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swollen labia / vulva ???? varicose veins


Hi all,
bit of a personal topic , but has anyone else suffered with this??
im 31 weeks
this is my 3rd pregnancy and have never had this with the other two, but this time only on one side my labia is really really swollen and sore, its very red inside, and hurts when i sit down, i went to get it checked out and the gp said it was just a pregnancy thing , and should go once baby is here, its that strteched and swollen now i cant imagine how it will feel when im in labour. she said she could see a small varicose vein their aswell, just would like to hear if anyone else suffered with this too
thanks

Replies

  • hi, im also 31 weeks, with my 1st baby, i have been suffering too for about 3 weeks. aparently it is quite common, but its ever so uncomfortable, i think it doesnt help that i work within retail and i am on my feet from 9 to 6 5 days a week. aparently it will go away after birth.
    what i do to take the pressure off and seems to work well is to lie down and put a pillow under my pelvis to raise it up, i lie like this for around 10 minuets or so and it really does make a differance.

    good luck x:\)
  • I had this with my third pregnancy too from around 34wks, Don't sit on a rubber ring as this will make it worse and cause the blood to pool in the area and make it feel throbbing. I found sleeping on my side with a cushion between my legs to keep them slightly apart most comfortable (i have a "dream genie pillow and its my best friend lol). To help when sitting if you get a large towel and fold it in half long ways then start rolling it from both ends so you end up with two sausages next to each other this makes a kind on valley cushion to sit on, you have support under each leg but a slight space between your lady bits to take the pressure off you can also do this with a v-pillow pushing each half together with a space in between or even hire a valley cushion. A bit of lavender oil in the bath is very soothing too. Also keep drinking lots of fluids so you dont get water retention as this can add to the problem and also don't get constipated because straining won't help either. As for labour i had no problems and had a wonderful home water birth. Everything settled down within a couple of weeks of her being born.
    Jo xx
  • Hey hun, you poor thing, I really can sympathise with what you are going through.
    I am a gynae nurse and swollen labia is pretty common. You have increased blood volume due to the pregnancy and this can casue swelling.
    I cannot guarantee that the pain/swelling will go away, but it will help if you lie on your left side. Sleeping on your left will help blood flow to the baby, and it also improves your kidney function, which in turn helps to reduce swelling in other areas.
    If it starts to become excrutiating, or becomes even more swollen , then pop back and see your GP or midwife just to check everything is ok and its not a blocked gland or anything causing the problem.

    Really hope you get some relief soon xxxx
  • im only 29 weeks pregnant and my labia is swollen just on the left side at the top of my clitarus and towards the opening to my vigina. its not sore, itchy or irritable. so im not to worried about it, well not now im not (lol) this is my 1st pregnancy and i didnt no that this is a common pregnancy thing. so thanks for helping me out.

    amanda cook.

  • Thank you all, reading these posts have put my mind at ease. I am 28 weeks pregnant, have a 3 and 2 year old and did not experience any of this on either girls. Have been feeling a lot of pressure in pelvic area for a few weeks now. This past week I have noticed the right side of my Labia very swollen and sore when I stand or walk. No discharge. Just very uncomfortable and it looks terrible. Rang my Maternity hospital and the doctor said it could be a cyst or a swollen varicose vein, however nothing to worry about unless it gets very bad and then to go straight to the hospital. Plenty of rest recommended. So here's to the next 12+ weeks. Good luck everyone!

  • I'm only 5+5 with my first but I thought I would post that my friend had it and told me this is one of the things I have to look forward too!! 

    Hope it goes down soon xx

  • I am in 32 weeks with my second baby. I have also a small swelling on the left side of my vagina. It won't cause any pain except when I sit on my two wheeler. I too have a reddish color on it. Sometimes feel a small itching when wearing my under garments. Initially we thought it was a varicose vein and had consulted with a varicose vein specialist in Thornhill. But he told me that it is not an actual varicose vein. He said that it will disappear after delivery. However, my mom suggested me some natural remedies for varicose vein.

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