What to expect when you're expecting (62 page)

Stay away from clothes that might restrict your circulation: tight belts or pants, panty hose and socks with elastic tops, and snug shoes. Also skip high heels, favoring flats or medium chunky heels instead.

Get some exercise, such as a brisk 20- to 30-minute walk or swim every day. But if you’re experiencing pain, avoid high-impact aerobics, jogging, cycling, and weight training.

Be sure your diet includes plenty of foods rich in vitamin C, which helps keep blood vessels healthy and elastic.

Surgical removal of varicose veins isn’t recommended during pregnancy, though it can certainly be considered a few months after delivery. In most cases, however, the problem will improve after delivery, usually by the time prepregnancy weight is reached.

“My whole pelvic area feels achy and swollen, and really uncomfortable—and I think I felt an actual bulge in my vulva. What is that all about?”

Legs may have the market share of varicose veins, but they definitely don’t have a monopoly. Varicose veins can also appear in the genital area (and in the rectum, where they’re called hemorrhoids), for the same reason you might get them in your legs—and it sounds like they’ve made that appearance in you. Called pelvic congestion syndrome, or PCS, the symptoms (aside from bulging in the vulva) include chronic pelvic pain and/or abdominal pain, an achy, swollen, “full” feeling in the pelvic area and the genitals, and sometimes pain with intercourse. The tips for minimizing varicose veins in the legs will also help you (see previous question), but do be sure to check with your practitioner, both for the diagnosis and for possible treatment options (usually after delivery).

“My skin is breaking out the way it did when I was a teenager.”

The glow of pregnancy that some women are lucky enough to radiate isn’t just a result of joy, but of the stepped-up secretion of oils brought on by hormonal changes. And so, alas, are the less-than-glowing breakouts of pregnancy that some not-so-lucky expectant women experience (particularly those whose skin ordinarily breaks out like clockwork before their periods). Though such eruptions are hard to eliminate entirely, the following suggestions may help keep them at a minimum—and keep you from resembling your eighth-grade yearbook picture:

Wash your face two or three times a day with a gentle cleanser. But don’t get overaggressive with scrubs—not only because your skin is extra- sensitive during pregnancy, but because overstripped skin is actually more susceptible to breakouts.

Get the all clear on any acne medications (topical or oral) before you use them. Some are considered safe to slather on. others aren’t. Check with your practitioner, and see
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Use an oil-free moisturizer to keep skin hydrated. Sometimes skin that is overly dried by harsh acne soaps and other products is more pimple prone.

Choose skin-care products and cosmetics that are oil free and labeled “non-comedogenic,” which means they won’t clog pores.

Keep everything that touches your face clean, including those blush brushes at the bottom of your makeup bag.

Pop (and pick) not. Just like your mother always told you, popping or picking at pimples won’t make them go away—and can actually make them stick around longer by pushing bacteria back down into the zit. Plus, when you’re pregnant, you’re more prone to infections. Poked-at pimples can also leave scars.

Eat well by following the Pregnancy Diet. It’s good for your skin as well as for your baby.

Don’t pass a tap without filling your glass. Drinking water helps keep your skin moist and clear.