home Analyzes After childbirth, one leg swells. Swelling of the legs after childbirth: how to get rid of an unpleasant symptom

After childbirth, one leg swells. Swelling of the legs after childbirth: how to get rid of an unpleasant symptom

When a woman's limbs swell in the second half of pregnancy, this is due to the accumulation excess liquid in organism. This happens to many expectant mothers. But if the legs swell after childbirth, when the weight goes away, then this leads new mothers to bewilderment. Why is this happening? What to do in such cases?

About the causes of swelling of the legs after childbirth

While waiting for the baby, the hormonal background of the expectant mother changes. This leads to fluid retention in the body. At the same time, the volume of circulating blood, which is required by both the mother and the growing fetus, increases. If everything is in order with the woman’s health, then after the birth of the child, the swelling gradually disappears. For some women, this process occurs slowly.

As for the appearance of edema after childbirth, there are the following explanations:

Disrupted daily routine and unhealthy diet. Caring for a baby requires a lot physical strength regardless of the time of day. This causes swelling of the limbs.
Excess salty and fried foods in the diet. If a woman does not breastfeed her child, then she can make up for what she limited herself to during pregnancy. And salty foods always retain fluid in the body.
Phlebeurysm. A predisposing factor in the development of the disease is poor circulation in the extremities. Weak venous valves cause rapid progression of varicose veins in postpartum period.
Impaired kidney function. If this organ did not cope well with the load during pregnancy, then even after birth it continues to slowly remove fluid. And when there was also a history of pyelonephritis, then most likely there is a relapse chronic form illness.
Heart diseases. Increased load on the main organ of the circulatory system leads to slower blood flow in the lower extremities and their swelling.

What to do with postpartum swelling of the legs?

If the problem is caused by natural changes in the body, then it will go away within a month, only it needs help to return to normal. And for this it is recommended to perform simple physical exercise for legs. This is rotating the feet, rising on tiptoes, squeezing the toes. In the evening you can do light massage legs, thighs and feet to improve blood circulation in them. The procedure disperses accumulated fluid into subcutaneous tissue. Normalizing your daily routine, rest, and eliminating spicy and salty foods will also help your body get into shape. If, despite these measures, a woman’s swelling does not go away within 3-4 weeks after childbirth, then there is serious reason. Only comprehensive examination the body will help establish it, identify the disease, the symptom of which is swelling. It is recommended to undergo an examination by a phlebologist. The result of duplex angioscanning of the veins will show the condition of the woman’s vessels. If venous thrombosis is not detected, then until completion breastfeeding local therapy is recommended for the woman. The condition of the veins will be improved by ointments Lyoton, Troxevasin, Heparin. The drugs increase blood circulation and help get rid of swelling more quickly. To alleviate the condition of the legs, wearing compression garments is recommended.

When is the cause of swelling lower limbs are kidney problems, treatment by an experienced nephrologist is recommended. It is highly undesirable to self-prescribe diuretic herbs while breastfeeding.

About the prevention of postpartum edema

Every woman can take care of the health of her feet even before giving birth. Thus, wearing a prenatal bandage protects against stretch marks and reduces stress on the limbs, easing the pressure of the uterus on the perineal veins, preventing the development of varicose veins.

Compression stockings support healthy condition blood vessels of the legs, prevents their stretching and swelling during pregnancy and after childbirth.

High heels are a taboo when carrying a baby, as well as after childbirth. It is advisable to wear shoes with comfortable wedges or heels no higher than three centimeters.

Good in the second half of pregnancy preventive measure is cold and hot shower, which simultaneously relieves fatigue and reduces swelling of the lower extremities. A well-designed diet, limiting drinking in the evening, adequate rest, limiting physical activity — simple recommendations that help prevent the problem.

Especially for- Elena Kichak

In the third trimester, almost every expectant mother experiences swelling of the legs. This is a physiological phenomenon that is associated with the accumulation large quantity fluids in the body. It is necessary to increase the volume of circulating blood and the normal development of the child. However, during the first weeks after the birth of the baby, the swelling should disappear. Sometimes the legs swell after childbirth, causing great discomfort to the woman. In addition, young mothers often observe spider veins on their legs, which spoil appearance. In both the first and second cases, you need to look for the cause and eliminate it. Let's look at why such problems arise and how to deal with them.

Why do my legs swell after childbirth?

In many cases, swelling of the legs after childbirth is the result of a woman’s poor daily routine and poor nutrition. In the first months after the birth of a child, the mother spends a lot of time on her feet. Besides excess weight, often accumulated during gestation, creates heavy load to the lower limbs. Therefore, in the evening, a woman often feels heaviness in her legs and notices their swelling. Swelling can be caused by poor nutrition, in particular the abuse of salted, fried and smoked foods.

Another reason for this condition is called varicose veins. Pregnancy is one of the factors predisposing to the development of this disease. The first symptoms of varicose veins, in addition to swelling, include the appearance spider veins, convulsions in calf muscles, heaviness in the legs. It is necessary to distinguish the onset of varicose veins from deep vein thrombosis - quite dangerous pathology. So, if both legs swell, we can assume the presence of varicose veins, and if swelling on one leg is accompanied by swelling, redness and burning of the skin, then deep vein thrombosis is most likely developing.

Another cause of leg swelling after childbirth is kidney disease. This condition is especially typical for those mothers who have chronic renal pathologies. In them, swelling of the lower extremities disappears much later than in healthy women. In some cases, kidney disease can cause periodic appearance swelling.

In addition to the above reasons, swelling of the legs after childbirth can be caused by: hereditary factors, as well as some other diseases, including pathologies of the thyroid gland, of cardio-vascular system, intestines.

Treatment of leg swelling after childbirth

For selection effective methods treatment, the cause of the swelling should be determined. At varicose veins veins, consultation with a phlebologist is necessary. Depending on the degree of the disease, the doctor will select the appropriate therapy. Special ointments, gels and creams are often prescribed, for example, Lyoton, Traxivasin, Heparin.

Treatment of swelling of the legs after childbirth, which is associated with kidney disease, is aimed at treating the underlying disease. In this case, the necessary medications selected by a nephrologist.

If swelling of the legs is associated with poor diet and daily routine, to improve the condition you should follow some rules:

Exclude salty and fatty foods, carbonated drinks from the daily menu;
Increase natural foods in your diet. You should pay attention to foods that help thin the blood: grapes, tomatoes, grapefruits, lemons, cranberries, viburnum;
Avoid overwork, take breaks from work to rest.

Good home remedies for leg swelling after childbirth are: foot baths, massage and compresses. For baths you can use sea salt or decoctions medicinal herbs(birch and burdock leaves, chamomile, oregano, nettle). In this case, foot massage with pieces of ice from a herbal decoction is very effective. Herbs such as eucalyptus, yarrow, and sage are suitable for making ice.

Some exercises that improve blood circulation in the lower extremities help fight swelling. These include: walking on your toes for 3-5 minutes, squeezing your toes, lifting small objects from the floor with your bare feet, and rotating your feet.

Spider veins on the legs after pregnancy

The appearance of spider veins is one of the first signs varicose veins. For many women, they are first discovered on their legs after childbirth. The presence of spider veins is usually accompanied by heaviness, pain, and often swelling of the legs.

Like any disease, this pathology should be treated. The method of therapy is selected by the phlebologist taking into account many factors, including the severity of the disease, whether the woman has chronic diseases, age.

The most common methods of therapy and prevention include wearing special compression garments (tights, knee socks, stockings). It is optimal to use it during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester.

Additionally, the woman is prescribed medications, in most cases after breastfeeding ends. Medicines reduce swelling, pain, slow down the development of the disease.

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Why do my legs swell after childbirth?

Edema appears at the earliest various reasons, among which: protein deficiency, varicose veins, as well as diseases of the kidneys, heart and thyroid gland.

For pregnant women, edema is to some extent the norm, since hormonal background predisposes to this phenomenon. However, the load on the veins of the legs also occurs due to additional weight in the later stages.

If a woman’s blood vessels are healthy, then after childbirth the swelling of the legs should go away. But there are cases when they not only do not disappear, but also become larger. This can be explained bad work valves of the internal and external veins of the lower extremities.

There is also such a complex condition as deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities, which consists of clogging a vessel with a blood clot and disrupting the outflow of blood. The susceptibility of pregnant and postpartum women to this disease is explained by blood stagnation and hypercoagulation (blood thickening) as a result of the body’s preparation for the upcoming loss of blood during childbirth. But not only these two factors are needed for the development of thrombosis. Damage needed inner wall vessel where the blood clot is actually attached. This can be triggered during pregnancy colds, vaginal examination or autoimmune disorder. The risk of developing thrombosis during childbirth increases many times over, especially in the case of a cesarean section.

Treatment of edema after childbirth

Home remedies for swollen feet

Physiological swelling of the legs after childbirth should go away on its own within a few days; it does not require treatment.

You can help yourself by doing the following exercises to improve blood circulation:

Walk on your toes for 2-3 minutes.

Alternately spreading and squeezing your toes.

Lifting small objects (pencil, ball) from the floor with bare feet.

Rotational movements of the feet in different directions (inward and outward).

Stand on your toes for a few seconds, then jump (5-10 times) on your tiptoes.

Sharp flexion and extension of toes.

Home remedies for swelling include:

Baths with sea salt and contrast baths.

Foot massage (can be done with ice cubes). It is enough to do it yourself.

Diuretic mixtures made from horsetail, knotweed and birch buds also help relieve swelling.

Amount of fluid consumed per evening time, should be reduced.

You need to sleep with your limbs slightly elevated, for example, placing a cushion under your feet.

Drug treatment

Those who are not passing should be wary long time swelling of the legs after childbirth, which is accompanied by pain and heaviness in the legs. Also dangerous is asymmetrical swelling (of one leg) with symptoms of swelling, burning and redness.

It is not recommended to take any medications on your own; they may have Negative influence on the body of a nursing mother and enter the baby’s blood with her milk.

In turn, the phlebologist may prescribe a duplex angioscanning of the veins (superficial and deep) of the lower extremities to determine the condition of the vessels. This procedure is necessary for women with swelling after childbirth, especially those who are predisposed to this phenomenon.

A vein examination after childbirth should be carried out if there are the following additional factors:

Parents suffer from varicose veins.

A woman over 35 years of age.

and the use of hormonal drugs.

Excess weight.

The presence of symptoms such as heaviness in the legs, cramps in the calf muscles.

Drug treatment will depend on the cause of the swelling. Usually, ointments based on heparin, rutin (Essaven, Lyoton) or products based on herbal components are prescribed to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and eliminate microthrombi.

Prevention of leg swelling after childbirth

You can prevent the development of swelling if you follow some recommendations during pregnancy:

Sleeping with your feet elevated

Give your feet a rest and massage them

Reduce salt and fluid intake in the evening

Wear special elastic underwear and compression tights.

Remember that the main thing when swelling occurs during the postpartum period is to consult a doctor in time. Health to you, dear mothers!

Victoria Koreshkova for the website

A woman's body experiences significant changes during pregnancy hormonal levels, weight changes, 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 in the aggregate 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 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 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 proceed without elevated temperature And nagging pain in the lower back.
Cardiovascular diseases can also cause swelling, along with diseases digestive system, as well as problems with thyroid gland etc.

Prevention of edema

Exclusion from the diet of fatty, salty, pickled, smoked foods, and carbonated drinks.
Balanced diet And regular use 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 for a long time carry out standing, from time to time stand on tiptoes.
Soothing foot baths and foot massage.

Treatment of leg swelling after childbirth

As soon as you notice that your legs begin to swell, consult a therapist who will prescribe you treatment or give you a referral to to a specialist. A phlebologist deals directly with the problem of vascular diseases; he will help establish the cause of edema and prescribe adequate treatment. You will probably also need to be seen by a cardiologist.

Surgical treatment for edema is prescribed in exceptional cases when the disease persists complex nature, and there is no way to achieve a cure with medication. Usually the doctor after examination and delivery necessary tests appoints medications, massage, compression garments and will 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 completed. cool water, and then rub your feet thoroughly 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.

ethnoscience Traditional methods Treatments for edema can only be combined with adequate medical prescription, since they do not cure the disease, but only alleviate its symptoms.

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 may be various reasons, and they are not always harmless, as it seems at first glance. Swelling can serve as the first sign of serious illnesses. 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.

During pregnancy, the vast majority of women experience the appearance of edema. For selected ladies, after childbirth, the disorders quickly disappear, for others they remain.

Causes of edema:

The cause of edema is that fluid accumulates in the body and is not excreted. The phenomenon is normal and is associated with an increase in the amount of blood in vascular system requiring additional fluid. Additional fluid is necessary to ensure normal metabolism. About half of the weight gained during pregnancy comes from fluid. Water is retained evenly in the tissues of the body.
The second reason lies in the production of large amounts of hormones that maintain pregnancy. Negative property A special effect on sodium in table salt is considered. Mineral, thanks physical properties, retains water, causing swelling.
Foods containing salt, pepper and seasonings cause thirst, leading to overconsumption liquids. If you minimize consumption junk food, the risk of swelling will decrease

Edema usually appears in women in the second half of pregnancy, when accelerated growth fetus, an increase in the size of the uterus, intensive weight gain.

It is easy to determine the presence of edema. Firstly, the disorder is felt when it is difficult to put on shoes. And secondly, it is possible to conduct a simple test: press your finger on the front of the shin. If a depression forms under pressure, it means the tissue is swollen. Thirdly, a sharp weight gain in a week means that fluid is poorly removed from the body.

Treatment of edema is not required; the phenomenon does not belong to the category of diseases, but symptoms of the disease or temporary manifestations.

During pregnancy, it is recommended to control the amount of fluid consumed. For women expecting a child, the norm is to receive two liters of fluid daily. The total volume obtained from the products is indicated. You cannot completely refuse to consume water. The solution will not help get rid of swelling, the body will go into a state of panic, begin to store fluid, and additionally retain water in case of a loss of moisture.
Try to avoid consuming salty foods and not adding enough salt to your food. Avoid hot and spicy foods.
It is worth giving up coffee and black tea. Instead of drinks, it is better to drink fruit drinks made from berries, infusions of herbs and dried fruits.
To get rid of it, it is useful to lie down more. Feet should be placed on a pillow or bolster.

Getting sick leading to swelling of the legs during pregnancy

If a woman had health problems before pregnancy, it means that the problems can worsen while carrying a child. A process occurs that puts additional stress on the organs.

Problems with the functioning of the kidneys and cardiovascular system become common pathologies in women. While expecting a child, initially unhealthy girls will develop severe swelling. You will have to carefully monitor your health. From time to time, a woman may be hospitalized. Already in the hospital, doctors will find out the causes of severe swelling.

If necessary, prescribe drug treatment, which, curing the disease, will help relieve swelling. Consumption of excess chemicals during pregnancy is not recommended. But when there is a threat to life and health, medicines are vital.

Ways to combat swelling

When getting rid of edema, try to avoid heavy housework and do not carry out... It is recommended to sit with your legs elevated or lie down most of the time. In this position, blood flow works more evenly, and it is easier for the kidneys and heart to function.
Try to eat more healthy food. If there is enough in the diet fresh vegetables, fermented milk products, fish and meat, steamed with a minimum amount of salt and spices, such a menu will benefit to the expectant mother and for the child, it will help relieve swelling. The causes of edema are the consumption of sugar and carbohydrate foods. If you do not limit potatoes, pasta, rice, flour and fruits in your diet, it will be difficult to remove swelling from your legs. If you need to improve the removal of water from the body, add to the menu more products that have diuretic properties: zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, grapes, apples. Proper nutrition will ensure an easy pregnancy.
Drink drinks rich in vitamins and microelements that help remove fluid from the body. For example, a decoction of dried apricots or blackberries, juice from carrots, pumpkins and cucumbers. If no individual intolerance is noted, herbal teas useful for pregnant women, they help cleanse the body and calm down without the use of chemicals.
In order for the treatment of edema to be productive, it is necessary to do gymnastics for pregnant women. Swimming has the predominant benefit: it stimulates the circulatory system and heart, provides a moderate load on the body, strengthens muscles, stabilizes weight, and helps relieve stress.

Swelling after childbirth

Most often, swelling of the legs after childbirth in women goes away within one to two weeks. If after a month the swelling remains, it means there is a problem:

A common cause is poorly functioning kidneys. It is not necessary to have a history of pathology; perhaps the course of pregnancy was difficult, the load on the kidneys became too great. It takes time to return to the usual pace of work. If diseases are detected urinary system, the process of getting rid of edema will not be quick.
Incorrect power system. If during pregnancy a woman did not adhere to a diet, ate a lot of salty and fatty foods, sweets, drank excess coffee and water, which means that the course of pregnancy is complicated by fluid retention. Severe swelling sometimes lead to the need for medication. Consumption of chemicals can harm a child; it is worth sticking to a diet. During the postpartum period, the fluid will gradually be eliminated from the body. If you normalize your diet, the process will be easier and faster.
Women who have recently given birth have a lot to do. The usual schedule of life is disrupted, there is not enough time. Spending the day on your feet leads to evening swelling of the legs. You need to properly allocate time for doing things, try to rest more.
Phlebeurysm. During pregnancy, pronounced vascular disorders may not be detected, but swelling of the legs after childbirth, which does not go away for a long time, can be a manifestation of the disease. It is worth contacting a specialist in time to find out the reason for the persistence of swelling.

Treatment of edema

If swelling of the legs after childbirth continues for a long time, the nature of the disorder does not change, you should seek medical advice. After the examination, the doctor will prescribe treatment.
If the cause is in the kidneys, medications are prescribed. It is advisable to avoid the use of chemicals for a nursing mother. Approved drugs have also been developed.
If you have varicose veins, give your legs more rest. It is advisable to lie down with your feet on a pillow. Do not stand on your feet for a long time; change the load when working while standing. Use creams and ointments to strengthen blood vessels in the legs and relieve swelling.
Swelling due to poor nutrition eliminated by making changes to the menu.
Gymnastics and foot massage, baths help to quickly get rid of swelling.

To ease the course of pregnancy, which puts a lot of stress on the body, carefully monitor your diet - consume natural products, do not contain chemicals, avoid stress, do not forget to do gymnastics. Consider the need good sleep and rest. Do not neglect the advice of a doctor, then the appearance of swelling of the legs during pregnancy and after childbirth can be avoided.