies given below and enjoy great relief.

Top 10 Home Remedies for Swollen Feet During Pregnancy:

1.  Foot soak in Epsom Salt solution will help

Epsom salt, together with helping deal with your swollen feet, can also ease your muscle pain. Epsom salt induces relaxation by drawing out toxins and the warm water improves blood circulation in your feet.

What you have to do is fill any small tub with lukewarm water and add about 1/2 cup of Epsom salt in it. You may also add a few drops of rose, lavender, or rosemary oil, and stir the water well. Now, soak your feet in this warm water tub until the water starts getting cold. You can repeat this procedure up to 3 times every week.

2. Keep your feet elevated

If you keep your feet elevated during pregnancy it can also help you deal with swollen feet. This helps in maintaining proper blood circulation, helps in eliminating waste products, and also avoids pooling of fluids in your feet. Elevation can also offer you relief from discomforts like pain and inflammation.

When you sleep, you just need to keep a few pillows or cushion under your feet to prop it up. When sitting, you can use a stool or ottoman and keep your feet on it. Also, avoid standing for too long.

3. Give your feet a nice massage

A massage can be really good for your swollen feet and can help you relax. You just need to massage your feet with gentle strokes as that will create pressure on the affected muscle area and skin. This will activate your lymphatic system and the fluids will drain away naturally. A good massage will also uplift your mood which is very important for every pregnant woman.

4. Go swimming

Swimming is a light exercise that can help you deal with the problem of swollen feet during pregnancy. Just swimming for a short while can improve the movement of fluid in your body and the little pressure that water offers while swimming can help push water from your tissues to the veins. This can provide you with relief from the problem of swollen feet.

It is absolutely safe to swim throughout your pregnancy period, just make sure you have someone around when you take a dip in the pool.

5. Do not add too much salt

If you suffer from high blood pressure during pregnancy then it can contribute to edema. To lower your blood pressure you have to control your salt intake. Your body just needs a small amount of salt to function the right way, but an excess can only cause damage.

Avoid adding much salt to your food when cooking, and instead, make use of spices and herbs to enhance the taste. Also, avoid eating fast food, processed food, and sports drink that are high in sodium.

6. Eat foods that are rich in potassium

Foods that are rich in potassium helps remove sodium from your body and helps maintain your body’s salt-to-water ratio. Sodium results in water retention but if you eat potassium-rich food it can help get rid of or at least prevent swelling of feet during pregnancy.

A pregnant woman should ideally consume 2,000 to 4,000 mg of potassium every day, and you can get your share by consuming foods like celery, watercress, lettuce, parsley, papaya, kiwi, and so on.

7. Practice prenatal yoga

Prenatal yoga helps improve your blood circulation and thus reduces water retention. It can also help strengthen your leg muscles, and this, in turn, makes it easy to push fluids out of your system. Furthermore, prenatal yoga can help lower blood pressure, increase muscle strength required for childbirth, improve sleep, and helps reduce lower back pain.

8. Always stay hydrated

Most of the swelling that you experience in your feet during pregnancy is because of an imbalance of water and sodium. This imbalance may make it difficult for your body to maintain the right temperature and this may make you feel hot almost always. In such cases, you can help yourself by drinking more water. It will help you get rid of the excess fluid and make your kidneys function the right way.

Do drink enough water to stay hydrated. To maximize the benefits that water offers you just can add a little fresh lemon juice to it. Lemon has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce swelling even faster.

9. Have more magnesium

Swelling in your body or water retention in most cases can be because of magnesium deficiency. In such situation, if you eat magnesium-rich food it can prove to be of great help. Make sure to consume 200-400 mg of magnesium every day to deal with swelling in your feet. Some magnesium-rich foods that you can consume include tofu, almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, spinach, broccoli, and pumpkin seeds.

As soon as you learn you are pregnant you should start following these home remedies so that you do not have to face the problem of swelling feet at all. However, even after following these remedies if you enjoy no relief and the swelling remains or increases then you must consult your doctor for help.

10. Start Walking

Walking can help you deal with swollen feet during pregnancy as it helps relieve fluid retention in many ways. Firstly, when you walk, there is a continuous pumping and contracting of your leg muscles and this helps squeeze out the extra fluid from your tissues. Secondly, your heart rate increases while walking and this increases the blood circulation in your legs, which in turn will help flush the fluid out.

Furthermore, if you walk regularly it will keep you strong and you will have enough endurance during delivery. You should begin with slow walks and increase your pace and duration gradually from 20-60 minutes.