26 | AUGUST 2019 | L&LI
t’s a strange moment in
pregnancy when you look
down at your ankles and don’t
recognise them as your own.
But if a dimpled pudginess has taken
the place of any semblance of ankle
shape, don’t despair. Swelling of the
body’s extremities, or oedema, is
common during pregnancy, causing
ankles to swell and fingers to feel
like sausages. It’s a normal part of
the process. “From around 28 weeks
onwards, your body produces more
blood plasma,” explains independent
midwife Kay Hardie. “This is the fluid
part of your blood that transports
blood cells, which is made mostly of
water. This increase ensures a good
flow through the placenta to
your growing baby. However,
thanks to gravity, this fluid
tends to drop, and so it
can pool in your fingers and
ankles, making them feel tight and
uncomfortable. Added to this, as your
uterus becomes bigger and heavier,
it presses down on your pelvis and
impairs the return of blood from the
body areas furthest from your heart.”
This can cause anything from
subtle swelling to more significant
enlargement, with symptoms typically
worsening in the later stages of
pregnancy. “This can impact upon your
daily activities,” says Kay. “Puffy ankles
can feel stiff and sore, restricting how
you walk and your choice of footwear,
while swollen fingers can make simple
tasks such as writing, driving and
handling cutlery difficult. Joints can
ache, especially at the end of a tiring
day when swelling tends to be worst.”It’s cold outside, so you might be spending more time
snuggling indoors than usual. But if that’s bringing on
puffy joints, don’t worry − there’s lots you can do to help...
Swollen ankles?
But there’s lots you can to do keep
symptoms manageable. You might
think drinking more water is the last
thing you want to do, but regular
rehydration will flush out your system
and help eliminate excess fluid.
Exercising your already tired limbs
may seem counter-intuitive, but gentle
movement can aid your circulatory
system and shift the swelling. “Walking
and swimming are brilliant, causing
your heart to pump a little harder and
encouraging the tiny valves in your veins
to work more effectively,” says Kay.
If the swelling in your hands pinches
or traps nerves in your wrists, it can lead
to a condition called carpal tunnelsyndrome. “See your GP if fuzziness
or numbness starts to develop in your
fingers,” advises Kay. But feeling like
a marshmallow is usually nothing
more than a gentle reminder to slow
down as pregnancy progresses.
So think about the changes you
can make to help your body win this
mini-battle with gravity − instead of
standing in a long queue, do your
shopping online with your feet up on the
sofa; instead of meeting a friend in a
café, suggest you go for a gentle walk.
“Symptoms should disappear within
a few days of giving birth,” says Kay,
“and you’ll soon be able to put those
heels back on once your baby’s here!”