Swelling during pregnancy, specifically the last three months is one of the biggest problems affecting at least 75% of expectant mothers. Although it is normal in feet, hands, ankles and face, this should not be excessive and if you have other symptoms such as high blood pressure or unexpected weight gain, you should consult with your obstetrician.
There are several causes that can generate swelling but, fortunately, it can be prevented from appearing or becoming excessive. Therefore, in this article we teach you how to avoid swelling of the face in pregnancy.
Causes of swelling of the face during pregnancy
Although it can appear from the fourth month of pregnancy, swelling is something that is more accentuated in the last trimester and can be generated by various causes. These are the main causes of swelling in pregnancy:
Fluid retention
The growth of the uterus generated by pregnancy and its increase in volume generates pressure on the blood vessels of the lower body, causing them to transport less blood from the legs to the torso and generate fluid retention. Similarly, if you have a kidney problem, the probability of suffering from it increases and in addition to swelling the face, other areas such as the feet, ankles and hands are affected.
In this other article we tell you how to avoid fluid retention in pregnancy.
Hormones in pregnancy
In pregnant women, due to the change in hormone levels, they have greater perspiration into the blood vessels and fluid retention in the blood. Specifically, in this case it is due to the increase in hormones such as progesterone and estradiol, both of which cause these effects and others necessary to carry out pregnancy.
Weight gain in pregnancy
Although it can occur due to the same growth of the uterus and the baby itself, excessive weight gain in the pregnant woman can generate much more swelling, since the circulation becomes more difficult and delayed. Therefore, and for more health reasons of both, we must take care that the weight gain is not excessive.
Reduce salt intake to prevent swelling in the face
Salt is one of the worst enemies of fluid retention, as well as being extremely harmful to the health of your kidneys. It is best to say goodbye to salt for a while, consume only the salt of the food and do not add in our dishes, or consume it in very small quantities.
You can find substitutes for this for dressings, such as lemon or aromatic herbs which will give a lot of flavors to meals without adding extra salt. Also avoid consuming prepared foods that are very rich in salt, such as chips or some nuts. It is best to exchange them for homemade products or meals. In this way, you will notice that your body does not become so inflamed, because you will not retain as much fluid, and you will see it reflected in your face.
Drink plenty of water
Fluid retention is mostly the cause of swelling of the face during pregnancy and is combated by drinking water, but without overdoing it, a good diet and some exercise. With regard to water, it is necessary that you consume at least 8 glasses of water a day in order to prevent your body from becoming dehydrated or retaining.
If you are not very fond of consuming water so often, you can opt for homemade juices based on fruits that are refreshing and with a lot of water such as watermelon or melon, both fruits are natural diuretics, excellent for cleansing your kidneys, avoiding the accumulation of liquids and hypertension.
Exercise
Of course, you should check with your obstetrician before he indicates what kind of activity you can carry out. However, not being able to exercise much does not mean being sedentary and this is what you should avoid at all costs.
We return to fluid retention, sitting or lying down all day will make your circulation more difficult and cause more swelling, therefore it is important that you exercise to the best of your abilities. Exercise keeps you active, in good condition and helps keep your blood moving, as well as preventing excessive weight gains, either from food or from fluid accumulation. In this way you will avoid inflammation of the face, hands, legs, ankles and feet.
You may be interested in consulting this other article about 5 yoga exercises for pregnant women.
Eat well so you don't have a swollen face
Cravings for copious, greasy and sweet foods must be left aside if you want to avoid swelling of your face and other problems that can be more serious. Although many say that pregnancy allows you to eat everything, it is not so, because poor diet or unbalanced diet can seriously affect both your health and that of the baby on the way.
The excess of sugar in sweets, salt in fried foods and carbohydrates can generate obesity in the mother and in the same way in the fetus, it can even cause prediabetes or gestational diabetes. The best thing is that you have a diet low in bad fats and that it is a diet very rich in fruits and other vegetables which will provide you with all the nutrients you need for you and the baby.
