26 Weeks Pregnant - varicose veins

Weekly pregnancy updates from a childbirth educator, doula and mum to 2 little girls. Come and join me on my journey as I share how I’m feeling, how baby is developing, what I’m doing to prepare, and some favourite resources!

We all know about varicose veins in the legs, right? But have you ever heard of varicose veins of the vulva? Well, if I’m being suuuuper honest, me neither until I went for my 26 week check with my pelvic floor physio and she told me I have them. Honestly I haven’t felt a thing yet, so I am glad I had the check-up, since hopefully early intervention will help stop them worsening too much. Her main recommendation was to get SRC pregnancy shorts which have strong compression/support for the vulva area. I had already got SRC shorts for postpartum recovery, but had never needed extra support during pregnancy before. I guess being my third now, my body is starting to feel the effects! So I ordered the shorts, and look forward to seeing what difference they make.

(Let me just say quickly that Marketplace is a good place to look if you’re comfortable with getting them second-hand - soooo much cheaper than brand new!! Make sure to check that they are good condition with plenty of compression still, and check the labels to see if they are pregnancy or recovery shorts, depending on what you are looking for.)

Much like compression stockings/tights for varicose veins in the legs, the shorts have a gusset specially designed to give counter-pressure to the vulva area with the idea of improving blood flow and stopping blood from pooling in the veins. When you think of the fact that as your baby and uterus grow, you are getting more downward pressure in your vulva area, having the counter-pressure from the shorts could make a big difference!

The other main recommendation for varicose veins is to exercise/move regularly. I feel in a good place with the amount of activity I am doing on a daily and weekly basis, but will do my best to fit in some extra walking!

Spiralling emotions

I will confess that I spiralled emotionally a little bit as I took in the fact that I have varicose veins. Chatting with my husband in the evening after my visit, my tendency was to think of how things could get worse, how I could end up getting them in my legs too, how I’ve had such a fantastic pregnancy so far and then something like this pops up... All valid thoughts which quite probably many of us would be thinking in this situation! I’m so thankful for my husband who brought me back to earth and back to my current situation! Facts not feelings! The fact is that I have something minor going on in the vulva area which hasn't even bothered me at all. I am getting the shorts and we are doing everything we can to prevent it worsening. Being proactive is more likely to prevent any other related issues going forward, but even if it doesn’t? You can’t do more than the best you can do! I am usually fairly reasonable when it comes to things like this, but yes, I do have my moments of crossing bridges before I come to them! I’m so thankful for a level-headed, loving and supportive husband! ❤️

Besides that diagnosis, thankfully there was nothing else which came up at the physio appointment. Everything is looking good, nothing too tight, and unless I have any need to go sooner, I'll go back at 36 weeks for one last visit before baby arrives.

What symptoms am I feeling?

Nothing new here! Aches and pains around hips and legs some nights in bed or early mornings, but not every night and not lasting through the day. Some belly tightening/Braxton Hicks contractions. And of course baby’s movements!

How has baby been developing this week?

Growing steadily and now around 35cm long and weighing 900g. Baby’s eyes are open and they may respond to bright light!

What am I doing to prepare?

Besides my daily prep, the big things this week were a visit to my pelvic floor physio (as detailed above!), and a routine visit from my midwife.

A favourite resource:

I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned this yet, but I highly recommend The Birth Map. This is more than teaching you how to write a birth plan. It’s a book and guide to understanding all the possible pathways around birth and considering what you would do in each circumstance. Not simply tick boxes for whether or not you want an epidural, a vitamin K shot for bub, or all the other things, but a framework that allows for the fact that your decisions will differ depending on the circumstances, and on the path your birth takes. The book and online Birth Map game are FREE in the member access area of the website!! You can also purchase the book as a hard copy or Kindle edition, and the game as a physical resource. This is an Australian resource, so is perfect for mums in the context of our Australian healthcare system.

And that’s it for this week! 🌿💛

[Image credit: Photo by Seif Eddin Khayat on Unsplash]