Natural Remedies to get relief from Pregnancy foot swelling

25 Natural Remedies to Get Relief From Swollen Feet in Pregnancy

Got swollen feet?! Oh, the lovely symptom of pregnancy, and especially for those pregnant in these hot summer months! Pregnant women can carry an extra 20 lbs of fluid in the third trimester, so we feel you sister. Swelling is a common and natural result of this increased fluid, but sometimes it can be too much, causing discomfort.

But don’t worry, we have some relief for you so you don’t have to suffer anymore! Us Doulas have some clever tricks up our doula sleeves, to help reduce your feet swelling in your pregnancy (or life, cause let’s be honest…it can just be a woman thing too.)

Natural Remedies to Reduce Swollen Feet in Pregnancy

1. Soak your feet in a solution of half water and half natural apple cider vinegar – yes, this is going to be super stinky, but so worth it!

2. Place cabbage leaves on the swollen area to draw out excess fluid and relieve your discomfort. Cool the leaves in the refrigerator then wrap the leaves around the swollen parts of your legs and feet. Leave them on until they become wet, then repeat with fresh leaves until the pain is reduced. Repeat this as often as necessary until you feel more comfortable.

3. Time for pineapple everything! Trader Joes has amazing dried pineapple. Costco has super affordable whole pineapples – so get your tropic on!

Pregnancy foot swelling | Birth doula in Portland Oregon

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. May seem counterintuitive to add more fluids, but when you are dehydrated you can retain water.

5. Get moving! Walking a bit every hour is a good practice to keep those swollen ankles at bay.

6. Soak your feet in an epson salt bath for 15 minutes (basin of warm water and 1/2 cup epson salts).

7. Make an apple cider vinegar compress with a washcloth and let sit for 10 minutes. Follow with a foot massage and a good hand washing for your partner.

8. Get a Chiropractic treatment! One of the best things you can do for pregnancy and preparing for birth anyways, but it could help your swelling too. If you are misaligned, this could be placing stress and tension on the body, restricting your blood flow and causing swelling in your feet.

(Check out some of our favourite Chiropractors in the Vancouver Wa area: Cloud Chiro, Cooper Chiro & Healthy Spine)

9. Wear shoes that allow room to breathe and move freely.

Pregnancy foot swelling | Portland Oregon birth support

10. Snack on Ginger candies, eat thai food, drink ginger tea and add ginger to your meals where you can.

11. Boil 2 to 3 tablespoons of coriander seeds in 2 cups of water. Cook until the mixture reduces to half. Cool the water off and soak for 10-20 minutes.

12. Prenatal massage to help get the fluids moving (and it feels amazing for the whole pregnant body, you deserve this!)

13. Sounds super gross, but massaging your feet with warm mustard oil  for about 5 minutes can be very effective. Learn how to make mustard oil here.

14. Acupuncture – helps everything when you are pregnant! It balances energies and aids circulation and kidney function.

(Our go-to acupuncturists in the Vancouver, Wa and Portland, Oregon areas: To The Point PDX & Megan Burns at Vancouver Wellness Studio.

15. Add 2 cups of epson salts to your pregnancy relaxation baths….and breathe out and say “ahhhhhhhh”.

16. Foods high in Vitamin C! Steam broccoli 3x a week – the calcium and Vitamin C will fight swelling.

17. Brew strong witch hazel tea and dip a clean piece of cloth into it. Apply on the swollen area to relieve pain and reduce the inflammation. Sounds like a hassle to make… just use our Ease The Way Spray (and here’s a hint…this can be used to help reduce your risk of tearing at birth too!)

18. Have a bath in warm water with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil in the water. Will clean out your sinuses too!

19. Add 2-3 drops of Cypress Essential Oils to some coconut oil and massage into the swollen area. Our popular Ease The Way Spray is amazing at helping reduce swelling with a daily massage upward on the legs. This popular product also helps with varicose veins, hemorrhoids and preparing the vaginal area for birth to reduce tearing – pure magic in a bottle! Buy HERE.

Swollen feet in pregnancy | Birth support in Portland Oregon

20. Add garlic cloves to everything! Caeser salads, roasted on your veggies or pickled straight from the jar. This trick will increase your immune system too, just follow with some minty gum afterward 🙂

21. The homeopathic remedy natrum muriaticum may help your excess fluid problem. Take one or two 30c strength tablets under your tongue four times a day for five days. (consult provider before taking anything internally while pregnant)

22. Change your salt.  If you take salt completely out of your diet, the body can retain the fluids. So if you cook at home, salt your food to taste with a unprocessed sea salt, full of electrolytes and trace minerals you need. P.S. Limit packaged and fast foods – way too much salt!

23. And of course, it has to be said… elevate your feet! But don’t lie down flat. Sit reclined and use pillows to prop your feet up slightly above your hip level, or if you can your heart level. Do this for 20 minutes, 3-4 times per day.

24. Don’t be lady-like while pregnant. No more crossing your legs.

25. A simple cup or two of specially crafted herbal teas can help with drain the extra fluids retained! Our Baby Nest Pregnancy Tea tastes delicious, stimulates the kidneys and liver to work effectively helping to reduce swelling (oh, and can help shorten labour time since it strengthens your uterus!). Buy Labour Ready Tea here and drink daily in pregnancy to help those swollen feet mama!


Want more natural tips for pregnancy, birth and #momlife?

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