While high heels may be a go-to for many women’s wardrobe, they should be avoided during pregnancy. They put a lot of strain on your feet and can throw off your balance.
The clumsiness that comes with pregnancy, combined with the change in your centre of gravity, can lead to falling over and seriously injuring yourself. Moreover, wearing heels can be uncomfortable and even cause pain to your ankles and calf muscles. For more maternity low heels, click here.
Increased Clumsiness
Pregnancy is a fantastic experience for most women, but it can also be extremely exhausting and uncomfortable. Many women experience back pain, swollen feet and other issues that can make wearing heels challenging. Switching to lower, more stable heels can help alleviate these problems and ensure you remain comfortable throughout pregnancy.
Whether you are a celebrity or not, falling over while pregnant can be dangerous for both you and your unborn baby. It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to become more clumsy as their hormones go crazy, and wearing high heels only increases that chance of losing balance and injuring yourself.
Another reason heels aren’t the safest choice is that as your pregnancy progresses, your centre of gravity shifts and your ligaments loosen. That change in balance, combined with towering high heels, makes you more likely to fall over and hurt yourself. Luckily, Meghan Markle is accompanied by a security detail at all times, but most women aren’t and falling in public can be embarrassing and dangerous for you and your baby.
Swelling in Your Feet
Swelling in the feet and ankles is one of the most common pregnancy symptoms. This occurs because gravity pushes the extra fluid that accumulates in your body toward your feet. This can cause the shoes you used to wear comfortably to feel tight and uncomfortable. The swelling in your feet can also lead to the formation of tiny, damaged veins called spider veins or much larger swollen blood vessels known as varicose veins. For more maternity low heels, click here.
The ligaments in the feet and ankles can also loosen during pregnancy due to hormones. This can make it harder to balance and may lead you to fall. This can be dangerous for both you and your baby.
You can reduce the amount of fluid that builds up in your feet and ankles by wearing supportive maternity shoes. You should also avoid wearing tight shoes and loose-fitting, elastic-top socks or stockings to allow blood flow to your feet. Swimming and standing in a pool have also been shown to help relieve foot and ankle swelling during pregnancy.
Change in Your Center of Gravity
Your centre of gravity shifts as your baby grows and your ligaments loosen. This, combined with towering high heels, can create an unstable stance that puts pregnant women at a greater risk of falling.
While falls can happen to anyone at any time, they’re more dangerous for pregnant women as they can cause trauma that threatens the health of the baby. Shoes with a low heel and wider footbed can help stabilise the foot, reducing the chance of falling. Ideally, pregnant women should avoid high heels altogether. If they must wear them, flats with a low heel are preferable for safety reasons.
Back Pain
Even before pregnancy, wearing heels alters your posture, causing the ligaments in your pelvic and back joints to loosen. This can result in back aches and round ligament pains, amplified during pregnancy due to the increased weight, puffiness, and changing centre of gravity. For more maternity low heels, click here.
Heels also reduce your ability to balance. This is due to a decrease in the strength of your ankles and feet due to pregnancy-induced hormones combined with the forward shift in your centre of gravity. Heels may also exacerbate back pain by placing extra pressure on your feet and legs, which can pinch nerves in your calf muscles if you wear them for long periods.
To help alleviate back pain during pregnancy, wear shoes with low heels and good arch support. Stand with a comfortably wide stance and, when sitting for extended periods, rest one leg on a stool or use a lumbar pillow for support.