with 2 Comments

When you are pregnant, your body produces 1250 mL more blood volume than before you are pregnant.   You are also obviously gaining weight  All that tends to push fluids out of our blood vessels (where they belong) and into our tissues.  Other factors that may increase swelling include heat, periods of standing with improper alignment, low potassium and sodium intake, and high levels of caffeine intake.

While pregancy can we hard on our cardiovascular system, we actually have a system that helps to put that fluid and other materials back where they belong.  It’s called the lymphatic system.  It is similar to the circulatory system except, it doesn’t have a pump.  If you’ve heard of your lymph nodes, that’s a part of it.   Because it doesn’t have a pump, it relies on your muscles movement to do it’s job.  You also have those lymph nodes that get backed up if the muscles are tight around them.

Below are some exercises that will help loosen up tight muscles and allow the lymph to move more efficiently, putting those fluids back where they belong.  Walking will help to get your muscles moving to also put the fluids back where they belong.


http://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/immunity-boost/

http://www.wholeliving.com/136269/detoxifying-stretches-boost-your-immunity/@center/179721/yoga
When your sitting, raise your legs and wiggle and stretch those
body parts that you feel the most tight in.  Really, just think
movement, no matter what position you are in:)  Compression stockings
may also help to keep the fluids out of the legs, but it’s sort of a
band aid and doesn’t really fix the problem(i.e. lymphatic system
needing to work better).

Here’s a couple of links that talk about this concept(it is discussing immunity, but it’ll help with the fluids also).

http://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/immunity-boost/

http://www.wholeliving.com/136269/detoxifying-stretches-boost-your-immunity/@center/179721/yoga

There are other tips you can find online for swelling but it just
makes sense to me that you should first and foremost support the
system that we have that helps to put the fluids back where they are
supposed to be.  The hard thing is, it’s not a simple fix:)  It is really important to make this a daily thingand it will take a little bit of time, but the good thing is, these exercises will help with lots of pregnancy related ailments.

References:

Hytten, F. (1985). Blood volume changes in early pregnancy.  Clinal Haematology. Oct;14(3):601-12.

Follow Rachel Leavitt:

Rachel has worked as a register nurse (BSN from University of Utah) since 2004 with a work history in Labor and Delivery, NICU and Postpartum Care. She is also the founder of New Beginnings Doula Training which she organized in 2011. When she's not busy being a mother and grandmother, she can be found reading research papers related to some aspect of childbirth.

2 Responses

  1. Annette
    | Reply

    Hi Rachel – Katy’s stuff has moved. Not sure if it’s the same article you reference above but this one is the same title so I’m assuming it is: https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/immunity-boost/

    • Samantha Kitchel
      | Reply

      Thank you for letting us know!

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