Swelling of the face during pregnancy, specifically, the last three months is one of the biggest problems that affects at least 75% of future mothers. Although it is normal in feet, hands, ankles, and face, it should not be excessive and if you have other symptoms such as high blood pressure or unexpected weight gain, you should consult your obstetrician. Several causes can cause swelling, but luckily, it can be prevented from appearing or becoming excessive. Therefore, in this kidsrush.com article, we teach you how to avoid face swelling during pregnancy.
Causes of swelling of the face during pregnancy
Although it can appear from the fourth month of pregnancy, the swelling is something that is accentuated more in the last trimester and can be generated by various causes. These are the main causes of swelling of the face during pregnancy :
Fluid retention
The growth of the uterus generated by the pregnancy and its increase in volume creates pressure on the blood vessels in the lower body, causing them to carry less blood from the legs to the torso and generate fluid retention. In the same way, if you have a kidney problem, the probability of suffering from it increases, and in addition to swelling the face during pregnancy, other areas such as feet, ankles, and hands are affected.
Hormones during pregnancy
In pregnant women, due to the change in hormonal levels, they have greater perspiration into the blood vessels and retention of fluid in the blood. Specifically, in this case, it is due to the increase in hormones such as progesterone and estradiol, both causing these effects and others necessary to carry out the pregnancy.
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Weight gain during pregnancy
Although it can occur due to the growth of the uterus and of the baby itself, excessive weight gain in pregnant women can generate much more swelling, since circulation becomes more difficult and delayed. For this reason, and more health reasons for both, we must take care that the weight gain is not excessive.
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Reduce salt intake to prevent puffiness on your face
Salt is one of the worst enemies of fluid retention, as well as being extremely harmful to the health of your kidneys. The most advisable thing is to say goodbye to salt for a while, consume only the salt of the food and do not add it to our dishes, or consume it in very few quantities.
You can find substitutes for this for dressings, such as lemon or aromatic herbs which will give a lot of flavor to your meals without adding extra salt. Also avoid consuming prepared foods that are very rich in salts, such as French fries or some nuts. It is best to change them for products or meals made at home. In this way, you will notice that your body does not become so inflamed, because you will not retain so much liquid, and you will see it reflected on your face.
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Drink a lot of water
Fluid retention is the cause for most of the swelling of the face during pregnancy and is fought by drinking water, but not overdoing it, a good diet, and some exercise. Concerning water, you need to consume at least 8 glasses of water a day to prevent your body from becoming dehydrated or having retention.
If you are not very fond of consuming water so often, you can opt for homemade fruit-based juices that are refreshing and with lots of water such as watermelon or melon, both fruits are natural diuretics, excellent for cleaning your kidneys, avoiding the accumulation of fluids and hypertension.
Do physical exercise
Of course, you should consult with your obstetrician before so that he indicates what kind of activity you can carry out. However, not being able to exercise a lot 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 you must exercise to the best of your abilities. Exercise keeps you active, in good condition, and helps keep your blood moving, as well as avoiding excessive weight gain, either from food or fluid build-up. In this way, you will avoid swelling of the face, hands, legs, ankles, and feet.
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Eat well so you don’t have a puffy face
The cravings for copious, greasy, and sweet foods should be put aside if you want to avoid puffiness of your face and other problems that can be more serious. Although many say that pregnancy allows you to eat everything, this is not the case, as a poor diet or an unbalanced diet can seriously affect both your health and that of the baby on the way.
Excess sugar in sweets, salt in fried foods, and carbohydrates can cause 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.
Tips
- Avoid excessive heat as high temperatures increase the puffiness of the face.