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Swelling of Feet After Delivery

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I had my baby 2 days ago and my feet are so swollen I don't know what to do about it. They weren't that swollen before delivery.

What should I do about the swelling?

ANSWER

First, tell your midwife or doctor so they know. There is a very small chance that you could have a problem that needs their attention.

If not (most likely), drink lots of water and eat lots of protein (steak three times a day--tell your partner!). Keep those feet up as much as possible, and soak them in warm epsom salts when ever you have a spare 10 minutes.

This is usually a temporary problem that resolves on its own.

-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.