How to I reduce all this extra fluid I'm carrying?

[phynna]

I'm HUUUUGE! I'm measuring slightly ahead in fundal height, but the belly is so tender and bursting with fluid and it's hard to palpate. My back, waist, hips, butt, thighs, boobs are all massive with fluid retention and I'm so over being so heavy and bulky! I got big with Elly too, but not till the last month and that was in the dead heat of summer. As it is I'm out there every day feeding out to animals, cutting and fetching wood, etc, so I'm still reasonably active. But want to cut back this fluid retention, I'm soooooo uncomfortable! Any ideas?

[MrsFabuloso]

Eat less salt, eat more celery, onion, garlic and bananas, and drink plenty of water. This is what my midwife told me when I had terrible fluid retention when pg with DD.

[BellyBelly]

I think its nettle tea thats good for fluid retention? There is a certain tea that is brilliant but it escapes me (preggo brain lol). Speak to a naturopath and they will have some great suggestions for you - but of course check before you go and purchase something without advice, don't want to recommend the wrong thing!

[Ilithyia]

Lyphatic Drainage?

[Three Graces]

As above - lymphatic drainage massage? Maybe see if somebody experienced in pregnancy massage can help - it will be a really light massage.
I'd also make sure you get your blood pressure checked regularly. I was v, puffy with my first son's pregnancy but that was third tri in summer. With our third baby this year, I puffed up towards the end and ended up getting pre-eclampsia. I didn't get the headaches or feel any different, but gee I had massive ankles,feet, hands, puffy face etc and the blood pressure at 40 weeks was too high.
Hope you get some respite soon.

[BellyBelly]

Are you drinking much water?

[Nicole Tracy]

The best thing for fluid retention in late pregnancy is Dandelion Leaf Tea. Nettle is also good, but the Dandelion has a stronger diuretic effect, and is a brilliant source of Potassium. Loads of water is really important - I know it's difficult, but you need 2.5 - 3 litres in late pg and bf. Walking really helps to settle fluid retention too.

I'm not sure about lymphatic drainage during pregnancy - it can release toxins into the blood stream, which isn't what you want at this stage. If you go to a massage therapist who specialises in pregnancy massage, I'm sure you'll be in good hands.

Hang in there, not long to go!

xxx

[phynna]

Thanks everyone! I am not drinking as much water as I should, only about 1 1/2 litres a day, but I'm drinking heaps of milk drinks which is very unusual for me. I don't eat much salt in my foods at all really. Will stock up on the celery and bananas tomorrow though!

As for exercise, I don't have the time nor the energy to do much, but every day I'm out there in the paddocks shovelling horse poo, cutting wood and carting it by the garden cart load and feeding out to the sheep and horses too. It leaves me exhausted! By night time I'm painting the interior of the house, or cleaning, depending on how long it's taken to get Elly to sleep and how stuffed I am from during the day, so I figure I'm doing okay in the physical activity levels, just a pity it's not keeping the weight down, I'm already 20kgs up on my weight when I fell pregnant, eeeek! No fluid in hands or feet/ankles/shins, it's all in the body/torso area, and I don't have any other signs of pre-eclampsia either.

I'll ring my homeopath, she makes up some great teas, see what she can come up with.

God I feel like a whale (