0  | 

I found this helpful Thank You! Your vote will be tallied soon!

I've decided to start on a new series on this blog dedicated to the health horrors I'm encountering during my pregnancy. For one, I wish you all wonderful pregnancies that leave no mental or physical scars, because pregnancy and new baby-dom is hard enough, and maybe some of this advice will spare you the development of massive hemorrhoids and the compulsion to chug quarts of Citrucel daily. I suppose my first post in this series was really my post on Scale Dread since gaining more than the recommended weight can complicate pregnancy health matters. (Yet, I continue to expand.)

Anyway, onward.

I've been noticing that after standing for prolonged periods of time, my legs will start to feel heavy, aching and tired. "This is odd," I said to myself the first time it happened since it never happened to me during my first pregnancy. Of course, I knew it must be vein-related, but why? My legs weren't swollen. Fine, I'm large, but not that large (at close to 26 weeks). Sure, I had noticed a couple of new bluish bruise-like spots on both upper thighs recently ,and I've pretty much always had a prominent superficial vein on my left calf, even prior to pregnancy #1, but could I really be developing vein issues? Like, gulp, varicose veins?

Then, one day, I was *ahem* checking out how large my butt has gotten in the full-length mirror, and noticed with utter horror what the backs of my legs look like these days. Vein nightmare. Whoa- who pulled all my veins to the surface of the backs of my calves and thighs and enriched them with blue dye? These were not the legs of a soon-to-be 33 year old. These babies were 80-year old legs that had been through wars and birthing 10 children. Oh. My. God.

After I calmed down, I consulted my books and started my vein health plan to minimize further damage:

1. Stop crossing your legs so much, woman! It's true, I am a leg-crosser-aholic. I cross my legs like it's nobody's business. If I sit down, I will try and cross my legs. This is the natural position for me to rest in. So, admittedly, this has been a difficult behavioral change but one I know I have to do.
2. Exercise daily.  Thankfully, I already do this every morning before I get ready for work. It would probably be better to do the exercise at night to help with circulation when I probably need it most, but that's just not happening.
3. Wear serious support hose. During pregnancy #1, I wore suport hose (pressure stockings) semi-religiously just because I do stand a lot at work and wanted to prevent these vein issues in the first place. But, it was easier then since by the time I was this big, it was fall and winter and easy to wear those ugly white hose under my pants everyday. Today was like 85 degrees out here and I simply can not wear that much clothing right now. I'm big and sweat-prone. So, I'm hoping a cold snap settles in- for the love of veins!
4. Stop standing so much, woman!  My work sometimes involves standing for long periods of time, but I'm modifying this so I'm off my feet more.
5. Stay sleeping on your left side at night. Honest, this is my every intention when I go to bed, not only for the increase-blood-flow-to-uterus factor but also for the increase-circulation-to-lower-extremties factor and decrease-snoring-in-husband's-light-sleeper-face factor, yet I still wake up several times a night lying flat on my back despite my usage of large body pillows. Maybe I need to stick even more pillows wedged behind me or stick a cactus plant behind me or something.
6. Elevate legs more. I can do that. That, I can handle.
7. Do not gain more than the recommended amount. Sadly, this is just a pipe dream...

The good news is that varicose veins do improve after pregnancy, theoretically. Right? RIGHT?

_{Disney Family does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Call your doctor regarding any medical condition. Never disregard your doctor's advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Disney Family site.}