One last post on the horrors that accompanied my time as an incubator for my first cherub, and then I’m done, I promise. My intention is most definitely not to scare you away from giving this journey a try for yourself. If I could bottle up or capture the magic that is feeling little feet and hands batting at your insides I would be a millionaire because there is nothing on earth that compares to the feeling of your little one quickening inside of you.
My feet are always rather fat and pudgy, but these last few weeks I look as though I’ve developed elephantitis of the lower limbs (blood pressure is still a-ok though as of my midwife visit last week). I’m going to treat myself to a “prenatal pedicure” at a place here in Dallas in hopes that it will bring me a bit of relief. And a bit of moisturization, as I didn’t realize how dry my swollen clubs were since it’s now almost impossible to see them.
And two more shots of my tiger stripes because TH and I find them so fascinating.
None of this hurts, but the feet are certainly uncomfortable (sometimes I tell myself that poking my feet with a pin would release the pressure and fluid would come gushing out and make them shrink down, but I don’t do it because I suspect that’s not the case).
I’d do it all again in a heartbeat though, and in 3 1/2 weeks or less you’ll most definitely see proof why.
March 29th, 2010 on 8:42 am
Your poor feet!! My mom had stripes like that on her belly and they faded away to almost nothing not too long after her babies were delivered.
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March 29th, 2010 on 9:24 am
What size are your feet? They look tiny! My cousin is like, a 6.5 and her feet swelled up even worse than yours (they put her on bedrest entirely because of her feet) and I think part of it was because she had such small feet and was carrying so much weight around on them….
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March 29th, 2010 on 9:57 am
Oh your poor feet! My friend had swelling that was much worse and she called them her Flintstone feet! She would slather her feet with oil and put cool compresses on them and raise them slightly about her hips while sitting and said doing that seemed to help.
I hope your getting lots of foot and leg rubs from TH! Make sure he rubs upwards to push the fluid out of your feet and legs where it’s pooling.
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March 29th, 2010 on 10:09 am
So when I was in Massage school there was a technique we learned called Lymphatic Drainage. Luckily for my sister-in-law, she was pregnant while I was in school. She had swollen feet and legs as well. I tried this on her and she kept wanting me to do it again and again. It is time consuming though because the movement is very slow. At least the way I learned it is. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. You might want to give it a try for some relief. I would call around to Massage Practitioners and see if they practice it. I don’t know how commonly used it is.
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March 29th, 2010 on 10:12 am
Oh gosh! That looks so painful! I’m sure it is totally worth it though!
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March 29th, 2010 on 10:18 am
My feet hurt for your feet.
Oh and I think TH would love the Ira Glass thing. Sean loved it but he is already an Ira fan.
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March 29th, 2010 on 10:37 am
Wow, your poor feet! I am so glad you’re sharing this, though, because I feel like I’ll be better prepared one day (in the dark distant future). Hope you’re able to rest up and find some comfort soon!
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March 29th, 2010 on 10:59 am
Did you belly itch? Mine totally itched when all the stretchmarks popped up. I was a crazy person scratching. Which probably didn’t help. I love that you have that squarish belly! It’s so crazy to see how different bellies develop. I was pointy like a torpedo, I think that’s why the marks I had were in a half circle above the belly button (and my navel ring hole, which turned out horribly ugly). I’ll never understand the crooked linea nigra. Mine did that too, Just starting to fade now (4 months later). Make sure you drink lots of fluids and keep your feet up!
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March 29th, 2010 on 11:58 am
Ouch, your poor feet! Please share if you tiger stripes go away after That Baby is born! I know one of my fears of having kids is having stretch marks that will never go away (especially since my thighs are already covered in them and I don’t want more).
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March 29th, 2010 on 12:46 pm
Ouch! You’re the only mom-blog I read that is so… honest… about pregnancy. It’s a good thing I found you when I did, because I thought I was ready to be a mom… but I’m starting to think I can wait a bit longer. lol.
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March 29th, 2010 on 1:13 pm
OH MY GOSH YOUR POOR FEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That looks SO uncomfortable. I remember my feet were all fluid-filled when I flew to the Philippines with my shoes off for the whole flight… I couldn’t wear my regular shoes for days. I hated that feeling, I can’t imagine what you’re feeling! Come out little one!!
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March 29th, 2010 on 2:34 pm
you are a beautiful pregnant woman, tiger strips and all!
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March 29th, 2010 on 2:39 pm
Totally agree with Caitlin- and you are especially beautiful because of your honesty! I’m sure you are looking forward to both the little one’s arrival, and the return of your normal feet!
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March 29th, 2010 on 3:20 pm
Oh, Jenna! Your photos gave me a flashback to my gestation time! Don’t worry, your feet will definitely go back to normal at some point.
My doctor told me to walk a lot (which wasn’t the easiest task) and to drink a lot of water to ease the swelling. Definitely treat your self to a pedicure!!!
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March 29th, 2010 on 5:49 pm
jenna, you are super brave! and i commend you for that! my stretch marks didn’t turn purple, but i do have them, so i feel ya sista. and i definitely wanted to pop my feet too! i love reading your blog. i relate to so many things you’ve said and how you feel on many subjects! and i’m even learning so much from you, especially from your experience with homebirth/midwife stuff! keep it up! and you will definitely enjoy the motherhood thing! i LOVE it! oh and i hope you’ve gotten that pedicure! it’s definitely worth it!!
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March 29th, 2010 on 7:32 pm
I will be honest the first thing I said when I saw your feet was, “Oh…my…gosh”. I had horribly swollen feet when I was preggers too, I would joke with my husband they looked like the feet from the overweight people in Wall-E. They went down almost instantly once I had Jane though.
My stretch marks were pretty bad too, mine have gotten a lot lighter, but they look like wrinkles now. They will go with age (so people tell me. )
It is worth it. I always inform my husband that the stretch marks were from bringing our child into the world! She left her mark, literally!
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March 29th, 2010 on 8:04 pm
Lots of water, and elevate those feet, mama!
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March 29th, 2010 on 9:02 pm
Someone already mentioned the lymph drainage for your feet and ankles, but I just thought I would mention that I was getting a prenatal massage at Parker School of Massage Therapy in Dallas and the lady was telling me that they can do the lymph drainage if you have swollen ankles and feet. You might want to check it out to help relieve some of the pressure. Plus, it’s SO nice and relaxing! I don’t know how much they charge, but since it’s a school I don’t think it’s as much. Also, the nice thing about the prenatal massage students is that they are already licensed massage therapists who are doing an additional course to be licensed in prenatal massage and a few other things!
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March 29th, 2010 on 11:25 pm
I think your feet look super cute! Is that weird… ?
LOL, it’s probably because they are small feet, my big feet would look so NOT cute all swollen like that.
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March 30th, 2010 on 7:49 am
I will echo Anna Murphey, you’ll be surprised at how quickly the swelling goes down in your feet once your baby comes! I think it was about 24 hours after Addie was born we looked at my feet and ankles and were amazed at how skinny they were. I knew they were swollen, but it took shrinkage to realize just HOW swollen they really were. =D (And they continued to get skinnier as weeks went by.)
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March 30th, 2010 on 10:19 am
You NEED a pedicure!!!! I hope you do treat yourself to one today! This is one of the few times I think you can say a pedicure is needed.
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March 30th, 2010 on 2:29 pm
Wow…there’s so much that happens to the body when you are creating a new person! I’m a little scared to conceive, but I appreciate all the info and advice so that I am better prepared.
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March 30th, 2010 on 8:41 pm
Oh Jenna, your poor feet, I totally feel for you there! I felt like mine were just water balloons that could pop at any moment! You have such a great outlook on everything that comes with being pregnant and becoming a mother. Your stretch marks will fade so much and just be mommy badges in the end! Love you! So close!!!!
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March 30th, 2010 on 10:03 pm
Be careful with the pedicure – if they squeeze your pressure points on your ankles, it could send you into labor.
I had a pedi on Sunday, water broke on Thursday…
Good luck!
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March 31st, 2010 on 6:15 am
You know, I couldn’t of said it better myself. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat” all the body changes, stretchmarks, weight gain is worth it.
Even though I still have 3 months to go…. I’m pretty sure my pictures will look like yours
hang in there it’s almost over and weirdly enough you might miss the belly and swollen feet ( well for like 2 secs 
)
drink lots of water… And cream your belly and boobs (not nipples) with vitamin D afterwards. It will help with the strechmarks and the firmness
Hang in there… Baby is almost here.
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March 31st, 2010 on 7:18 pm
It looks painful, even if you say it isn’t. I guess flip-flop are a pregnant woman’s official shoes (weather permitting)
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