Those Uuuuuugly Varicose Veins!

Ugly, ugly, ugly.  And they come in so many permutations!  Most commonly in pregnancy is legs, anus (hemorrhoids) and vulva.  For moms over 35, particularly those who have had several children, they become hard to avoid.  


They all have essentially one cause: pressure from above preventing the returning blood from getting back up your legs results in a bulge in the wall of the vein.  The answer to them all is: take a load off, which will happen after the baby is born and they should all clear up within a couple of weeks.  But what do you do in the meantime?


I have found that taking baths instead of showers balances the pressure inside and outside and makes things more comfortable.  This should help no matter where your veins are troubling you.


I've been fortunate never to have had varicose veins in the legs.  Support hosiery, not standing for long periods and spending time with your legs above your heart every day are supposed to help this condition.


Hemorrhoids are fixed by keeping the pipes cleared.  They are caused by over-straining on the toilet.   As I discussed before, the slower metabolism of us over-35 moms means that this is something that requires serious attention.  High fiber, lots of water, and exercise help this.  My personal go-to is prune juice.  Whatever works for you.


The third kind is found almost exclusively in mothers of many children: vulval varicose veins.  They generally are on one side or other of the external labia and are not a problem for birth, they're just darned uncomfortable.  If you can get a hold of comfrey leaves, making a poultice and putting it in a pad is supposed to help.  If you don't have an herb garden, you might be able to find them through an online herbalist.  However, an easier remedy to acquire is witch hazel from the local drugstore.  Soak a pad with it, and put it in the freezer and it will ease the discomfort when you use it.  I actually find that, in the third trimester, when the baby is carrying more forward and less inside the pelvis, they go away.  But, that's me.  The only time vulval varicose veins are a problem are when they cross the perineum at the time of birth.  At that time, you run the risk of a rupture of the vein.  Your doctor or midwife can give you advice about how to proceed with your delivery.