Em,

I started experiencing a great bit of swelling a couple of weeks ago, when I
was 5 1/2 months along. You're right, it's very uncomfortable, especially
in my hands! My ankle bones would disappear and I would have "cankles"
(calfs with no ankles, as a friend of mine calls them). I was troubled that
I was swelling up so early in pregnancy and called my doctor's office. They
said that since my blood pressure has remained really good, they weren't
concerned about pre-eclampsia in me. They also told me that some women
swell earlier than others, but as long as my blood pressure remains within
normal ranges, I was fine.

I found that drinking lots of water and avoiding salty foods helps a great
deal. Also, elevate your feet as much as possible and avoid prolonged
sitting. Sometimes this is hard for me because I have a computer job, but I
try to get up and move as much as possible during the day (not a problem
since I'm always going to the bathroom from all the water I'm drinking!).
Good luck!

lisa
micksmom
27 months old
Baby boy 2 due 2-8-05