The #1 tip I give ALL my pregnant clients....
Every week, I meet pregnant ladies of all shapes and sizes. Some are glowing, and blossoming, and full of energy. Some are swollen and exhausted and aching, and feeling a little bit 'over' it all! Most, however, are a mixture of the two, depending on the day. Whichever best describes you, I'm sure you have days where you get home, and you are aching: hips, back, shoulders, knees, feet.... Your body is telling you it is tired, and needs to rest!
Some days, you just want to hide away....
Lots of pregnant women end up at physios, chiros, massage therapists, or elsewhere, seeking relief for aches during pregnancy. For the women I see at bodyBEgood, there is one simple tip I like to give...
Ladies, the BEST thing you can put on your growing pregnant body, is:
a decent pair of shoes!
Yes, you might have gotten away with 6 inch stilettos for the last 10 years without any issues!
Yes, you might own ballet flats in every colour, and have never felt anything but joy when you wear them!
But right now, your poor, pregnant feet are at the bottom of the weight-bearing chain, and every day they deal with increasing pressure bearing down on them. Remember that hormone Relaxin that is pumping through your body, loosening your joints to help during labour? It doesn't stop at your pelvis - it has 'loosened' your feet too. Your feet are spreading, and stretching, and trying to carry you and your baby all day... They can't do it alone. They need support! They need love!
Giving your feet the love that they need, means the rest of your body will thank you! Decent footwear will support the feet, which in turn will support the rest of those aching body parts. Good footwear is vital throughout your pregnancy!
So, when you're looking for decent shoes to carry you through these many months, here's my tips:
Give yourself some room:
Your feet may feel longer and wider during pregnancy, and if that is the case, give them a bit of breathing space. Going up half a shoe size during pregnancy is sometimes necessary. Squeezing feet into shoes that feel too tight, is not doing your body any favours.
And, once your bundle of joy has arrived, our friends at The Running Company Ballarat recommend getting refitted prior to getting back into exercise, as your foot shape may remain altered.
Good support for your heel and arch
With the increasing weight your lovely feet have to carry, along with the increased laxity or 'looseness' through the foot, it is really important that you wear shoes with a good amount of support through the arch and heel. This support will decrease the ability of the foot to 'over-pronate', or roll in, which can put additional stress through the rest of the body.
And, whilst barefoot can feel lovely after a long day, try to minimise the time you spend walking barefoot too. Instead, keep a good pair of runners or other comfy, supportive shoes for use around the house.
Easy to get on/ofF
- For some pregnant ladies, the feet can be a loooooooong way down. Shoes that are easy to put on, and simple to kick off, can save you a lot of huffing and puffing and bending!
Avoid 'high' heels
Pack those gorgeous heels away... just for a little while!
When pregnant, your increasing tummy causes your centre of gravity to move forwards, and wearing high heels can further exacerbate this. This can put extra pressure on your hips, knees and lower back. A slight heel is going to give your foot better support, but try to minimise how often you need to pull out your fancier heels.
Seriously, put your feet up whenever you get the chance!!!
a few more tips...
- Elevate your feet is swelling is an issue (lie back on the couch when you get home, and stack your feet up on some pillows).
- Try to avoid standing for extended periods of time.
- Not all 'good, supportive shoes' have to be hideous either! There are some great companies out there making shoes that your feet will love, that you wont be embarrassed to wear. Check out Frankie 4 for great shoes that don't look like what your Granny has in the cupboard!
And finally, if your aches and pains hang around despite following this great advice, please come and see our fabulous physio team for more help. You can click here to book online!