Nutrition for pregnant women with edema. General rules for pregnant women with edema

Most representatives of the fairer sex, while carrying a baby, experience swelling, especially if the main period of pregnancy falls during the hot season. They know firsthand what a diet for edema during pregnancy is. The following are options dietary nutrition and ways to overcome moisture retention in the body.

Diagnosis

Swelling is a common occurrence for a pregnant woman; it provokes discomfort. On early stages, it is difficult to notice the disease, but starting from 4-5 months, the discomfort becomes obvious.

First, the face begins to swell, it becomes loose and flabby, then the hands come into play. It happens that a woman cannot even bend her fingers. IN last resort legs swell. This happens already in the later stages.

To detect the presence of edema, it is enough to press down the swollen area of the body with your fingers. If the depressions from pressing do not disappear immediately, we can assume that there is swelling. Swelling does not always mean danger. It happens that expectant mother I just ate the wrong thing and all the liquid remained in the tissues. Therefore, it is not recommended for a pregnant woman to eat foods that are too salty, fatty or smoked.

One of the factors indicating the presence of swelling is rapid weight gain. There are ways to identify discomfort with the help of a doctor and his special equipment. But few people use this diagnostic method.

You need to understand that swelling is a manifestation of certain diseases. Therefore, it is important to determine the cause correctly.

Causes of the disease

Basically, when carrying a baby, swelling does not mean the presence of a serious illness. Often they are side effect the state of a woman expecting a baby.

Factors influencing the appearance of discomfort:

an increase in blood volume during pregnancy to serve both mother and baby;
protective reaction of the body. Rounded shapes expectant mother make her a little clumsy. The body is forced to protect itself from shock by swelling;
to be able to restore water balance after the baby is born;
conservation of water resources. Pregnancy requires a lot of water in the body. To avoid dehydration, it itself stores a reserve volume of moisture in its tissues.

Although all these reasons have good intentions and are aimed at helping the body, they still bring unpleasant sensations.

As a result, the expectant mother dreams of getting rid of them as quickly as possible and not returning to this state throughout her pregnancy. That is why it is advisable to start monitoring your diet long before planning a replenishment.

Eliminating illness with nutrition

If you have edema in pregnant women, you need to pay attention to the amount you drink and the degree of saltiness of the food. Ideally, a woman should drink 2-3 liters per day, in proportion to her weight. But if there is rapid weight gain and swelling, it makes sense to limit fluid intake, reducing it by at least half.

You need to drink in small portions and less water. You will need to completely eliminate carbonated drinks from your diet. Better drink mineral water, weak tea, milk and its derivatives. But without limiting salt intake, reducing drinking will do nothing.

Food also contains water, so a diet during pregnancy for edema is required. Just don’t be too zealous, because too dry food can cause constipation. It's better to start learning to eat in small portions.

What to eat for edema during pregnancy:

fruits with a diuretic effect;
juices;
fruit drinks;
steamed vegetables;
fish;
meat.

The diet menu for edema is almost identical to the diet healthy eating.

Taking medication does not mean stopping eating healthy foods. It is only an additional measure to enhance the effect.

If you take prescription pills, follow an appropriate diet and correct mode drinks, you can short terms get rid of unpleasant sensation. The main thing is not to return to the person’s usual lifestyle and diet after the discomfort disappears. After all, the disease can quickly return to normal.

Preventive measures

In order not to suffer from the formation of puffiness, it is necessary to arrange fasting days every 2-3 weeks. It is important that the personal gynecologist is aware of all body movements of the ward and assists her in every possible way. good condition when carrying a child.

You should also adhere to the drinking regime, but do not overdo it with limiting the amount of liquid you drink. You should not eat foods that delay water resources in the tissues of the expectant mother. From time to time it is advisable to eat grub that has a diuretic effect. Eating watermelon is considered especially useful. It will easily remove liquid and bring pleasure from good taste and fresh aroma.

Nutrition during pregnancy with edema should be balanced; it should not include canned vegetables and smoked meats. It is advisable to limit your consumption of sweets. You can eat some foods against edema during pregnancy that produce a diuretic effect (watermelon, melon, orange, apple).
It is necessary to carefully consider what to eat for swelling.

Treatment with medications

If a diet for pregnant women with edema does not bring any relief, you should seek help from a doctor. He will be able to attribute drug treatment, which will consist of taking diuretics. You cannot choose medications on your own, because for expectant mothers, there are many dangers from taking illegal medications.

It is better to use medications based on diuretic herbs. There is one nuance here: along with the fluid, they are removed from the body. useful substances, necessary for the formation and development of the baby (potassium, calcium, magnesium). Therefore, it makes sense to drink a vitamin complex that will contain necessary elements. A doctor leading a pregnancy can easily help you choose the most suitable suitable option with the necessary vitamins.

It is advisable to take care of your well-being, because the mother’s mood and emotions are directly transmitted to the baby. His wellness only contributes to correct and harmonious development.

On recent months During pregnancy, women often experience an accumulation of fluids. For this reason, a diet for pregnant women with edema involves avoiding certain foods that can retain water in the tissues. Sticking to simple recommendations, women will be able to cope with edema without harm to their body and child.

General rules for pregnant women with edema

A proper diet for edema during pregnancy should prevent water retention in tissues, but not limit its entry into the body.

Women will have to exclude from their diet certain products, and also adhere to other recommendations of specialists.

Pregnant women need to remember the following rules:

It is necessary to completely eliminate salt and coffee from the diet;
you need to eat at least five times a day so as not to overload the gastrointestinal tract;
the consumption of smoked, fried and salty foods should be limited to a minimum;
you need to eat flour and sweet products less often;
required use meat products however, women should give preference low-fat varieties meat and fish;
V daily diet a large amount of fiber must be present, that is, women must eat berries, vegetables and fruits;
It is advisable to prepare dishes exclusively by boiling or steaming;
useful to use fermented milk products, milk porridges, compotes and teas based on medicinal herbs.

If swelling does not go away during pregnancy, you need to include a large amount of vitamins from fruits and vegetables in your diet. At the same time, it is necessary to consume only natural, environmentally friendly products.

Authorized Products

The menu of the fair sex should include unsweetened vegetables and fruits.

In addition, salads that are seasoned with vegetable oil will be useful.

Additionally, you can include foods in your diet that will ensure the normalization of urine function. excretory system and kidneys:

celery;
apples;
watermelons;
parsley;
citrus;
artichokes.

It is useful to drink pure or mineral water, cereal porridge different varieties, meat and fish dishes.

You can’t season food with salt, but a combination of fresh herbs and lemon juice.

Fully or partially limited products

The list of completely or partially prohibited products is much wider. What should you not eat if you have swelling?

Pregnant women should limit their intake of the following foods:

pickles;
sausage;
smoked meats;
semi-finished products;
mayonnaise;
coffee.

The maximum daily amount of salt for pregnant women is 8 g. However, if edema appears, this figure should be reduced to 5 g. It is advisable not to consume salt at all.

Some girls neglect this rule because they believe that there is a lack of sodium in the body, however, this is not so. This trace element is found in large quantities in many products, therefore daily need will be completely satisfied in it.

You should also completely avoid carbonated drinks and baked goods.

Menu (power mode)

When developing your own diet, you first need to pay attention to the amount of water consumed. important to observe in case of edema.

The daily volume of fluid consumed should be a maximum of 1.5 liters. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account not only clean water, but also soups and liquids that are present in vegetables and juicy fruits.

You need to drink water in small portions throughout the day. If desired drinking water can be replaced green tea, lingonberry or cranberry juice, fermented milk products, rosehip decoction or compote.

The anti-edema diet should be agreed upon with a specialist, as he is able to develop it in accordance with individual characteristics patients.

It is worth considering that in case of edema during pregnancy, you need to arrange fasting days once every 10 days. This will help solve the problem and also improve general health.

On fasting days you can combine different products, but the total should be no more than 1500 kcal.

You can use the following example menu:

low-fat cottage cheese and kefir;
fruits or fruit salads dressed with yogurt;
meat or fish combined with vegetables;
buckwheat porridge with milk or kefir;
potatoes and kefir.

At the end of the fasting day, it is necessary to gradually increase calories, which will balance the metabolism.

Pros and cons

Following a diet to avoid swelling during pregnancy has its advantages and disadvantages.

It is worth noting that the disadvantages are that many women find it difficult to give up their favorite foods that cannot be consumed for a certain time. They will have to immediately adapt to new mode food, which causes some inconvenience.

The advantages of the diet are that a woman will be able to completely or partially get rid of edema. At the same time, your overall health will improve. There will be no harm to the body of the pregnant woman and the child.

The body will receive all the necessary microelements and nutrients. Sticking to simple rules, women will be able to ensure the health of themselves and their children.

With swelling on different dates Pregnancy is faced by 75% of expectant mothers.

They arise for a number of reasons, both physiological and pathological, meaning the development of diseases of internal organs.

In the first weeks of pregnancy, it speaks of disturbances in the functioning of the heart, kidneys or. In the second half, they appear, complicating the course of gestation.

The symptoms of edema are quite obvious:

“Small shoe” syndrome – shoes seem small, high boots cannot be fastened at the top;
Unable to wear rings;
More than 450 grams per week is observed;
The face, arms and legs become puffy.

You need to fight edema in two directions - eliminating the main cause causing fluid stagnation and removing these manifestations from different parts bodies.

Effective methods in such a situation are diet, physical exercise and in severe cases, medications.

Poor nutrition is one of the factors that provokes the appearance of edema. Swelling can be prevented by following balanced diet and drinking regime.

For rare and minor swelling diet menu not much different from a healthy diet for a pregnant woman.

All dishes must be steamed or boiled. Spices, herbs, smoked, fatty, spicy food during this period should be excluded from the diet.

Limiting salt intake.

Salt in your own way chemical composition has the property of preventing the removal of fluid. Excess water begins to accumulate in the tissues, contributing to the appearance of edema, the pregnant woman is tormented by constant thirst.

At this stage, you should eliminate excessive sodium consumption - do not add enough salt to your food. 5 g or half a tablespoon of salt per day will be enough.

Drinking regime.

The amount of liquid cannot be reduced. Daily norm– 1.2-1.5 l, excluding fruits, vegetables and first liquid courses.

Drink purified water, still, green or herbal tea, fruit freshly squeezed juices.

Try to drink as little strong black tea and coffee as possible. But avoid sweet carbonated drinks completely.

Do not neglect following these simple rules, because the development of the unborn child depends on the mother’s health during pregnancy.

Allowed and prohibited foods for those with a tendency to edema

Women's nutrition interesting position must include:

meat – stewed or boiled, lean varieties;
fish – boiled or steamed;
fresh fruits and stewed or boiled vegetables;
fermented milk products.

Almost all fruits and berries have natural diuretic properties. They are most pronounced in:

apricot;
strawberries;
watermelon;
dried apricots.

Include them in your diet in the permitted quantity, and they will easily remove excess fluid.

Pumpkin and apple salad is very healthy - it regulates stool and has an anti-edematous effect.

Hormones make a pregnant woman’s blood thicker, and the liquid she drinks does not go into bloodstream, and in swelling. Therefore, it is imperative to consume foods that in a natural way it is liquefied:

birch sap;
infusions of oak bark, birch buds, and willow.

Refrain from sweets, salty biscuits and crackers, and sausage products. Don’t overuse homemade pickles either.

You should completely exclude from your diet:

semi-finished products;
kvass;
salt mineral water;
salted, dried or raw fish.

It is prohibited to consume any food of unknown origin and not heat-treated.

Fasting days

You can remove swelling during pregnancy using fasting days.

They can be carried out no more than once every 10-14 days and only after agreement with the doctor. They help cleanse the intestines and remove excess fluid.

A common menu for a fasting day is next diet power supply:

cucumber and tomato salad with dressing olive oil and a kilogram of apples.
You can alternate fruits and salad by adding a small piece of boiled lean beef to lunch.
All foods must be prepared without salt.

Another option is a kefir day. Just 1 liter of fermented milk product should replace all meals during this period.

Not every pregnant woman can withstand such a restriction, so it is allowed to eat cereal porridge for breakfast.

A one-day apple diet is a good way to unload the body, when during the day a pregnant woman has to eat exclusively green apples. You need to consume 1-5 kg of apples per day.

The usual routine is observed throughout the day. drinking regime. Great fit green tea or vitamin decoction of rose hips without sugar.

Exercises and massage against swelling

The lungs will also help get rid of edema physical activity. Designed for pregnant women special exercises, which will allow you to remove excess fluid from fabrics. It’s easy to do them at home; nothing will interfere or hinder your movements.

You should start your classes with a simple gymnastic exercise:

lie on your back;
place a round cushion under your feet;
perform 10 circular rotations with your feet in different directions;
after 10 times, stretch your toes and heels forward;
at the end of the warm-up, pull your legs bent at the knees towards your stomach 10 times for each leg.

70% of exercises to prevent swelling should be performed while lying on your back. They should be short-lived, because the growing uterus puts pressure on the vena cava and the pregnant woman may feel slightly dizzy.

Exercise 1

get on all fours;
do deep breath and arch your back;
lower your stomach down, straighten your shoulders and raise your head;
as you exhale, raise your back up, stretch your chin down;
repeat the steps 10 times.

Exercise 2

sit on a chair or stool;
keep your back straight;
spread it on the floor small items and use your toes to try to lift them and place them in your hands.

Swimming and walking are very useful for preventing edema. They improve blood circulation, the outflow of fluid occurs faster.

Visit the pool at least 2 times a week, you can sign up for water aerobics for pregnant women.

Commit hiking wearing comfortable shoes, this will not only be a method of combating swelling, but will also help saturate the body with oxygen and improve sleep.

If there are no contraindications, you can sign up for a massage room or ask loved one give a relaxing massage. Such manipulations stimulate blood flow to all tissues, which speeds up the process of getting rid of excess water.

In massage for pregnant women, 3 techniques are used: rubbing, kneading and stroking. The legs are stretched from the feet to the hips, the back - from the lower back to the neck, the arms - from the hand to the shoulder.

Exercise and diet cannot always cope with edema in pregnant women.

Then you have to resort to diuretics plant origin or medicines.

Herbal products

Leaves of Orthosiphon staminate

Kidney teas are a separate group of herbs for brewing that normalize the functioning of the kidneys and the entire excretory system. However, before using herbs for edema, you should consult a doctor to make sure there are no contraindications to its use. Confidence gained kidney tea from the leaves of Orthosiphon staminate.

It is very effective in relieving swelling and removing chlorides, excess uric acid and urea, having a mild diuretic effect.

Exact adherence to the dosage makes this tea absolutely harmless. You need to drink a third of a glass three times a day.

The use of bearberry is also allowed during pregnancy. Pour 1 teaspoon of leaves into 1 cup of boiling water. The infusion will be ready immediately after cooling.

It should be strained and taken 0.5 cups twice a day. Recommended for use in cases of edema to varying degrees and inflammation of the urinary system.

Lingonberry leaf

Lingonberry leaf and lingonberry berries effectively help against edema during pregnancy. This is one of the excellent natural diuretics.

A decoction of lingonberry leaves can be easily prepared by brewing 1 teaspoon of dry herb for each glass of boiling water and boiling for a couple of minutes. Fruit drinks are made from the fruits by grinding them with sugar and filling them with water.

You can take fruit juice and decoction half a glass 3 times a day before meals.

Birch leaves and buds

The leaves and young buds of birch have wide application with swelling. Brew them at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. dry product per 500 ml of boiling water.

The infusion is wrapped in thick material and left for several hours.

The finished drink is drunk 100-125 ml up to 5 times a day.

Urological collection

The urological collection includes components of plant origin: mint, dill, calendula, bearberry, eleutherococcus.

Their overall impact aimed at stimulating the outflow of fluid and fighting infections of the excretory system. 2 tbsp. l. collection, pour 0.5 liters of water and boil for 30 minutes.

Take 75 ml of warm decoction 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

Pharmaceutical diuretics

During pregnancy, only those diuretics that are made from plants are allowed. These include:

Euphilin.

A drug with a pronounced diuretic effect. Use on an empty stomach causes dizziness and headache. It is prohibited to use if you have heart or vascular diseases.

Phytolysin.

The drug contains oils - orange, mint, sage, pine and useful herbs. Use is permitted only in the absence of an inflammatory process.

Canephron.

The drug has many useful properties - antispasmodic, antiseptic. Has anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects.

These anti-swelling tablets contain lovage root, rosemary leaves and centaury herb.

Pregnant women are prescribed in the form of pills, since the drops are made on an alcohol basis.

Application of any medicinal product must be prescribed by a doctor individually.

There are decongestant medications whose use during pregnancy is prohibited:

Hypothiazide – increases blood pressure and cholesterol, impairs hearing and vision, leads to the development of thrombophlebitis and problems with veins;
Lasix or Furosemide - prevents the retention of magnesium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
Dichlorothiazide or Hypothiazide - promotes calcium retention, causes allergic reactions, loss of energy, dizziness.

Furosemide and Hypothiazide have a negative effect on the fetus, causing kidney problems, jaundice and hearing loss.

IN extreme cases, with swelling on last weeks pregnancies caused by complicated gestosis, when the threat to the health of mother and child is higher possible risk from the use of the drug, the following may be prescribed:

"Oxodolin";
"Torasemide";
"Viskaldix";
"Veroshpiron";
"Theophylline";
"Ethacrynic acid";
"Lasilactone";
"Triamterene";
"Theobromine";
"Aquaphor".

Their appointment is possible only after consultation with several specialists and in a hospital setting.

Folk remedies

To combat edema, all means are good, and the more natural their origin, the better. Treat and prevent swelling folk remedies It’s possible, but it wouldn’t hurt to consult a doctor.

Cranberry for swelling

This berry will not only relieve swelling, but will also give the body of the mother and child all its beneficial substances. Cranberries can be consumed raw, or you can make vitamin drinks from them.

Cranberry juice.

Protect cranberries from heat treatment; to prepare fruit juice, just crush a glass of washed fruits or grind them in a blender. Dilute the resulting puree with a liter hot water and let it brew for a couple of hours.

After cooling, strain through cheesecloth, add a little sugar or honey. Morse is ready. You should drink a glass 2-3 times a day.

Cranberry juice.

Place the berries in a gauze bag and mash in a mortar. Squeeze the juice into a glass and take 2 tbsp. l. half an hour before meals. Cranberry juice is very acidic, it can be diluted with water - this does not affect the effectiveness.

Rose hip

As complex therapy You can also use rose hips for swelling.

Rosehip infusion.

To prepare the drink, you need to pour 5 tablespoons of the fruit into boiling water and turn off the heat. You can't boil it when heat treatment All beneficial properties rose hips are lost. Infuse under a closed lid for 3 hours, after which you can take half a glass 3 times a day. To improve the taste, a small amount of sugar may be added.

Tea from fruits.

To prepare fragrant tea, pour 1 teaspoon of berries into a glass of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. You can add some leaves here peppermint. This tea relaxes, relieves swelling and strengthens the body.

Dried apricots for swelling

Dried apricot during pregnancy protects a woman from edema without intoxicating the body with medical drugs.

Compote of dried apricots.

150 grams of dried apricots are combined with 100 grams of prunes and boiled over low heat in 2 liters of water for 5-7 minutes. Let stand for 60 minutes and take 1 glass 3 times, slightly sweetening.

Infusion of dried apricots.

To save vitamin composition dried apricots do not need to be cooked. Pour 50 grams of drying agent into 250 ml of boiling water and after 3 hours you will receive a valuable infusion. Drink it 100 ml twice a day.

The following also have a mild diuretic effect:

pear;
celery;
pumpkin;
tomato;
dill and parsley;
cucumbers;
melon.

Salt baths

Salt baths are an effective and economical way to combat swelling.

All you need to do is fill the container warm water and dilute it with cooking water or sea salt(about 200 g per bath).

The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.

Such baths have a relaxing effect and remove excess fluid from the body.

Prevention of edema during pregnancy

To avoid gestosis of varying degrees, the following recommendations should be followed:

eat healthy food and limit your salt intake;
keep drinking regime;
rest at least 10 hours a day;
When sleeping, place a pillow under your feet to elevate them;
take warm baths and preventive massage all parts of the body;
Try not to spend a lot of time on your feet while walking; sit down and rest along the way.

Edema – serious problem, especially in the last stages of pregnancy. All treatment must be agreed with the doctor, no matter folk remedies or medications it is being implemented. It should be approached competently and responsibly, because it is important not to harm either the health of the mother or the development of the unborn child.

Edema in pregnant women occurs for a number of reasons. One of them is poor nutrition. What and how should you eat to reduce the likelihood of their occurrence? And how to adjust the menu if swelling has already made itself known? Considering that swelling is observed in 70% of expectant mothers, this topic is very relevant. Doctors in different clinics prescribe absolutely different diets. Some argue that salt is evil. Others say that its deficiency is also dangerous. Some doctors recommend drinking water. Their opponents believe that drinking during pregnancy should be very limited. Let's try to understand where the truth is.

Not just food

Edema may occur due to various reasons. At the beginning of pregnancy, they can talk about disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys, heart, and in some cases - about hidden diabetes mellitus. In the second half of pregnancy, edema is often one of the manifestations of gestosis. In any case, severe swelling is a dangerous condition for normal course pregnancy. It is imperative to fight them.

First, you need to find the underlying cause of the swelling. If this is a disease, then appropriate treatment is required. Secondly, the mother’s lifestyle is adjusted. If there are no contraindications, the doctor recommends walking, moving, and exercising more for pregnant women. And finally, the third direction in the fight against edema is proper nutrition.

How does swelling manifest itself?

Have your usual shoes suddenly become too tight, rings are difficult to put on and take off, and your toes resemble sausages in the morning? This is swelling. In some cases, it is enough to change your diet to a healthier one and everything will be fine. If future mommy does not deny himself the pleasure of eating fried potatoes or try a sandwich with salted lard, swelling will not keep you waiting even in the absence of any pathologies in the body. Sometimes it is enough to remove everything harmful from the diet, establish a food intake routine, eat at the same time, often, in small portions, 5-6 times a day, and swelling goes down. If you already eat right, you should think about drinking. But this does not mean that you need to torment yourself with thirst. You just need to remove from the menu the foods that cause it most: spices, fatty, fried foods, pickles, smoked meats.

Diet for edema: general rules

As little salt as possible. It interferes with the removal of fluid from the body.
The daily norm of liquids is individual for everyone. Usually it is 1.2 - 1.6 liters. But there are exceptions. Modern doctors do not recommend reducing the amount of fluid you drink below these values. Still, the body needs moisture.
The more important thing is not how much fluid to drink, but what exactly to drink. Let it be freshly squeezed juices, pure still water, compotes, fruit drinks, herbal teas. It is advisable to indulge yourself with black tea and coffee as rarely as possible. Sweet soda is very harmful.
Edema is stagnation of fluid in the body. We need to help him remove the accumulated fluid. Many fruits, berries and dried fruits have a good diuretic effect. Among them are watermelon, strawberries, apricots, and dried apricots. Of course, you shouldn’t rely on one type of fruit. This is fraught with the occurrence allergic reaction. The main thing is variety; it is better to eat different fruits and vegetables in small quantities.
During pregnancy, due to the influence of hormones, a woman's blood becomes thicker. Drunk liquid flows not in the right direction - blood, but in edema. Products that thin the blood will help: onions, birch sap, infusions of birch buds and oak bark.
It is better to exclude sweets. Firstly, they, like salty foods, make you thirsty. Secondly, they carry almost no nutritional value, but they only give you a set of extra pounds. Carbohydrates, by the way, also contribute to fluid retention in the body.

The diet for edema generally corresponds to the classic healthy diet for pregnant women. The menu should have sufficient quantity protein foods, dairy products, vegetables, fruits. For swelling, it is recommended to eat (in small quantities) honey, lingonberries, parsley, and lemon.

Fasting days against edema

During pregnancy, nothing helped me with edema. And the food was correct, and I didn’t drink much liquid, but still I had to remove the rings from my fingers and put them aside until better times. The situation improved a little when I made it a rule to arrange fasting days 2 times a month. This measure is quite radical, especially if you did not practice anything like this before pregnancy. Therefore, you need to start very carefully. It is better to consult a doctor and make sure that there are no diseases in the body.

A fasting day does not always mean complete failure from food. During pregnancy, such an experiment can be simply dangerous. The menu for a fasting day is special. For example it could be vegetable salad from cucumbers and tomatoes and 1-1.5 kg of apples. Food is taken often, in small portions. Another common option is kefir (in general, 1-1.5 liters of fermented milk drink is drunk per day). You can choose one of these options or alternate between them.

During pregnancy, you can “unload” no more than once every 10 days.

With the help of a diet, it is possible to overcome slight swelling that has arisen due to natural causes. If, in addition to the feet and hands, the face and stomach also swell, this is already next stage swelling, when the doctor should not delay in calling. We urgently need to look main reason and eliminate it.

Very often, during pregnancy, tissue swelling appears, which causes discomfort. Water is not retained in the body of pregnant women immediately. In the first trimester, swelling is almost unnoticeable; in the second trimester, the first signs of swelling begin, the skin seems loose and inelastic, the face begins to swell and round, and finally the legs, they swell last. Some pregnant women's fingers swell to such an extent that tying shoelaces becomes a problem.

Diagnostics

It is very possible to diagnose swelling in a simple way. By pressing on the palmar (front) side of the leg, the hole does not immediately go away, it a clear sign swelling. Tissue turgor decreases. Weight gain is also noticeable, which, when normal pregnancy, grows gradually, and with swelling noticeably faster.

There are also methods that involve the use of complex instruments and allow you to find out about swelling before it appears, but such methods are not entirely practical, and few people do this.

Causes of swelling

We have identified 4 main causes of swelling during pregnancy:

A pregnant woman's body replenishes its supply of blood, which must nourish, in addition to its own body, the fetus.
Protection. The appearance of a belly affects a woman’s dexterity, which means that the body, as it were, protects the fetus from damage by swollen tissues.
The body stores water. The period of childbirth takes huge amount time, which means that the woman will not receive required quantity water, so the water stored in the tissues prevents the body from becoming dehydrated.
Replenish blood lost after childbirth.

There are several types of diets that, together, will help you get rid of edema.

Drinking diet

With edema, it is important to pay attention to fluid intake and NaCl ( table salt). A pregnant woman, on average, should drink about 3 liters of water per day. If you are concerned about swelling and uneven weight gain, you should reconsider your diet.

Liquid consumption should be reduced to 1.5-2 liters. Drinking less than 1.5 liters is not recommended, since water is necessary for metabolism, and during pregnancy it is a particularly valuable product for the body. Fluid in the body affects blood clotting and the thickness of the walls of blood vessels, so an excessive reduction in the drinking ration can lead to the formation of blood clots.

You should drink in small sips, so you quickly quench your thirst and drink a small amount of water. Absolutely all carbonated drinks must be removed. They provoke thirst and heartburn. It is best to drink mineral water (not carbonated), tea, but not strong, milk and fermented milk products. The juice can only be consumed diluted.

Reducing fluid intake will not help much in the fight against swelling unless you reduce your salt intake. Remove all pickles from your diet. They contain a huge amount of sodium, which inhibits the functioning of the kidneys, and they, in turn, poorly remove fluid from the body. You won’t get a sodium deficiency; it is found in many foods, so you shouldn’t be afraid of a deficiency. Preeclampsia can also cause more problems, and not help, so instead of water it is better to drink warm tea with milk, fruit juice, and other drinks that remove fluid from the tissues.

Food diet

In addition to liquid, food affects swelling, because food is also rich in liquid, although not in large quantities. Fruits, vegetables, borscht, soups, all contain liquid. By limiting the consumption of these foods, you can get constipation due to too dry food. The best way out of this situation is to eat small meals several times a day.

Rid yourself of foods that will retain fluid in your body: pickles, smoked foods, fried foods, fatty foods.

Sugar also has the ability to retain liquid, so do not overindulge in sweets. Eat 4-6 times a day. Remove all store-bought sauces and seasonings. Salt can be replaced lemon juice, if there is no allergy or garlic powder. Home-canned vegetables, meat, and semi-finished products should also be excluded.

Try to choose fresh food. You can't take a diet casually. The Eyholtz diet will help get rid of edema during pregnancy. He advises not to rid the body of food that is familiar to it. If your breakfast consisted of a cup of coffee and a sandwich with sausage, then replace the sausage with a piece of white meat and bread made from wholemeal flour.

A protein diet will help get rid of puffiness. During pregnancy, it is necessary to consume easily digestible proteins. It is very easy to put together. Protein should be 120-130g per 1kg of food. Add to your diet about 120g of red meat, about 200g of cottage cheese, seafood - about 150g, they are rich in vitamins and minerals, so keeping your drinking and food diet, You will quickly get rid of puffiness.

people suffering from allergies;
people who are intolerant to dairy products;
people suffering from liver and kidney disease.

The diet can be carried out for no more than 2 weeks. Consult with a specialist, hand over everything necessary tests and only then start the diet.

Average food consumption should not exceed 3600 kcal per day.

Medication method

If all of the above methods are ineffective, medication is used. It involves prescribing diuretics, but care should be taken in choosing the drug. Such medications can have a detrimental effect on the body of mother and baby.

It is better to coordinate the use of any diuretics with your doctor! Most often, herbs are prescribed that have a weak diuretic effect. By getting rid of liquid, you also wash away calcium, potassium, and magnesium. We need all these elements to normal functioning body. They are replenished vitamin complexes and an appropriate diet.

Prevention of swelling

To reduce swelling and get rid of excess weight use fasting days. Such days should be discussed with your doctor. Fasting days will help you get rid of excess liquid and will give rest to the intestines.

It is recommended to spend the first fasting day on apples, tomatoes, and cucumbers. You can make an unsalted salad, add parsley and olive oil. At lunch you are allowed to eat a little protein (boiled white meat or chicken egg). You can increase the effectiveness of fasting days by alternating them. It is advised to spend such days every 10 days, then the body will work like a clock.

The second fasting day is kefir day. You can fill up your whole day with kefir if you can stand it, but if not, then in the morning and at lunch you are allowed to eat a little light fiber.

You can spend another fasting day eating watermelon. This way you will kill two birds with one stone. Watermelon is a good diuretic, and will also cleanse the digestive apparatus and give it a break from heavy food. What you eat now will affect your child, so take care of him first.