My Third Trimester Lifesavers!!!

About a month ago, I confidently wore my Toms wedges to my baby showers. And I started getting a little cocky as people kept telling me they couldn’t believe I could wear “heels” at 33 weeks pregnant. “Oh…my feet are just fine! No swelling here! They’re actually comfortable!”

Turns out…that was the last day that I could wear any sort of heels (and probably ever will) considering that the very next day…my feet swelled to epic proportions and now they’re permanently as big as Texas. Okay…maybe that’s a bit dramatic…but in all seriousness…they’re huge…like comically funny.

I chalked it up to our 5 hour car-ride home the day after I wore wedges for 8 hours…but here we are, 4 weeks later, and my feet are still ginormous potatoes. When I went to the doctor at week 34, I had gained over 8 lbs since my previous appointment 12 days before…the majority of it from swelling. After laughing with me (or at me??) about my new cankles, the doctor decided to run some tests for pre-eclampsia, and all those came back fine. I’m completely normal and healthy…just “swole.” After that appointment, with my constricted feet busting out of the biggest pair of sandals I owned, I stopped at the store and picked up a pair of Crocs.

As I checked out, the sweet lady asked me how far along I was, to which I replied, “Crocs-weeks pregnant.” She laughed, and in my head I wondered how many pregnant ladies from my doctor’s office stop in to Famous Footwear to buy their Crocs at 33 weeks pregnant, seeing as it’s across the street from the office. Since that day, they are the only pair of shoes to fit me…and they have been a complete lifesaver! As unfashionable and ungainly as they have made me feel, they have made walking around during this third trimester bearable.

In addition to my new kicks, I’ve also had to invest in some other products to help relieve the swelling in my feet. I’m currently loving my new compression socks (they look fantastic with my new Crocs…trust me I have gotten NUMEROUS compliments). They actually really take away the swelling, and the other day…I saw the bones again in my feet for the FIRST time in weeks! It was a great feeling guys. If I’m going to be walking around alot, I put those bad boys on, and they make the swelling go away from my feet so I can be on them longer. When I take off the socks and put up my feet at the end of the day, they don’t actually look like potatoes anymore (which is great for my self-esteem).

Before my maternity leave started last Monday, I spent every evening last week soaking my feet in hot water with Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts after I got home from school. It actually never reduced swelling, but boy…it felt good! I have the Chamomile scented salts, and that scent combined with the heat…there’s just nothing more relaxing. After I soak my feet, I put on my compression socks, and prop my feet up…and about one episode of Jane the Virgin later, my feet are looking and feeling so much better.

Ever watch Cinderella? Remember how the pumpkin turns into a carriage? Well…the same magical kind of thing has also happened with my fingers. They officially turned into hotdogs. I had to take my wedding rings off because I was afraid I’d have to get them cut off…and I was feeling pretty sad about it. Then I remembered how a friend of mine bought a silicone wedding band to wear when she works out. I decided to do some investigation and ended up ordering a package of silicone wedding bands from Amazon Prime for about $10. I can mix up the colors depending on what I’m wearing, and I can stretch them to take them on and off if I need to give my fingers a break (I need to). They are super smooth, lightweight, and extremely comfortable to wear…and for the price, you can’t beat it! I will definitely be utilizing these even after the baby comes when I go to the Y and make use of that free membership that I’ve been wasting.

Don’t get me wrong…I can’t wait until the clock strikes midnight and my hotdogs turn back into fingers and my potatoes turn back into feet…but for now, I’ll enjoy these last three-ish weeks with my little one inside me. I’m thrilled that I have this opportunity to carry him, even with all the discomfort the journey can sometimes bring.

Mommas…what were/are your lifesaver products during your third trimester?