Pregnant women are often faced with a number of new challenges, and varicose veins can be one of them. Varicose veins can be caused by weight gain, constricted blood flow, and other pregnancy-related factors. If you’re pregnant and have varicose veins, don’t worry – we have some tips for you! In this blog post, we will discuss how to help manage them.

7 Tips for Pregnant Women with Varicose Veins

Tip # 1: Elevate

Get off your feet whenever you can, and keep your legs elevated when sitting. Flex your ankles every so often.

Tip # 2: Exercise

Exercise is key in preventing varicose veins — so take a walk or two each day, or do some other form of low-key, circulation-increasing exercises. Research suggests moving around in water is especially helpful, so if you can get to the local pool, go for it!

Tip # 3: Compression

One kind of tight that can feel helpful: Compression socks or hose, which can counteract the downward pressure of your belly and give the veins in your legs a little extra upward push.

Tip #4: Keep it Comfy

Make sure you wear clothes — including underwear — that fit well and don’t bind, especially around the tops of your legs.

Tip #5: Gain Pregnancy Weight Steadily

Follow your practitioner’s recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy. Exceeding that number increases the demands on your already overworked circulatory system.

Tip #6: Hydrate

Drink plenty of fluids to keep your circulation system healthy.

Tip #7: Sleep on Your Left Side

This helps avoid pressure on your main blood vessels and keeps circulation going strong.

Consult Summit Skin and Vein Care

If you follow these tips, you should be able to manage your varicose veins during pregnancy and avoid any serious complications. However, if you are experiencing severe pain or swelling, please consult your doctor or a specialist at Summit Skin & Vein Care.