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Kathryn
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| Posted: June 19 2010 at 8:25pm | IP Logged
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I had my 25 week c/u yesterday and just at the end when I mentioned that I had only gained 1 pound in the past 4 weeks yet went from looking about 2 months preggo to about 8 months preggo, I was hanging in there he mentioned, "well, you have a little bit of swelling which isn't bad for the hot weather and your age", (which I'm 40 but I wouldn't think would matter).
I didn't think I had any swelling and I don't recall having swelling in my previous but I've never been pregnant when it's 100 degrees either and I'm only 25 weeks so I've got until around October 1 to deal with this and am trying not to stress too much. We're in North Texas so it's unusually hot already and always humid. I'm even hot in Mass and walking to/from the car is almost unbearable! My ring even left a mark on my hand during Mass tonight!
I developed high BP with # 2 but that wasn't until I went past my due date but just this "slight swelling" is making me nervous considering I have 15 weeks to go in the hottest part of the Summer! I was very diligent about watching salt intake with # 3 (and she arrived August 21 but we had about the mildest Summer ever w/ tons of rain so that prob. saved me). Anyway, I know that eating foods high in potassium helps as well as avoiding most prepared or fast food.
Sooo, now that I've written a novel of background info, I'm looking for other suggestions:
Someone said veggies b/c of water and I can eat some veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens, carrots) Other ideas there?
What about fruit? Can I get too much fruit b/c of the natural sugar? I could eat waaay more fruit than veggies. I could eat a whole pineapple, a whole watermelon, a carton of strawberries, oranges...you name it so I'm hoping these will offset my struggle to drink enough plain water.
Exactly how much water is enough or close to enough?
Read somewhere about upping these. In prenatal vitamins I'm getting:
B6 = 2.5g 100% DV
Magnesium = 50 mg 11% DV
Can lack of enough fluids make you tired? I sooo need my caffeinated tea to stay awake thru-out the afternoon and I usu. only drink 1 cup and even try to dilute it now w/ water. Please don't tell me I have to give this up. How much is "too much" caffeine?
What proteins? I still eat my deli meat and cheese but buy the lowest sodium possible although I know it's still a lot I usu. just eat 1 pc each. I like cashews or peanut butter but otherwise not much of a nut person. Could do fish but obviously that requires prep and cooking so I guess I'm looking more for little to no prep things to have thru-out the day.
Ok, thanks if you made it thru this post and have advice although I guess since the boards will be closing soon, I may not get any until Monday. 
Thanks,
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 19 2010 at 8:41pm | IP Logged
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First off.. reducing salt is not a good thing just for swelling.. if you have other reasons.. ok.. but lack of salt can throw your electorlyte balance off.
water.. you need way more than you think  most people do.. rule of thumb.. half your weight in pounds is the number of fluid ounces you should be drinking at a minimum. More for anything extra like being pregnant, hot weather, nursing, activity level etc.
dehydration (lack of fluids) can make you tired and weak and give you headaches and increase contractions and increase swelling.. and that's just off the top of my head.
caffiene is a diuretic.. you lose more fluid than you take in when you drink something with caffiene.. so not only does it not count for your fluid intake.. it means you need to drink even more to make up for it.
don't drink plain water if it's a struggle.. add a splash of juice.. and don't stop with just lemon or lime but cranberry or pineapple or grape juice can give a nice zing of flavor in your water. crushed ice, I also find makes water more appealing. What about herbal or decaf iced teas? There's herbal pregnancy teas that will help in more ways and would count as fluid.. hot or cold.
When I'm really pushing fluids because it's soooo hot, like during a swim meet when I'm outside all day.. I drink 2 bottles of water (16.9ounces) and then drink a gatorade (12 oz) then repeat with 2 waters and then a gatorade.. it keeps you from throwing off your electrolytes while getting more water in.
Protein.. you need LOTS if you're looking for preventative for pre-eclampsia type of stuff.. 100grams a day.. you get your biggest "bang for your buck" with real meats.. like grilled chicken or fish or roast beef or pork chops.. I suggest finding something like chicken.. doing dry rubs of spices so that you can get lots of different types of flavors.. and slice into strips.. and then you have those that you can eat bit a piece of fruit or a slice of cheese for snacks.
And don't forget eggs.. hard boiled.. deviled.. egg salad on bread or crackers.. tuna salad on bread or crackers for that matter if you like that.
These are all things you can prep ahead and snack on for several days.
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JennGM
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| Posted: June 19 2010 at 9:23pm | IP Logged
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What Jodie said.
The only other thing I'd suggest is stay off your feet, and try putting your feet as much as possible and lie on your left side.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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stacykay
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| Posted: June 21 2010 at 5:43am | IP Logged
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My ob had me go swimming as much as I could. Something about being in the water helps to get rid of the excess in your body. Can't remember the specifics of it, but it really worked. I think a soak in your tub would do the same.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: June 21 2010 at 12:41pm | IP Logged
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If I eat some simple carbs like bread or pasta, I swell too. I found that by my 5th month I was very sensitive to swelling and fiddled around with my food and salt until I figured out what was causing it. I found out that I can have a starchy veggie like potato with no problem, though.
I am 32 or 33 weeks pregnant (depending on what date you use ) I found that if I used some really good quality salt like Celtic sea salt or Real Salt, my body didn't swell at all. I read some kind of study that said that these kinds of mineral-rich salts have the opposite effect on the body, which must have been because I am encouraged to salt my food more because of over active adrenal glands and evidently they need the good salt to function better. I found out that many of my pregnancy issues were made worse because I was mineral depleted, especially low was magnesium.
If I eat any flour products that have NOT been soaked first, I swell immediately. I can only eat a little of the home made bread that has soaked flour, but at least I can have something.
I have little meals throughout the day with protein. I eat a lot of pastured eggs and raw milk..my body has loved this this pregnancy. I also have plain yogurt or other fermented foods every day and mix in some brewers yeast for some extra vitamins. I have lost weight during the whole pregnancy...slowly... and have improved my health quite a bit (pregnancy is very hard on me)
Umm...no sugar, no caffiene but I do have some fruit here and there...just not excessively.
I also need to drink a lot. I keep a gal jar of home made ginger tea with a lime squeezed into it in the door of the fridge and I drink that throughout the day...refreshing and cool!
I also walk every day...this helps tremendously..not to mention that it is good for labor-conditioning!
HTH!
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Donna Marie from NJ
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VanessaVH
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| Posted: June 21 2010 at 8:07pm | IP Logged
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With my second (of 4 pregnancies) which was a July baby, my doula told me electrolytes. The best way to get them without Gatorade with it's colors, sugar etc. is something call Smart Water (by bottled water in the store) It has no taste or flavor or anything. Also the little packets of fizzy vitamin C have a lot of electrolytes (I get them at the health food store or Sam's club, called Emergen-C) Both of those really helped with my swelling.
HTH!
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Betsy
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| Posted: June 21 2010 at 8:49pm | IP Logged
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My midwife recommended long soak in bath with epsom salts for swelling.
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Pilgrim
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| Posted: June 21 2010 at 8:49pm | IP Logged
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My Dr. just told me last week that during the heat of Summer and pregnant I need to drink a gallon of water a day to keep up on fluids.  What I'e found helps is to keep a quart mason jar (or any other measured container) handy and measure my drinking by that. I drink four jars a day, and I've gotten my fluids in. It can be so hard when busy!
My mom puts an herbal tea bag in her cold water glass refilling throughout the day and finds it really helps her keep up on her fluid intake. During my first preg. I used to get those bottles of water that had the pop-up top on them and put a tea bag in them, refilling throughout the day, it really helped me to like drinking my water.
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Kathryn
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| Posted: June 21 2010 at 10:29pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for all the info. I know the fluid intake I guess is the biggest proponent for sooo many things but I do find it sooo hard to drink THAT MUCH! I then feel like a bloated whale!  I wonder if the G2's have the same electrolytes. They're about 1/3 the sugar of regular Gatorade. I did buy a bag a lemons in the beg. and would squeeze those in w/ a half of sweet-n-low and I could drink those pretty good and fast.
I was watching the sodium intake after the BP issues with #2 at the end. I def. think I still get enough sodium esp. if just eating out 1 meal that day or eating some crackers or chips or popcorn etc. I think that's also why I tried to increase potassium rich foods. I forgot about the extra protein tho so I'm working on increasing that and hopefully it'll give me more energy too.
Also, we do have a neighborhood pool but not sure I have the stamina to take my no fear 2 1/2 year old with me. But, I'll have to get some friends to go or go in the evening when DH takes the kids (that's usu. a break time for me). Also, I know it's crazy for so many people (esp. my kids) but swimming's not my favorite thing either but if he keeps me healthy, I'll do it.
Another thing I started doing was keeping one of those spray bottles w/ the fan filled w/ water in my car and anytime I get in the car after shopping, park etc. I spritz it allllll over myself and then once the a/c hits me, it feels like HEAVEN!  I swear it makes a huge difference betw. just enduring a hot car w/ a/c until it cools down and having that cool air hit my watered down skin! Aaaahhhhh......
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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stacykay
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| Posted: June 22 2010 at 8:21am | IP Logged
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Kathryn wrote:
...Also, we do have a neighborhood pool but not sure I have the stamina to take my no fear 2 1/2 year old with me. But, I'll have to get some friends to go or go in the evening when DH takes the kids (that's usu. a break time for me). Also, I know it's crazy for so many people (esp. my kids) but swimming's not my favorite thing either but if he keeps me healthy, I'll do it.
......
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Kathryn,
While I do love swimming  , I spent the last few weeks of each pregnancy just leaning against the side of the pool. It still did the trick with helping get rid of too much excess fluid, and I usually feel so hot and cumbersome at that point, that it was like that old iced tea commercial, the "ahhhh" moment, for me (no, I definitely didn't fall backwards into the pool, more like I waddled down the steps! )
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Topic: Controlling swelling in pregnancy
