Let’s talk swollen feet people.
I know. It’s all glam and posh topics on Bower Power. We are basically Vogue over here. But swollen feet are real. And the pain of squeezing your feet into uncomfortable shoes is one that hits a little close to home for me. Am I right Kim Kardashian?
In the last eight years I have been pregnant five times…and my pregnancy symptoms are always a little different with one exception….I swell like a Thanksgiving float with an anaphylactic reaction to air. It doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter. It doesn’t matter if I lick a salt cube or cut out sodium completely. It doesn’t matter what I do or do not do….I’m swelling. I say that my body knows something is different and it reacts with “DEF CON FOUR PEOPLE PULL THE RIP CORD” and that’s not far from the truth. My body just likes to swell…..my legs, my face, and especially my feet.
So I thought it might be helpful to some of my fellow mamas out there to share some shoes that fit swollen feet. Obviously the flip flop is a crowd favorite and rightly so….they are cheap and easy and you can buy some really comfy pairs up a few sizes and it doesn’t burn as much when you need to chunk them during your postpartum deswelling. That’s a technical term by the way.
Personally I prefer to buy shoes that I can actually keep long term….so these will be some of my favorites that I bought fully intending to wear long after the baby arrives.
Some of them are dressy and some of them are sandals and some are more appropriate for winter wear.
And obviously anything you can try on first is ideal. But here are my tips for buying shoes when your feet are giant fluffy marshmallows 🙂
FLATS
- Flats with a stretchy material are always best
- Get at least a black and a nude flat as they work with pretty much everything
- You may have to bump up a half of a size so keep that in mind
- Pointy toes elongate the foot to make it look slimmer
- Flats with metal or decorations may pinch that area more and allow for less stretch
SANDALS
- Sandals with elastic straps are super comfortable
- Look for sandals that have adjustable straps
- If you need gladiator style sandals, go for ones that have ties that adjust from bottom to top
- Pick sandals with nothing that crosses the center of your foot as this is where the majority of swelling occurs
- Sandals with ankle straps or ties are great as long as they are adjustable or elastic
BOOTS
- Boots with low heels are great for the entire pregnancy
- Slouchy boots are great – go up a half size
- Boots with elastic backs or adjustable buckles are usually winners
- Avoid over the knee boots as your feet might be disproportionate while pregnant
- Uggs are easy for sliding in and out of
- Avoid any slim heel as your balance while pregnant is off
- Wedge boots are always preferred over a chunky heel for comfort
- Look for wide versions of your boots and you can still wear them later with extra socks
SNEAKERS
- Your foot may expand or lengthen while pregnant so some pre pregnancy sneakers may fit – just switch thick socks out for super thin ones
- Opt for wider sizes when available
- Sneakers that adjust with laces or velcro usually snap back for post pregnant feet better than stretchy materials
- Get a shoe horn to help slide your feet into tighter shoes and wear polyester based socks vs cotton
Here are some of my favorites. All of these I own or have a very similar version of so I can vouch for them!
Oh man, I feel ya sister! My feet and legs swelled up SO much my mom was convinced something was horribly, horribly wrong. I also have naturally wide feet so it was extra hard to find shoes that fit. I found one pair of stretchy ballet flats that was actually comfy (but I still ballooned over the top) and one pair of flipflops I could *just* squeeze into (seriously, my feet got too tall to fit most flipflops!). I even looked at mens sandals (with adjustable buckles), but at that point I only had a month left and figured I stick it out without buying more things I wouldn’t wear again.
I love those brown sandals though (shown in the mirror and with the purple flowers)! I may have to pick up a pair now that I’ve finally deflated.
Why are you not wearing compression socks? It would help to reduce your swelling.
Oh, your feet! Mine were just as swollen as yours with both of my pregnancies and it was painful. My doctor made me wear compression stockings and I hated them with a passion even though they helped. They were so darn ugly and it was sooo hot having summer babies (great planning!) that the thought of putting on anything to cover the stockings made me sweat! I’ll be praying that baby girl makes a quick and safe debut very soon!
I felt so sorry for you looking thru that Haven post. I’ve got one child and I didn’t experience anything like that til right at the end. Luckily you’ve learnt how to dress your chubsters. Baby will be out before you know it and you’ll be right back to comfortable xx
While these may not be the cutest shoes – they were my main shoes for the office with baby #1 and now #2. I went up half a size and tie the laces really loose. I also wear them with really thin no show socks. They don’t look too bad with dark skinny pants /jeans or leggings.
https://www.skechers.com/en-us/style/14415/skechers-go-step-marina/gry
I know you have mentioned that you suffer from SPD with pregnancy…..so did I with my second baby. Interestingly, my legs and feet started swelling very early on and continued to stay that way until the end. Didn’t have that problem with my first baby without SPD. I’m convinced the two are connected!
Did I miss the video on the new baby? Hopefully, it won’t be much longer.
The last month of my pregnancy, the only shoes I could wear on my enormously swollen feet were my house slippers and Crocs. I was working in fundraising at a small college at the time and thankfully my boss understood my situation (being the father of four and having his wife suffer a similar fate) and said I could wear whatever I could fit onto my feet. I always laugh now when I think about going to meetings with alumni and asking for them to make a monetary gift to the college while wearing my hideously ugly pair of Crocs. Ah, the joys of being pregnant!
I tried them and sometimes still do….but the ones I have…all six pairs (I tried some for athletes and some medically issued ones) break my skin out into a rash that makes them itchy from knee down. My doctor doesn’t want me to a topical steroid so I am left saving the socks for when I can wear them for a short period of time with my feet up….and you know…mom of four boys has all that time 🙂
xo – kb
That’s interesting! I actually swelled the worse with Will and I had the pelvic issues the least with him…so I am pretty sure mine aren’t connected but you never know!
xo – kb
I only swelled with my first pregnancy and, luckily, the swelling started in early January 2014, during the height of moccasins being popular! So I could get away with warm, comfy, and trendy shoes without my huge feet and ankles being obvious. Now I can’t even look at moccasin slippers without shuddering but they were seriously my saving grace! My summer baby came and went with NO BLOAT – we were all shocked, haha.