How to take care of legs in pregnancy

In the forty weeks of pregnancy, the particular hormonal balance causes a relaxation of the venous walls which tend to 'wear out'.

A greater amount of blood in circulation and the pressure of the uterus on the veins that hinders the backflow of blood in the legs, make the appearance of varicose veins in the legs very likely: at first the veins become visible under the skin, swollen and cause discomfort when standing for a long time. Then, if they get worse, they can become inflamed and even ulcerated.

• There are many tips to prevent them from getting worse and are easy to follow:
• Standing still hurts, but slow walking is very good.
• Use the right, comfortable shoes with a wide sole and a medium heel.
• Exercise a few minutes every evening to promote circulation.
• Sleeping with the mattress raised at the foot.
• Use elastic stockings,  wide waist and graduated compression.
• Practicing swimming, also useful for muscle firming by counteracting the onset of cellulite.