Most of us know that swollen feet are a symptom of pregnancy, but it can still be surprising to see just how swollen a pregnant person's feet can get.
On Tuesday, Chontel Duncan, an Australian fitness trainer, posted two photos on her Instagram comparing how swollen her feet had gotten during her first pregnancy versus during her second pregnancy.
"Creating foot phobias all around the world with this post but this is the raw truth on how bad my fluid got towards the end of my first pregnancy," she joked in the caption. "Second time round I have done nothing different but have absolutely no fluid retention."
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As you can see, her foot was extremely swollen during her first pregnancy, and looks completely non-swollen during the second. And as she demonstrated, each one of your pregnancies can be different and can involve different symptoms.
Swelling, of course, is a common symptom during pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, it occurs because the body produces more blood and body fluids to help the baby develop. The body, then, retains extra fluid to soften the body and help pelvic joints and tissue prepare for delivery. Swelling can occur at any point during pregnancy, and might be exacerbated by heat, standing, and high sodium intake.
If you do experience swelling, you can alleviate the symptoms by resting with your feet elevated, avoid standing for long periods of time, and drinking water to help reduce retention.
Refinery29 has reached out to Duncan for comment, and will update this article when we receive a response.
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