As if there were not enough challenges with being pregnant, the extra weight can make your feet hurt! General foot pain, and especially heel pain, are very common with pregnancy. As out weight puts extra strain on our feet, the supporting bones, tendons, ligaments, joints, and muscles start to complain. As you progress in your pregnancy, you may also notice that your ankles start to swell. Early prevention is the best medicine here, but if you don't know what's coming, you don't know what you need!
First and foremost, the phrase "barefoot and pregnant" should never apply! You may have loved walking around barefoot pre-pregnancy, but it is definitely not advised once you find out you are expecting. The bigger the baby gets, the more strain you get on every part of your body, even more so for your feet. This can cause foot pain to set in sooner rather than later. I want to save you from some of the excruciating foot pain many postpartum mothers feel while limping towards their newborn because they did not know foot pain before pregnancy so they didn't think they would get it during or after pregnancy. Time to be proactive!
Avoiding going barefoot is an essential "first step"! Wearing a good arch support in a good quality shoe is super important in supporting the foot by taking the pressure off of those supporting bones, tendons, ligaments, joints, and muscles. If your feet are already achy, the most natural method to soothe your ache are ice and/or heat soaks, a menthol or arnica based topical anti-inflammatory, rest, and elevation. All are safe for baby and great for your feet! A good foot massage is also equally good!
I know these tips will help give all future mothers relief to their feet and in knowing they may have one less thing to worry about!
