Postpartum Swelling: A Mama's Guide to Deal with Edema

Now that your baby is out, you may think your body will return to normal. But, unfortunately, that isn’t true for many mamas. Among many physical changes that you will go through after giving birth, you may also experience postpartum swelling.

You will notice that your body swells the most when you are about to give birth. This is because of the water retention that would help your tissue adapt to the rigour of childbearing.

Most of this fluid is expected to be naturally expelled from your body once your baby is out. However, it’s also normal for some mamas to have issues with this and experience postpartum swelling.

However, postpartum swelling can also pose some serious risks if left untreated for a long time. For instance, if it doesn’t go away within a week and you notice the symptoms below, it’s high time to visit your doctor.

Bad headaches, dizziness, blurry vision or swelling of the face and hands. This may mean it’s preeclampsia.
Swelling, severe pain, or warmth in only one leg. This may signal a blood clot.
Severe swelling along with chest pain or difficulty breathing. This may be a sign of a blood clot in the lungs.

While Edema is more common in the legs and feet, it can also be visible in the hands, arms, face, and abdomen.

Luckily, there are many ways to deal with postpartum swelling or what medical practitioners call Edema. In this article, we will lead you to safe and practical things that you can do to ease any discomfort caused by Edema.

5 Ways to Deal with Postpartum Swelling

Whether you are struggling with Edema or trying to prevent it, here are easy tips for setting yourself up for success.

1. Keep yourself hydrated.

It may seem counterproductive since you are trying to eliminate excessive fluid in your body. But trust us when we say that drinking enough water will benefit you greatly.

This is because when the body is dehydrated, it forces itself to conserve water. Hence, it will hold onto the fluid – preventing it from being flushed as urine or sweat.

Aside from this, breastfeeding mamas should be more mindful of their water consumption since it also affects milk production.

2. Wear strategic clothing.

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One way to alleviate discomfort from postpartum swelling is to use specialized clothing. While you may find many tips online that suggest wearing loose clothing, there are also benefits to using tight garments.

For example, the UK National Health Services suggests that compression socks will apply pressure to your legs to stimulate blood flow. This can help control the accumulation of fluids and relieve your discomfort.

Similarly, you can use corsets designed for mamas to achieve blood flow in the stomach area. Unfortunately, not many of these are available in the market today.

3. Watch your diet.

On top of keeping tabs on your water intake, you should also consider what you eat. You may have already made positive changes in your diet since that is recommended during pregnancy.

The best thing to do is to continue eating high-protein and dairy food. But, of course, you should also get your fair share of fruits and vegetables regularly.

In contrast, there are also things that you should avoid eating, such as salty foods. Also, avoid anything with a high sodium concentration, as this triggers swelling.

4. Exercise regularly.

Exercising postpartum should be done with caution. But, of course, we wouldn’t want you to overdo it and be hurt in the process.

You can start slow and steady by walking around. Mayo Clinic also suggests moving swollen areas to pump excess fluid back to your heart.

5. Get enough rest.

Getting eight hours of sleep is a struggle many new mamas experiences. However, it’s an essential factor in dealing with postpartum swelling.

Ensuring you get a good night’s rest will help improve your circulation. But, a Harvard study concluded that sleep deprivation could only worsen swelling in different parts of your body.

Just remember that you can always ask for help in case you are overwhelmed with the many tasks that come with caring for a baby. After all, your health and welfare matter just as much.

Beat postpartum swelling with Mama’s Choice Adjustable Corset!

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Thanks to Instagram models, there has been a spike in waist-training corsets over the past years. However, it would be best to go for one explicitly created for postpartum mamas like you – although they are harder to find.

Lucky for you, we have created an adjustable corset that will perfectly fit you. This comes with our easy velcro design that you can easily adjust according to your comfort.

Unlike the corsets that come with hooks, this will not put excessive pressure on your midsection, which can eventually cause more significant problems.

Other Benefits of Using Mama’s Choice Adjustable Corset

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Versatile products are mama’s best friend. That’s why aside from helping you relieve Edema, there are also many other benefits of using our adjustable corset.

Here are some:

It helps flatten the midsection area
It helps reduce back pain
Helps improve posture

It also comes in black and nude so that you won’t have any issues concealing it under your clothes! Are you into a slimmer version of yourself who’s free from swelling and bulging?

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