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Legs swell after childbirth: how to get rid of a burdensome symptom? Measures to prevent leg edema after pregnancy and childbirth.
When the expectant mother is in an interesting position, the swelling of the legs is quite understandable – quite often this is due to the absolutely natural accumulation of excess fluid in the body of the expectant mother, which is necessary for the normal development of the fetus. It is for this reason that minor swelling of the legs is normal for late pregnancy. But why do legs swell after childbirth? And what to do with this?
Most often, the legs swell after childbirth for the same reason as during pregnancy, just the reason for them was then incorrectly determined. Alas, most likely, it was not a natural small swelling in this position, but the initial stage of varicose veins. After all, pregnancy is one of the reasons due to which varicose veins occur. It’s all about the enlargement of the uterus, which begins to squeeze the large venous trunks in the pelvic area, mechanically preventing the outflow of blood from the lower extremities. In addition, it is already necessary to nourish two organisms, the volume of circulating blood increases by 30%, which also gives an additional load to our veins.
Swelling of the legs with varicose veins develops rather slowly. For this reason, patients come to phlebologists (doctors dealing with this problem) complaining of other symptoms of varicose veins. Unfortunately, we do not pay enough attention to the swelling of the legs, or even think that this is some other disease. At the initial stage of the disease, edema is not very noticeable. Swelling of the legs is especially noticeable in the late afternoon, because the longer we are in an upright position, the greater the flow of blood into the leg veins. After sleep, the swelling decreases (or completely disappears) and may appear again in the late afternoon.
Of course, everything can be much more prosaic, and the legs swell after childbirth due to improper nutrition, but in any case it is worth visiting a doctor and not letting things go by themselves.
What to do with swelling of the legs after childbirth
As mentioned above, the first step is to visit a doctor to establish the exact cause of the edema. In parallel with this, it is worth taking note of a few tips.
Necessary rest your legs as often as possible… From time to time, you should go to bed, and so that your legs are on a hill, it is also important to perform special simple exercises: circular movements of the feet, lifting on toes, toe-heel rolls. While sleeping, try to lie on your left side to improve blood flow. Do not cross your legs when sitting or stand for extended periods of time. If you have to stand for a long time, periodically go up on your toes.
Don’t forget about diet.… To thin the blood, you can include some foods in your diet – viburnum, sea buckthorn, cranberries, lemon, grapefruit, tomatoes and grapes. Any food should be consumed in moderation and it is better after consulting a doctor, because during pregnancy a woman may experience an allergic reaction to the most common foods. A lack of vitamins and minerals such as lecithin, vitamin C, zinc, selenium can also cause blood thickening. Excessive consumption of fatty, smoked, spicy, canned food has a detrimental effect on the state of the blood.
Do not abuse coffee, tea, cocoa (often causes allergies), carbonated water… You can drink herbal teas, cranberry juice, grape juice, but water should be the basis for quenching your thirst.
Help relieve the condition foot massage, as well as a decoction of dried apricots: pour boiling water over dried apricots and leave overnight, and in the morning drink this compote 30-40 minutes before meals.
Good help foot baths… For example, a bath to relieve fatigue: 100 grams of juniper berries per liter of water; 100 grams of sea salt per liter of water; 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dry mustard per liter of water; two teaspoons of baking soda per liter of water. Contrasting baths are also effective: you need to keep your feet in hot water, periodically lowering them for a short time in very cold water. If desired, decoctions of herbs or sea salt can also be added to such baths.