Reducing pregnancy foot problems...

I've heard that many woman experience flat feet and swelling in the feet during their pregnancy because of the weight gain. This can lead to foot pain, leg cramping or varicose veins.

After a little digging around online I found some helpful solutions commonly used for treating swollen feet:

• Elevate your feet as often as possible
  
• Wear proper fitting footwear. Footwear that is too narrow or short will constrict circulation.
• Have your feet measured several times throughout your pregnancy. They will probably change sizes.
• Wear seamless socks that do not constrict circulation.
• If you are driving for a long period of time, take regular breaks to stretch your legs to promote circulation.
• Exercise regularly to promote overall health; walking is the best exercise.
• Drink plenty of water to keep the body hydrated. This helps the body retain less fluid.
• Eat a well-balanced diet and avoid foods high in salt which can cause water retention.

(These and other helpful foot related tips can be found at: www.foot.com)

My husband and I recently watched an episode of The Daily Show where the guest was Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. He talked about his experiences with a tribe in Mexico that had experienced many health benefits from going barefoot. They found that they could run faster without constrictive shoes and would rather wear open toed sandals to run marathons "painlessly, and joyfully, forever."

After watching this episode of The Daily Show, my husband told me about shoes called Vibram Five Fingers. They are essentially foot protection that allows you to experience the benefits of going barefoot while still protecting your feet. According to the website, they are designed to "stimulate the muscles in your feet and lower legs to build strength and improve range of motion." These are typically shoes used for athletes as they give athletes an "increased sense of balance, greater agility, and visibly improved posture." (It turns out that Christopher McDougall was wearing a pair of these when he was on The Daily Show!)

I began wondering... if they could stimulate the muscles in your feet, would they be able to help improve the circulation in womens feet who were suffering from swollen or flat feet during their pregnancy? So my question to you, the readers, is... has anyone tried wearing these shoes during their pregnancy? If you've had any experience with Vibram Five Finger Shoes and whether or not they reduce swelling of the feet, please post a comment, I'd like to know!

(Image from flickr.com/photos/ktknndy/2739985796/)

How to dress for pregnancy... when you don't know what to expect

Here are a few video's on ehow.com that I found to be really helpful for the first time moms-to-be...

What to expect when you're expecting - Weeks 1-2

In general, your pregnancy will last an average of 40 weeks. First time mothers usually deliver around 41 weeks, while mothers who are carrying multiples generally deliver before 40 weeks. Here’s what you can expect during your first 2 weeks

• Weeks 1-2: When using the gestational age method, week one begins when your period begins. Around day 14, you will ovulate.

For more information please visit: http://www.pregnancy-period.com/guide-to-pregnancy.html

Welcome to the Sprouts family!

To all those moms out there, we welcome to the family! Some of you look forward to the thought of becoming a mom for the very first time, while others already know what it means to be a mom, and are expecting your second, third, forth + child. You might even have kids that have grown up and have kids of their own and you are experiencing the joy of being a grandparent.

We thank you for visiting our blog and hope that this blog serves as a useful resource to you during your pregnancy, or as you are helping a loved with their pregnancy. Please feel free to post any comments that you have that would be profitable or links that you have found to be useful for other moms to see as well. Thank you!