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38 weeks pregnant and swollen: Has anyone seen my feet?

Pregnancy swelling is no fun, but luckily for managing editor Katie Dupuis, the end is in sight.

Katie Katie Dupuis: 15 days and counting!

It all started a few weeks ago with my Converse sneakers. My beloved Chucks wouldn’t slip on anymore. Even after loosening the laces, I couldn’t cram my feet in. I dismissed it as a fluke, blaming it on the weather and pizza with salty black olives the night before, and switched to gladiator sandals.

Then, two days later, with the imprint of the straps pressed into the top of my foot, even on the last notch, that pair of footwear was also retired to the closet. I’m now down to a pair of stretchy ballet flats, and even those can’t really contain my Fred Flintstone feet.

Read more: When to worry about swelling during pregnancy>

Oh, how I wish it stopped there. No, no—the swelling has carried up my legs, infiltrated my hands and taken over my cheeks. Obviously, I was alarmed—knowing that swelling can be a sign of pre-eclampsia—and ran (as fast as my fat feet would carry me) to the doctor. But after multiple rounds of blood pressure readings, some extra bloodwork and a biophysical profile ultrasound, there was nothing to report. Welcome to having a baby in August (though I’ve heard from many women that they had swelling even in the dead of winter). I’m told the swelling will go away within days of giving birth, but I’m skeptical. Some moms have even told me that it went away before they left the hospital! I’m bringing my sneakers in my hospital bag if that’s the case, because I really, really hate these flats at this point.

Read more: In praise of the not-cute pregnant woman>

Katie2 The woes of swollen feet.

I wasn’t expecting to blow up like Willy Wonka’s Violet Beauregarde—I suppose the fact that I’m not purple is something to be thankful for—given that I didn’t have this kind of water retention with Sophie. But as I mentioned earlier, this time around is completely different from my first pregnancy—much nastier on the aesthetic front. And whenever I say that, I always get the same response: “It must be a boy.”

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Time will tell. Fifteen days and counting.

Today’s Parent managing editor Katie Dupuis likes structure and organization. A lot. Now, imagine this Type A editor with a baby. Funny, right? We’re sure you’ll love Katie’s musings on life with Sophie and husband Blaine. Read all of Katie’s Type A Baby posts and follow her on Twitter@katie_dupuis.

This article was originally published on Aug 15, 2014

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Katie is a Toronto-based writer and editor. She is currently the managing director at Chick & Owl Design Company. More of her work can be found in publications like Parents Canada and Financial Post

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