Swelling after childbirth. What to do if your legs are swollen after childbirth. How to quickly relieve swelling after childbirth

Text: Irina Sergeeva

When the expectant mother is in an interesting position, swelling of the legs is quite understandable - quite often this is due to the completely natural accumulation of excess fluid in the expectant mother’s body, which is necessary for the normal development of the fetus. It is for this reason that minor swelling of the legs is normal during late pregnancy. But why do your legs swell after childbirth? And what should you do about it?

Why do my legs swell after childbirth?

Most often, the legs swell after childbirth for the same reason as during pregnancy, it’s just that their cause was then incorrectly determined. Alas, most likely, this was not a slight swelling natural in this position, but the initial stage of varicose veins. After all, pregnancy is one of the reasons why varicose veins occur. It's all about the enlargement of the uterus, which begins to compress large venous trunks in the pelvic area, mechanically preventing the outflow of blood from the lower extremities. In addition, it is necessary to nourish two organisms; the volume of circulating blood increases by 30%, which also puts additional stress on our veins.

Swelling of the legs with varicose veins develops quite slowly. For this reason, patients complaining of other symptoms of varicose veins come to phlebologists (doctors who deal with this problem). Unfortunately, we do not pay enough attention to leg swelling, or even think that it is some other disease. At the initial stage of the disease, swelling is not very noticeable. Swelling of the legs is especially noticeable in the late afternoon, since the longer we are in an upright position, the greater the flow of blood into the leg veins. After sleep, swelling decreases (or disappears completely) and may appear again in the evening.

Of course, everything can be much more prosaic, and the legs swell after childbirth due to poor nutrition, but in any case it is worth visiting a doctor and not letting things take their course.

What to do if your legs are swollen after childbirth

As mentioned above, the first thing you need to do is visit a doctor to determine the exact cause of the swelling. In parallel with this, it is worth taking note of a few tips.

It is necessary to give your legs a rest as often as possible. From time to time you should lie down, and so that your legs are on a hill; it is also important to perform special simple exercises: circular movements of the feet, raising on the toes, toe-toe rolls. When sleeping, try to lie on your left side to improve blood flow. Do not cross your legs when sitting or stand for long periods of time. If you have to stand for a long time, periodically rise 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 preferably after consulting a doctor, because during pregnancy a woman may experience an allergic reaction to the most common foods. Blood thickening can also be caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals, such as lecithin, vitamin C, zinc, and selenium. Excessive consumption of fatty, smoked, spicy, and canned foods has a detrimental effect on the blood condition.

Do not overuse coffee, tea, cocoa (often causes allergies), and carbonated water. You can drink herbal teas, cranberry juice, grape juice, but water should be the basis for quenching your thirst.

A foot massage will help alleviate the condition, as well as a decoction of dried apricots: pour boiling water over the dried apricots and leave overnight, and in the morning drink this compote 30-40 minutes before meals.

Foot baths help a lot. 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. Contrast baths are also effective: you need to keep your feet in hot water, periodically immersing them in very cold water for a short time. If desired, you can also add herbal decoctions or sea salt to such baths.

Many pregnant women face the problem of severe swelling while carrying a child. They occur in the third trimester, and sometimes occur after the baby is born. Swelling of the legs after childbirth is a completely natural phenomenon.

Why do they arise? How long will it take for the swelling to go away? What should you do if your limbs are swollen? What do your legs look like after childbirth?

The mechanism of edema

Edema is the accumulation of excess fluid in tissues and organs. People without medical training may confuse puffiness with swelling. In order to distinguish them, you need to press on the site of the swelling and hold your finger pressed against the skin for a minute. If a woman has swelling, then a dent will remain on the skin, which will not smooth out for several minutes. When your arms and legs become swollen and painful during pregnancy, the expectant mother may require hospitalization.

Postpartum edema: causes and treatment

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Many women are concerned about when the swelling goes away. The answer depends on the location and severity of symptoms. Most often, women's lower extremities swell. The legs suffer due to excess stress not only before, but also during and after childbirth.

Swelling of the legs and arms occurs due to impaired kidney function during gestation. Swelling of the perineum appears due to the birth of a large child or complications during labor.

The causes of edema after childbirth may also be due to the use of drugs to stimulate labor. The following factors also affect fluid retention:

• lack of vitamins;
• disruption of daily routine;
• vascular diseases;
• changes in hormonal levels;
• increase or decrease in blood pressure.

Physiological edema (the body does not have time to get rid of accumulated fluid)

Women in the postpartum period very often face the problem of swelling. The reasons for its occurrence include:

• The body's natural postpartum reaction. Despite the fact that in the first day of motherhood a woman loses at least three liters of fluid, a fairly large amount is retained in the tissues. Swelling of the legs, as a rule, goes away in the first week and a half after the end of pregnancy.
• Use of drugs to induce labor. In this case, the swelling goes away within a week.

Kidney diseases

During pregnancy, the kidneys suffer, as they have to work for two. Renal failure during this period may be associated with pressure from the uterus on the internal organs and urinary system, resulting in fluid retention in the body. The second reason is a change in blood composition, which negatively affects the functioning of the body as a whole.

If a woman had chronic kidney diseases before and during pregnancy, they need to be monitored after childbirth. In this case, regular visits to a urologist or nephrologist are mandatory.

If swelling after childbirth is associated with the kidneys, then it is localized on the face, abdomen and legs. Fluid retention is usually caused by diseases such as pyelonephritis, renal failure, kidney hydronephrosis, and congenital anomalies of the organ.

Wrong diet

A woman’s diet is another factor that provokes swelling. If she prefers salty, fried and smoked foods, then water is retained and accumulated in the body. In addition, meals should be fractional. Overeating can negatively affect a mother's health. Unfortunately, not all mothers, especially new mothers, can independently regulate their diet, sleep, and fluid intake, since they are busy with the baby.

Hypertonic disease

In recent years, the number of patients with cardiovascular pathologies has increased, and their average age has decreased. Edema in hypertension appears gradually and unnoticeably. In the initial stages of the disease, a woman may not pay attention to high blood pressure for months. However, the appearance of accompanying unpleasant symptoms should be a cause for concern. These include shortness of breath, tachycardia, and facial flushing. Untreated hypertension will lead to thinning of the blood vessels and disruption of their elasticity, as a result of which the kidneys and the entire urinary system may suffer.

How to prevent physiological edema and get rid of it?

Many young mothers are concerned about how to prevent this problem or how to quickly relieve swelling after childbirth. Prevention of physiological edema includes the following rules for quick recovery after childbirth:

• proper nutrition;
• regular daytime and evening walks in the fresh air;
• cool shower;
• regular toileting of the perineum, especially if it is damaged during childbirth (in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations);
• adherence to sleep and wakefulness;
• minimal physical activity;
• selection of the right underwear (compression) and shoes (without heels).

Physiological edema, as a rule, subsides after 7–10 days. If such a problem occurs, there is no need to panic; you should wait one and a half to two weeks. By this time, physiological swelling will certainly subside. If a woman wants to get rid of puffiness as soon as possible, she should follow some rules. Treatment includes adjusting the diet, monitoring fluid intake, reducing the load on the lower extremities as much as possible, and wearing special postpartum underwear.

Drinking regime before and after childbirth

A woman after childbirth should drink more fluid than during pregnancy, approximately 2–2.5 liters per day. This is due to the beginning of breastfeeding - now the woman will have to give her baby 1–1.5 liters of milk every day, which her body should produce.

For patients with the problem of physiological swelling, coffee, carbonated water, as well as very sweet juices and compotes are strictly contraindicated. Women with swelling are recommended to drink the following drinks:

• dill water;
• cranberry juice;
• Birch juice;
• lime tea;
• decoction of dried viburnum berries;
• infusion of dried apricots.

The last two drinks are very easy to prepare. To obtain a decoction of viburnum, take 20 g of dried berries, add 200 ml of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes. After the specified time, the decoction must be carefully strained. The second infusion is prepared using 200 g of dried apricots. Dried fruits are poured with 200 ml of boiling water and infused for at least 6 hours.

Despite the fact that diuretic drinks really help to remove swelling in young mothers, their use should be agreed upon with a gynecologist and pediatrician. It is necessary to exclude the negative effects of the components of drinks on the baby’s body.

Diet correction

A young mother often looks swollen due to poor nutrition and abuse of certain foods. In this case, the swelling will go away as soon as the woman balances her diet. It is necessary to include greens, fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily menu, and minimize salt consumption by replacing it with permitted seasonings.

The following foods and dishes should be excluded:

• coffee and strong tea;
• smoked meats and pickles;
• sausages, sausages;
• canned food;
• fat meat;
• salted and dried fish;
• chips and crackers with added spices;
• alcohol;
• carbonated drinks.

Reducing stress on the legs

Many women after childbirth ask their gynecologist how to quickly remove swelling. Reducing physical activity after childbirth is one of the ways to treat and prevent physiological swelling of the legs.

Taking care of the newborn, the mother is constantly on her feet, as a result of which the load on the lower limbs increases. It must be remembered that from now on a woman is responsible not only for herself, and the well-being of the baby depends on the condition of the mother. Firstly, a woman should rest more while lying down, placing her legs on a small cushion. Secondly, she needs to take warm baths with herbs - sage, nettle, chamomile. After such a pleasant relaxing procedure, it is recommended to massage your feet and calves.

In order to quickly relieve swelling of the arms, legs or perineum, you can use the services of a professional massage therapist. A specialist, acting on tissues, will help the body quickly get rid of excess fluid.

Compression underwear

Compression garments are the best way to prevent and treat vascular diseases of the legs. Patients who wear it during the postpartum period are insured against disorders of the normal state of the vessels of the lower extremities. Compression knitwear also helps avoid stretching of the skin. Compression stockings, socks or tights are worn for a long time (in accordance with the instructions) and removed for rest periods.

During pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences significant hormonal changes, weight changes, and swelling appears. All these signs can accompany a normally ongoing pregnancy, but what if after childbirth the swelling remains and causes inconvenience?

Edema is the accumulation of excess fluid in the body. It is not difficult to understand that you have swelling, just press your finger on the skin: if there is a depression at the point of pressure, then this indicates that you have fluid retention - swelling. Swelling causes heaviness in the calf muscles and can even cause cramps.

Causes of leg swelling after childbirth

• Eating disorders and improper daily routine. This reason may seem frivolous, but together, fatigue, junk food (pickles, marinades and smoked meats to a greater extent), disturbances in food consumption contribute to the appearance of swelling during pregnancy and after childbirth.
• Diseases of the circulatory system. Varicose veins can cause heaviness in the legs and muscle cramps. The appearance of spider veins indicates the manifestation of the first signs of varicose veins.
• Diseases of the genitourinary system. Kidney disease usually causes swelling in both legs. An additional sign may be a change in the color of urine and the nature of urination. The disease can occur without fever and nagging pain in the lower back.
• Cardiovascular diseases can also cause swelling, along with diseases of the digestive system, as well as problems with the thyroid gland, etc.

• Exclusion from the diet of fatty, salty, pickled, smoked foods, and carbonated drinks.
• A balanced diet and regular consumption of vegetables, berries and fruits (cranberries, viburnum, citrus fruits, grapes, etc.) - products that help thin the blood.
• Avoid physical and psychological stress, give the body time to rest and recover. Rest with your legs elevated so that your feet are higher than your waist. If you have to stand for a long time, stand on your tiptoes from time to time.
• Soothing foot baths and foot massage.

Treatment of leg swelling after childbirth

Surgical treatment in case of edema is prescribed in exceptional cases, when the disease is complex and it is not possible to achieve a cure with medication. Usually, after examining and passing the necessary tests, the doctor will prescribe medications, massage, compression garments and advise on ways to prevent edema.

If you cannot get help from a doctor right now and the swelling is causing you discomfort, the following may be temporary measures:

• Ice foot massage. It is better if the ice is made from a decoction of sage, eucalyptus, and yarrow.
• Rotating your feet and walking on tiptoes will help improve blood circulation and reduce the feeling of heaviness in your legs. Try to reach pencils lying on the floor with your toes.
• A contrast shower will bring relief, which should be finished with cool water, and then thoroughly rub your feet and apply a softening cream.
• Comfortable shoes will be important during this period, as well as the correct sitting position: do not cross your legs.

• Swelling of the legs is relieved by baths with sea salt and infusions of nettle, chamomile or lemon balm, as well as burdock and birch leaves. This tones and relieves tired legs.
• Diuretic decoctions of horsetail, corn silk or birch buds help relieve swelling.

Swelling of the legs after childbirth can have various causes, and they are not always harmless, as it seems at first glance. Swelling can serve as the first sign of serious illness. You shouldn’t neglect your health and trust that “it will go away on its own.” Pay attention to your health and do not delay visiting the doctor.

Swelling after childbirth, what to do, how to treat it and why does it occur? Many expectant mothers experience swelling. In most cases, this is a variant of the norm and is associated with changes in blood circulation in a woman in position, heavy load on the legs, and hormonal levels. But why doesn’t swelling go away after childbirth? Let's figure it out.

Most often, only women who have given birth ask this question. They believe that swelling should disappear within a matter of hours after the baby is born. But often this turns out not to be the case. Excess fluid leaves the tissues over a period of time: from several days to several weeks. Hormonal levels should also come into order. Everything has its time.

But it also happens that the causes of swelling of the arms and legs after childbirth are pathologies of the kidneys or endocrine system. In such cases, swelling occurs in the morning and is visible on the face. It becomes puffy, bags appear under the eyes. And no standard prevention of edema in the postpartum period helps.

As for the kidneys, their condition can be judged by blood and urine tests, which are necessarily taken in the maternity hospital, sometimes more than once. If necessary, treatment will be provided immediately. But you will have to look for endocrinological pathology with a doctor of the appropriate specialization after discharge from the maternity hospital.

Sometimes during pregnancy, swelling appears due to varicose veins. And the problem remains after the birth of the child. In the initial stages of varicose veins, compression garments help. Medicines are practically ineffective. In severe situations, an operation is performed - the affected vein is removed or sclerosis is performed. The first operation is quite traumatic, and the second requires special skill of the surgeon.

If the matter is only in physiology, then you can get rid of swelling of the legs after childbirth in ordinary ways. Don't eat a lot of salty foods. Drinking a lot, by the way, is also beneficial for the production of breast milk. Try to move. Do not sit or stand for a long time. Wear comfortable shoes. Mild swelling in the last weeks of pregnancy and at any other time goes away if you lie down with your legs elevated (put them on a pillow) or do exercises for your feet.

Are there diuretics among the remedies to relieve swelling after childbirth? There is no need for them. Especially considering the fact that they will also affect a child who is fed breast milk. It is generally undesirable for a nursing woman to take any official or traditional medicine unless absolutely necessary.

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When a woman is in an interesting position, slight swelling of the limbs is considered quite normal. They are usually associated with the natural accumulation of fluid in the body of the expectant mother, which is necessary for the full development of the future baby. But why do swelling of the legs appear after childbirth, because after being rebuilt, the body must remove unnecessary water?

Identify and eliminate

The reasons for such phenomena may be hidden in the occurrence of health problems. Often, swelling appears due to exacerbation of old chronic diseases or the emergence of new ailments provoked by physiological changes that occurred during pregnancy.

Many young women are frightened and alarmed by the appearance of swelling of the legs after childbirth; they do not know what to do about it. These concerns are not unfounded. Most often, after the birth of a child, the kidneys and veins of a young mother suffer, since they are the most difficult to recover from global changes occurring in the body. In any case, in order to establish the exact cause and get rid of such phenomena, you need to consult a doctor. After examining you and ordering the necessary tests, your doctor will be able to recommend appropriate treatment for leg swelling after childbirth.

Reason one: kidney problems

Pregnancy is a very difficult period for the kidneys. It is quite difficult for them to quickly return to normal after the end of pregnancy. Therefore, for some time they will slowly remove the liquid. The situation can be aggravated by chronic diseases of the genitourinary system that the mother has. To exclude the occurrence of serious pathologies, a woman needs to see a doctor and undergo a series of tests.

If swelling of the legs after childbirth is accompanied by noticeable pain in the lower abdomen, which, by the way, is very often confused with general postpartum pain, then most likely there is an exacerbation of cystitis. Inflammation of the bladder can have extremely unpleasant consequences, so you should not delay visiting a urologist either. A few simple but very important tests will help determine or rule out the cause of swelling.

Phlebeurysm

Circulatory disorders in the extremities, caused by the pressure of the fetus on the pelvic vessels during pregnancy, predispose to the appearance of various pathologies. Inelastic walls of blood vessels or weak vein valves provoke the development of varicose veins after childbirth. Swelling of the legs, heaviness or burning may become a fundamental symptom.

Postpartum gestosis

Preeclampsia is a severe pathology during pregnancy. Usually its manifestation is observed at the end of the second - beginning of the third trimester. It is practically not amenable to drug treatment and most often goes away after delivery. Mild forms of this pathology have no consequences and completely disappear on the second day after birth.

More severe forms of gestosis may persist after childbirth. The main symptoms here will be: high blood pressure, detection of a large amount of protein in the samples taken, rapid weight gain associated with the appearance of severe swelling of the legs. After childbirth, such phenomena should stabilize, however, if the disease has seriously affected the mother’s organs, this does not happen. Treatment in this case takes place under the strict supervision of a doctor.

Other reasons

Often the common cause of this pathology is poor nutrition. Abuse of fried, spicy and salty foods, drinking large amounts of tea or coffee in combination with bad habits can cause swelling of the limbs.

Swelling of the legs does not go away for a long time when, after giving birth, the mother immediately returns to work in the office. Lack of physical activity and prolonged sitting at the computer is clearly not what the body needs during this period. And the appearance of additional loads in the form of still unusual worries significantly “embellishes” the picture. Sometimes a young mother can only rest at night, and even then only for a few hours.

It may take up to four weeks for the body to return lymph flow and blood circulation to normal.

Risks of self-treatment

Very often, when swelling of the legs appears after childbirth, women self-prescribe diuretic medications. This is fundamentally wrong. You should be very careful with such medications, since most diuretic tablets remove potassium from the body, which negatively affects the functioning of the heart and the condition of blood vessels. After inadequate diuretic therapy, not only does the risk of cardiovascular diseases appear, but there remains a possibility of increased swelling after discontinuation of the drugs. In addition, diuretics will be absolutely ineffective in the formation of venous pathologies.

Alternative medicine

Diuretics are less dangerous for the body, but even their use must be agreed with a doctor. When using medicinal herbs in situations where the legs and ankles swell after childbirth, there is always a risk of allergic reactions. Such techniques are also undesirable during breastfeeding. Since all the products that the mother consumes will be received by the baby through breast milk, the baby also has a chance of developing an allergy.

In addition, in order to properly brew a medicinal herb, sometimes you have to tinker a lot, and this is not always useful for a young mother.

Gymnastics for legs: how to relieve swelling

Are your legs swelling for unknown reasons? In this case, special gymnastics can help, which doctors often recommend to their patients. These exercises will be much more effective if you do them standing:

• Stand straight on the floor and alternately lift one leg and then the other, holding in this position for several seconds.
• Walk barefoot on tiptoes, do a few jumps on your toes.
• Roll your body weight from one leg to the other.
• Roll your weight from your heels to your toes and from your toes to your heels.

The following exercises are performed in a sitting position:

• With bare feet, alternate rotational movements clockwise and then counterclockwise.
• Raise your toes as high as possible, and then also bend them down as much as possible.
• Try to “spread” your toes as much as possible and then close them.
• Roll your feet from heels to toes, and then back.
• Try to lift any small object from the floor with your feet.

If swelling appears on the limbs, then there is no need to postpone a visit to the doctor - it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. Such phenomena do not go away on their own, but only worsen over time. Depending on the true cause of unwanted symptoms, the doctor prescribes treatment. So, after the birth of a child, your legs swell. This summary table will tell you how to relieve swelling so as not to harm the body and at the same time get rid of the disease quickly.

Swelling of the limbs can be caused by disturbances in sleep and rest patterns: in the endless household chores and worries about the baby, a young mother forgets that she also needs to rest.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of swelling, it is necessary to regularly rest your legs and take preventive measures. For this, doctors recommend:

• Every two to three hours, lie down with your feet on a raised surface (a pillow or a rolled-up blanket). It is not recommended to sit or stand for long periods of time.
• Do special therapeutic exercises.
• Foot baths and contrast procedures followed by rubbing the limbs with a hard towel are an excellent remedy not only for strengthening muscles and blood vessel walls, but also in the fight against cellulite.
• Adhere to a proper, balanced, regular diet and, if possible, limit the consumption of tea or coffee. In the fight against swelling of the extremities, eating tomatoes, viburnum, cranberries, sea buckthorn, and lemon will help (provided you are not allergic to these products).
• Get rid of bad habits (if any).
• If you have symptoms of swelling, consult a specialist.

Listen to your body's signals, because often even slight persistent swelling of the legs in the evenings can indicate the occurrence of serious diseases.