Swelling After Epidural

I never had an epidural? backbone fused, but I swelled up like a balloon after each of my 6 kids delivery. I couldn't even find shoes to fit my feet! It lasted about a month after I gave birth and was painful.

Some thingsI did was to watch my sodium and carbonation intake. Eat celery, its a natural diuretic and won't hurt nursing....and prop those legs up above your bladder and have your gusband rub your legs up towards your torso/ bladder to help get the fluid up and out.

Not have an epidural? Sorry but that made me laugh. If you have an allergic reaction to the epidural I doubt there is anything you can do. I had awful itching to the point that I tore my skin trying to scratch and didnt realize it until the next morning when I showered. I guess you should weigh the pain, would labor be worst than the swelling pain? Good luck.

If you're not nursing you might ask your doctor about prescribing lasix right after delivery - get ready to sweat and pee triple time, but it should help with the extra fluid.

Also eat protein like a sonofagun - low protein (and albumin) levels in the blood cause extra fluid to pool every where you don't want it.

The other ladies are right, it is the IV fluid that makes you swell, not the epidural per say. If I remember correctly, the IV fluid is necessary to regulate blood pressure so it is just a necessary irritation in order to have a more comfortable delivery so basically there's no way around it. I had the swelling as well, I remember with my first ten years ago that I tried to go home with the same shoes I went to the hospital in, they were barely even on - LOL. With my twins three years ago, I bought flip flops a couple sizes bigger than my natural size and went home with porky toes :-)
It will be hard since you already have two but you really do need to just take it easy like the doctor suggests and your body will eventually rid itself of the extra fluid. Personally, I'd be careful with the "pee pills". Your body was created to be very smart about what it needs to do when it needs to do it. It will release the fluid in the time it naturally thinks is best. I only say this because my son was very sick back in Sept. and had to be filled with tons of fluid to keep his blood pressure up and when the doctors tried to remove to much of it too fast, his blood pressure would plummit and they'd have to stop or add more back. I know, different scenario, but I'd still be careful.

how about skipping the epidural?

I think the swelling is from the IV fluids, not the epi. I have heard about drinking parsley tea (but be carefull and talk to your Dr to make sure its ok for Bfing)

I had it too, it was absolutely horrible! I lost 5 Lbs immediately after giving birth to my dd (after gaining 50!) and then after all of my swelling and water retention went away i lost another 10lbs! Hope you feel better soon!

Hi Justine

I had the same problem after my second (16 years ago). Was told by my doctor it was because I was on my feet too much after having my son. He put me on bedrest for a week. That did help. Plenty of fluids and maybe a diuretic might help. Good luck.

I swelled a lot also, w/ my 2nd. I was told it was the liquid in the IV that caused it. I didn't have it w/ my first. They were both c-sections. Maybe you can ask for not a lot of liquid.