Swollen ankles 4 days post partum

Nhbaby

Anyone have suggestions on how to help relieve my newly oversized feet and ankles? It started right after delivery! Should I exercise (walk a little)?

NeonNoon

This happened to me due to IV medication I think. It went away on its own after a couple of weeks. Drinking water might help. Not to mention, you might start sweating a lot (many of us do) and lose the retained liquid.

harmonicbabe26

I had that too after this recent csection. It looked awful, squishy sausage legs... Doc said it would take up to 3 weeks to go away and it did, nothing much you can do about it, just wait it out.

marijaa333

I had this too after being hooked up to the IV for 20 hours. It resolved by day 6 or so. Just drink lots of water.

Geeps2

Oh brother I feel ya!  When I had my daughter I left the hospital with legs that were so fluid retained that I literally couldn't bend them.  I felt like #$@#% because I actually felt like I couldn't breath at times, especially after I drank a lot of water thinking I could flush all the excess water out of my body.  It only made me feel like I was drowning.  The fluid just wasn't going anywhere.  I went to my OB and he dismissed me after looking at my sausage legs and hearing my complaints with "I've seen better, I've seen worse." and then said there was nothing he could do and if I really felt as bad as I did I should go back to the ER!!!!!  I just left the hospital not 24 hrs before.  He is a gigantic DOUCHE.  Now I truely am not one to call a doctor for every little symptom. I literally was in pain I was so fluid retained.  I left the office and burst into tears.  My poor hubs was trying to comfort me and was telling me "don't cry" and I told him I didn't want to because at least now a small bit of liquid is leaving my body.  I then called my Primary care doctor who is an angel sent down from God above.  She talked to me over the phone didn't make me drive to her and explained that the fluid retention is normal but if I wasn't feeling any relief by the middle of the week I should call her and we would discuss water pills if it still was bad.  We discussed breastfeeding and water pills but she felt if I was that uncomfortable it was worth investigating if the need arose.  She knows I am hardly ever in the office and when I am it is for a true issue so she took me seriously.  Luckily it did start to get better and I didn't need the water pills but man almighty those first few days were a nightmare.  I thought my skin was going to explode from being so swollen.  It was bad!!!!

purdy513

Be very careful with swelling. After one week postpartum my legs were so swollen I couldn't bend them. I was also having headaches, blurred vision, and trouble breathing. At my one week checkup my ob checked my blood pressure. It was 198/100. She sent me straight to the hospital. I had postpartum preeclampsia. Please, if you have any of the other symptoms besides the swelling, go to your doctor. It could be very serious. I spent the next few days in the hospital hooked to a magnesium drip to calm my central nervous system. Not fun. I lost 26 lbs in two days of just fluid.