All About Varicose Veins During Pregnancy

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One of the things I am getting the chance to know about first hand is varicose veins. I never thought I'd have to deal with this, at least not at my "young" age. But here I am and here they are-present and accounted for on my legs.

In case your not familiar with what exactly varicose veins during pregnancy are or what they look like or even how to treat them...well tighten your seat-belt I am taking you on an educational lesson in varicose veins.

What Are Varicose Veins:

• Varicose veins have a tendency to show up during pregnancy. 
• During pregnancy varicose veins are cause by the uterus putting pressure on the large vein on the right side of the body (called inferior vena cava). This causes significant pressure in the legs and thus varicose veins are formed.
• They are blue or purple mostly squiggly like veins.
• They tend to show up mostly on the legs but will often times also appear elsewhere.
• Varicose veins are not necessarily painful. They can range from no discomfort at all to itchy, throbbing, burning, or extremely painful. It all depends.
• Sometimes they cause the legs to feel achy and heavy.
•  If you've never had varicose veins before your pregnancy there is a good chance that after you give birth in time they will disappear.

How To Prevent Varicose Veins:

• Exercise DAILY- exercise gets the blood flowing. Which is good!
• Elevate your feet - avoid sitting with your legs or ankles crossed. When sitting use a stool, box, or anything else that is handy to rest your legs on. If you're lying down then make sure to use a pillow to elevate your legs. This will help keep the blood flowing nicely which is VERY important in varicose veins prevention.
• Take Breaks- Avoid sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time without moving around.
• Wear Comfy Clothes- Try to avoid clothing that is tight, make sure your clothing doesn't bind especially around the top of your legs. Go for comfy underwear, pants, skirts, shirts, and shoes!
• Support Hose/Graduated-Compression Stockings- Either pair of these are very uncomfortable particularly during the summer but they help prevent varicose veins. Uncomfortable beats painful and ugly varicose veins. The compression stockings are twice as thick as normal support hose and can be bought from the pharmacy. They are loose at the top near your bump and get tighter the lower they go, making it easier for your blood to flow back towards your heart.
• Watch Your Weight- Try to keep your weight gain during pregnancy in the recommended range. This will help avoid putting extra pressure/strain on your circulatory system.
• Avoid Strain- Get help with heavy lifting or if possible avoid it completely. Also avoid straining when using the toilet, constipation is no fun so use remedies for it to avoid hemorrhoids. After all, hemorrhoids are varicose veins in a very uncomfortable place!
• Sleep On The Left Side- Use a pillow behind your back to keep you sleeping on your left side. Your inferior vena cava is on the right side and sleeping on your left helps relieve the vein of pressure and extra weight from the uterus.

How To Treat Varicose Veins:

• Oils- Your Dr. can prescribe certain oils that you can use to rub into your legs and at least temporarily ease the discomfort and pain caused by varicose veins. Always make sure to start at the bottom of your leg and work your way up. This causes the blood to flow towards your heart.
• Cold/Warm Water- Make sure to either take showers or to use the shower head when taking a bath to switch between cold & warm water on your legs. Bathing/showering your legs in a continuous mix of warm then cold water for a few minutes helps get the blood flowing, helping the veins to relax and return to their normal size.
• Elevate Your Legs- Elevate your legs when sitting or laying down. This will take pressure of the veins and at least temporarily ease your discomfort.
• Graduated-Compression Stockings- These are amazing for helping keep varicose veins under control if you already have them. Make sure to take them on in the mornings while your still laying in bed thus avoiding blood pooling in your legs.

I thought I would share some of the recent information I've come across. Maybe it'll help someone just like it has helped me. Ever since I have started developing the first tiny varicose veins on my legs I began researching and talking to my Dr. about what I can do to help avoid aggravating the situation. These were some of the things that my Dr. mentioned and the rest were things I learned while reading about varicose veins online and in pamphlets.

So, now I'm off to go see about my first pair of graduated-compression stockings. Special made for pregnant women, which is great because at least they will come over my belly instead of annoying me by sitting below it. I'll have to let you all know just what my opinion is on these stockings after I receive them next week.

Did you have to deal with varicose veins during your pregnancy? Any tips on how to treat them or prevent them?

Pregnancy Update And A Mommy's Worries

Yesterday was my 30 week check-up. Yep, you read that right!

30 weeks...were has the time flown?

It feels just like yesterday that I started feeling slightly sick and thought I had the stomach flu. Which turned into an extended stomach flu, you know, the 9 month kind. Ha. I make myself laugh sometimes.

I was so excited and couldn't wait to tell Hubby, which I did right away the very evening of getting that positive result. The joy on his face and the shout he let out made us all laugh. Baby J. included, even though he had no idea what was going on. 

Now, I've turned the corner into the third trimester and am heading to the finish line. I couldn't be more excited if I tried. Well, I could. And I will. The moment the Dr. places that sweet little newborn baby in my arms. 

So, anyways back to yesterday. Our check-up went really well. Baby #2 is growing nicely. A little bit faster than expected but it's no surprise to me. Baby J. measured 2 weeks ahead of time at each check-up once we hit 7 months. So, I wasn't surprised to see that Baby #2 (also known as VP and Little One) measured 1 week ahead of schedule. 

Little One weighs a little over 1.5 kgs, which means he may very well turn out to be over 4 kgs at birth. Not a problem, Baby J. was over 4 kgs as well. And he's absolutely adorable so I know Little One will be as well.

Sometimes I find myself thinking about my little Baby J. and my soon to be newborn baby. It's during these times that my mind gets to comparing the two little guys. I'll feel my sweet Little One practicing his kickboxing in there and I'll compare it to the time I was pregnant with Baby J. Both of my pregnancies followed pretty much the same pattern- morning sickness- ehh not so bad, the second trimester took forever to pass, and the third trimester was filled with loads of kicks and punches from the resident Baby. As well as a lot of stress and worry that I wouldn't have everything prepared in time for the Baby's arrival.

Oh yes. Even though I've already had one Baby and kind of know how things are supposed to play out (they sometimes have a way of not following the plan) I still get stressed. And worried. Very worried. I worry that I might not have enough clothes ready, that the shampoo and lotion I plan to use for the Baby will irritate his skin, that Baby J. might not like the newest member of our family,etc.  Mostly though, I worry that I will have trouble spending time with Baby J. and that he will feel like he comes in second to the new Baby. 

I don't want my precious sweetheart to ever feel or think that.
So, I worry, fret, and stress about the best course of action to prevent that. 

I think a lot of moms feel the same way I do. It's only natural. For a long period of time or maybe a short period of time there was only one child in the house. And that child received all the love and attention you had. Now, there is the impending arrival of the second child on the horizon and it's only natural to worry and fret a little. Will you be able to spend the quality time that each child needs with them? Will you be able to love both equally? Will you be able to divide your attention in equal parts? 

Questions that no doubt each second time mother has asked herself. 

Or at least I have. 
And after a lot of worrying and stressing about this, I've come to the conclusion that Yes, I will be able to love both equally. Yes, I will divide my attention in equal parts, I'll work my hardest to make sure each of my children feels that they are just as loved and cared for as their other sibling. 
After, realizing that, well let me tell you I finally was able to have a good nights sleep. And for once I was able to finally feel stress free and completely at peace in regards to this topic.


Did any of your pregnancies have you question yourself the same way?

Gender Reveal For Baby # 2

Well, as I mentioned in a previous post, we at Everyday Mommy Headquarters have waited for quite a while to find out some really exciting news.

And the day finally came!! On April 24th we finally got to find out the gender of our Headquarters new Baby Vice President!!

Why not Baby President you ask? Because Baby J. loves being the man in charge.

But he's willing to allow the new baby in the house a healthy dose of authority.Just as long as he still gets to make the final decisions around here. Guess that means we're going to have to make some room for a Vice Presidents office pretty soon.

Anyway back to our exciting news BUT before I spill the beans. Let me just say that baby is healthy.Still sitting smugly head up - legs down. Baby also loves practicing some totally awesome and occasionally painful kickboxing moves in there. I wouldn't mind so much but my ribs are slightly bruised or at least feel like they are. I'm also sure the amount of drop-kicks Baby has been doing lately have quite literally obliterated my bladder because all kidding aside it seems that I have lost all measures of control.

And no that is not funny. Even though if Hubby were to be the blogging type of man I'm sure he would have quite a few "funny" stories to tell.

But he's not so lucky me! 

I am also doing well thank you my blog readers for asking. Yes, there has been some weight gain but so far I'm still way below what I should have gained. 3.5 kgs below just to be clear. I'm sure now that I've spilled that secret I'll probably have gained all that plus some by my next check-up.

Alright, now for the gender. Since obviously I can't have all my readers over for a gender reveal, I searched up some sweet photos on google image to tell if it's boy or girl.

Ready??

the answer is...

Baby Vice President will be a boy and we are so very excited!!!