No one can guess what symptoms they’ll have after giving birth, but swelling is common and doesn’t get much attention. Your pregnancy compression socks might become your favorite postpartum item.
From the editor: When I was pregnant with my second, my feet and ankles were so swollen in my third trimester of pregnancy that a friend mentioned how much maternity compression socks helped her alleviate some of her discomfort.
Since I had already gone up a shoe size, I was more than willing to give them a try to stop the swelling any way I could.
Once I found the most comfortable compression for me, I was able to wear my socks as needed to help reduce my swelling. They were such a lifesaver!
I didn’t even think about using them after birth until I remembered how swollen I was after my first c-section, so I threw them in my hospital bag for good measure. I ended up wearing them daily throughout the postpartum period (along with compression leggings).
Even with dozens of doctor’s appointments, it’s impossible to cover everything you should expect when you’re expecting. Predicting what to buckle up for after the baby arrives is even more challenging.
Here’s why swelling happens after birth and how compression socks could become your best friend almost immediately after meeting your little one.
Shop the best compression socks for postpartum recovery
Compression socks are a natural way to relieve excess swelling and lessen water retention in pregnant women and those who have recently given birth.
Keep in mind there are a lot of different sock options on the market, so it’s important to consider the different lengths and the level of compression.
Quick shop our favorites
- Kindred Bravely Compression Socks (blue/black, grey/pink)
- Hatch Two-Pack Compression Socks
- Comrad Knee-High Compression Socks
- Wanderlust Multi-Fit Maternity Compression Socks
- Levsox Wide-Calf Compression Socks
Labor and delivery are filled with unknowns that can only be addressed in real-time, and the aftermath of giving birth is dizzying at best.
While there are blanket symptoms like postpartum bleeding, soreness, and exhaustion from bringing a human into the world, each mom’s experience can be different—even from one birth to the next.
One particularly uncomfortable result of giving birth is one some moms may have thought they left behind in pregnancy: swelling.
That’s right, in addition to the discomfort from potential stitches and contracting organs, you might be up against swelling in your lower legs, feet, hands, wrists, or more.
That’s where knee-high compression socks come in. If your symptoms are more severe, you could consider maternity compression garments, too.
Blanqi makes some super comfortable maternity compression leggings in a stretchy nylon blend that can be worn throughout postpartum, too.
Related: Best Postpartum Leggings You’ll Want After Birth
Thankfully, compression socks can keep swelling at bay, and you might want to add them to your hospital bag packing list (along with some regular socks, among other things).
But before we dive into the benefits of these lifesavers, let’s talk about why swelling even winds up on the postpartum itinerary.
What causes postpartum swelling?
Birth plan or not, it’s always helpful to keep in mind some potential side effects of giving birth to ease the physical, mental, and emotional transitions new moms face.
Postpartum edema, or postpartum swelling, is the result of the body retaining excess fluid after childbirth.
Using maternity compression stockings – aka compression socks – is one of the best ways to help the body get rid of the extra fluid built up in your lower legs.
What does that look like? Inflamed skin with a puffy or shiny appearance characterizes postpartum edema.
Pregnancy changes
Since pregnant bodies retain 50% more blood and water than usual1 to support a growing baby, mild edema is a common side effect of childbirth (and you might have also experienced this at the end of your pregnancy).
Such a significant increase in body fluid doesn’t magically disappear the minute you meet your new little one (as nice as that would be), and it’s often a contributing factor to the overall weight gain in pregnancy, but that’s not the only reason behind swelling after birth.
Excess fluids
Not long after checking into the hospital, moms are often introduced to a common cause of postpartum edema: an IV.
Taking a “prepare for anything” approach, healthcare professionals set the stage for a potential epidural, pain medication, pitocin, or any other labor-and-delivery aids that were either pre-planned or pivoted to during the unpredictabilities of giving birth.
Those fluids administered through an IV can contribute to unwelcome fluid retention, excess water, and swelling right after giving birth. Other culprits include:
- Fluid retention leftover from pregnancy
- Pushing during delivery
- Lack of movement before, during, and after birth
- C-section recovery
Uncomfortable swelling can be attributed to one or more of these causes.
In most cases, it’s normal. But if you have to deal with bothersome swelling after birth, remember to give yourself grace—oh, and a great pair of compression socks.
Over the course of your postpartum recovery, light exercise, drinking plenty of water, and some extra time to recover will help your swelling slowly lessen.
Related: What You Should Know About Postpartum Night Sweats
How can compression socks help?
Even if you were introduced to compression socks during pregnancy to combat swelling or even varicose veins, you’ll want to get re-acquainted if you’re dealing with postpartum swelling.
The combination of excess fluid and increased clotting (and the potential for deep vein thrombosis) to combat blood loss postpartum puts the body’s valves on overdrive, resulting in ever-so-lovely swelling.
Compression socks support the body’s circulation and promote a healthy, good blood flow throughout the rest of your body.
Here’s what else compression socks or tights can do to squash swelling:
- Encourage fluid to move freely
- Reduce the risk of blood clots
- Provide support for diastasis recti
- Provide comfort for c-section moms
Just like each birth is a unique experience, compression socks aren’t one size fits all, and you have to find the right pair for your body changes that offer the perfect pressure. There are three different types of compression stockings to consider:
- Knee-high: support ankles and calves
- Thigh-high: support for the entire leg from the mig-thigh to the toes
- Full-length: waist-to-toe support to relieve the back and abdomen
Not only do compression socks range in length, but they also vary in compression levels.
With higher numbers representing the compression on the foot and lower numbers tracking tightness up the leg, these helpful garments are tailored to support varying degrees of postpartum edema.
All three types of compression stockings decrease tightness up the leg, with compression levels ranging from gentle pressure to firm.
Although you might be able to choose the length and tightness levels best suited to your symptoms, it’s a good idea to consult your healthcare provider or midwife for sizing suggestions.
In general, a less severe case of postpartum edema could be treated with knee-length compression socks, while moms recovering from c-section births might benefit more from full-length compression stockings that also cover the incision area.
Compression stockings can be the healing hug a mom needs after the Olympian effort they just exerted. You can wear compression socks for at least six weeks after birth, but choose what’s best for you and your recovery.
Swelling can be present after both vaginal and c-section births, and wearing supportive garments as early as possible can help soothe it immediately, in addition to drinking plenty of water and packing iron-rich foods into your diet.
While diapers and waterslide-sized pads are must-wear items after giving birth, compression socks could be the postpartum must-haves you’ll be glad you slipped into your hospital bag.
Other articles you might find helpful
- What You Should Know About Postpartum Night Sweats
- Best Postpartum Leggings You’ll Want After Birth
- Postpartum Care: 11 Questions to Ask Your Doctor After Birth
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