A colleague announced she was pregnant with her first child last week - all glowing and devil-may-care, she was. It was lovely to behold, and I felt a wee rush of nostalgia for the time, a couple of years ago now, when I was in her shoes. Although, moving swiftly to this week's topic, I remember my misty, new-mother-to-be joy interrupted when another colleague talked me through what I could expect. She was a happy mother, but she hadn't enjoyed the physical restrictions and impositions of pregnancy at all. Nothing surprising there (although one relative of mine unequivocally LOVES being pregnant), but what particularly struck me was her complaint that it had messed up her feet, of all things. They had spread out and flattened under the weight of pregnancy, and hurt. It was getting on for a year postpartum and her poor feet were only just getting back to normal. So, yet another addition to the catalogue of unexpected, unwanted byproducts of childbearing: your eyesight gets squiffy, your gums bleed, your veins go berserk, your skin stretches, your skeleton widens and your joints loosen and ache - not to mention the increased likelihood of developing sciatica and carpal tunnel syndrome.

It's not very rock'n'roll, is it? Anyhow, podiatrists say that after your first trimester, during which you can continue as normal, stilettos are a big fat no-no. High heels make you arch your back more, as does growing a baby, because you lean back a little as your centre of gravity shifts with the increasing load. So the two together spell disaster. If your feet are hampered in doing their job properly, not only will they hurt, but there could be knock-on effects on your posture, back and joints. I wore a dead flat pair of ballet pumps quite a lot when I was pregnant, which I could tell weren't doing me much good, so I ditched them after a while. Ideally, you need support for your arches (so they don't collapse under the heft), a modest lift in the heel, and something other than scrunched toes to keep your shoes from flapping off your feet when you walk. If there's a next time for me, I'm thinking of investing in some badass trainers - which would come in handy once I'd had the baby too, when, as Cara01 wrote in an earlier Mother of All thread:

"The toes of shoes get totally scuffed from being on your hands and knees (not to mention the scuffing of your actual knees)." Some trainers, however, have completely flat soles, so if you don't get, say, a supportive running shoe, think about putting an insole in. If, like me, you're not into orthopaedic-looking shoes, Birkenstock insoles are a great option for making any old shoes good for pregnancy. best running shoes to wear without socksA friend of mine (who isn't pregnant) has become so addicted to the comfort these add that she now buys her shoes a little bigger to accommodate the insoles (for obvious reasons, they make your shoes fit more snugly). best nike cross trainer shoesNot a bad idea.nike free shoes fake

Meanwhile, a French maternity wear brand, Seraphine, has recently launched a range of ballet pumps for pregnancy. Now, these aren't massively my cup of tea and I especially don't like the heel in the pictures, but I have tried a pair of them on and they are extremely comfy, plus the heel is less noticeable when it's on the floor, under the shoe. I think the special exercises we did in my pregnancy yoga class helped my feet survive. nike plus shoes saleMuch toe wiggling and foot stretching went down in those sessions. clarks shoes price in ukThen, about a week before I was due to pop, I treated myself to a relaxing pedicure, which made me feel the best I'd felt in months. running trainers uk ladiesThis, ladies, I can highly recommend.

What kind of shoes saw you through a comfortable pregnancy? And please let me know if there are any other relevant topics you'd like to see covered in this series. One of the side effects of pregnancy for many women is swelling. Many women get swollen feet and/or hands due to their body retaining water during pregnancy. For many, this symptom usually happens in the last trimester of pregnancy. It feels very uncomfortable and even painful for many, so we wanted to provide tips to help ease the discomfort that can come with swelling during pregnancy. (Note: Be sure to talk with your doctor about your swelling, these are just a few of our tried and true suggestions.) First, remember that you don’t want to be stationery for too long. Get up and walk, if you sit all day. Or, if you are on your feet for most of the day, allow yourself to sit and rest to take pressure off your feet.Although it sounds strange to do this when you are retaining water, it is important to drink a lot of water during pregnancy, but especially if you are swelling.

Third, eat a balanced diet of fruits and veggies—avoid junk food and sodium. Fourth, avoid clothing that is tight around your ankles and wrists, as this will make the swelling worse. Obviously, shoes will be an important way to hurt or alleviate swelling. It is suggested that you wear shoes that are a size larger than you’d normally wear to give your feet plenty of room to move around. Try wearing athletic shoes for extra comfort. Although extra flattering, wearing heels will hurt your feet and can possibly make the swelling worse. So, flats will be your friends throughout pregnancy! Or, if you HAVE to wear heels, try using inserts to ease the pain. Also, if you are able to, flip flops are a great alternative to wear, as there is not anything restrictive around your foot, when pregnant. But, remember that flip flops are not as supportive as athletic shoes. If you are feeling extra uncomfortable and swollen, some doctors recommend wearing compression garments.