If you are pregnant, you may have soon discovered that your belly and your breasts are not the only parts of your body that are growing. As your body begins to take on more weight and your center of gravity starts to shift, you may be wondering which shoes are the best shoes for swollen, pregnant feet.
In this article, I will give you all the information that you will need to know in order to find the very best shoes for support and comfort throughout your pregnancy. Take a quick look at my guide and then jump on down to my personal review of the best shoes for pregnant, swollen feet.
The 5 Best Shoes for Swollen, Pregnant Feet
Shoes for Swollen, Pregnant Feet |
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Pedors Women's Classic Neoprene Walking Shoes *Best Choice* |
(*) Below, you'll find my detailed review, but you can also click the links above to see prices and read customer opinions.
BUYER'S GUIDE
Aches and Pains During Pregnancy
The changes that are taking place in your pregnant body are no joke. Your body is growing and changing daily. You were probably prepared for most of these changes and bought a few cute maternity outfits a while ago. However, most women don’t quite realize just how much their feet will grow too. Your favorite shoes might be starting to hurt you.
It may just be time to store away those cute heels and snug-fitting sneakers. As your feet continue to swell, most average shoes just won’t cut it anymore. Shoes that have heels or that fit snugly may begin to cause your feet to ache.
Not having the proper shoes during pregnancy can also cause you to experience other aches and pains throughout your body. Your growing belly will begin to pull on the muscles in your back and inclined shoes will add to the existing back pain.
Another common area of pain for pregnant women is the inner thigh. You may notice this pain as it moves from your pelvic area down through your legs. The pain in your inner thigh will often get worse when you shift your legs or if you walk in shoes that are not flat.
Do You Really Need to Buy Maternity Shoes?
For my first pregnancy, I spent somewhere between $300 and $400 on maternity clothes (including outfits, maternity bras, and maternity undergarments). By the time my feet began to swell, I was so tapped out financially that I had to settle on some ugly loafers from the thrift store. I wish I had known and budgeted accordingly!
When the time came around to start putting together my maternity wardrobe for baby #2, I knew I needed to include some cute and comfortable shoes that would grow with my feet.
Fortunately, there are some pretty attractive and affordable options in numerous different materials, styles, patterns, and colors. The exact shoe that works best for you will depend on your particular taste, size, and lifestyle.
The Importance of Shoe Type
While standing in front of the shoe rack or looking online, you may quickly become overwhelmed with the hundreds of different shoe types. How do you know which type of shoe will be best for you? Will it be comfortable? Will it provide adequate support? How important is shoe type anyway?
The swelling in your pregnant ankles and feet is known by the medical community as "edema". Edema is an abnormal accumulation of fluid between the skin and the cavities of the body.
As you go about your day, this fluid (water) will begin to gather towards the lower parts of your body. This pooling of water may be worse when the weather is hot or when you have been standing or walking a lot.
Kicking back, staying cool, and elevating your feet were once the only suggestions made to pregnant women with swollen feet. However, this not at all possible for a busy woman who may also be contending with work, housework, and caring for other children.
The type of shoes that you wear may have a huge impact on how comfortable and pain-free your feet are. You should ideally opt for shoes that are flat, that have adjustable straps, and that are wide-fitting to give your feet plenty of wiggle room.
Which Features You Should Consider When Picking Out The Best Shoes for Swollen, Pregnant Feet
1. Adjustability
Your feet may go through several changes in swelling and width, depending on how far into the pregnancy you are, how active you are, and even the weather. Instead of having to buy several different sizes of shoes, consider looking for shoes with adjustable straps.
2. Soles and Insoles
If your feet are healthy, you may want to opt for shoes with rubber soles. Rubber is a great shock absorber and may help alleviate joint and muscle pain.
If your feet are prone to ailments such as extreme swelling, plantar fasciitis, or heel spurs, then you may want to shop for shoes that have insoles that can be removed and replaced with orthopedic insoles.
3. Support
If your feet are swollen up like water balloons, then you definitely need to check into shoes that can provide the optimal amount of support. Inadequate support can lead to conditions that can result in even more pain and swelling.
When you are looking at a pair of shoes for your swollen feet, consider how much support the shoes provide to the entire underfoot region, especially your arches (the center of the bottom of your feet).
Ideally, your shoes should provide you with adequate support as you walk, stand, or exercise throughout your pregnancy.
4. Heel
You will want shoes that have heels situated as low as possible. Even the smallest incline in a heel can cause added pain in your feet, ankles, hips, and even your back. Look for shoes that have very low or completely absent heels.
The 5 Best Shoes for Swollen, Pregnant Feet
1. Pedors Women's Classic Neoprene Walking Shoes *Best Choice*
The Good
Manufactured by Pedors, a company that specializes in making orthopedic shoes and has a mission to make "fantastically functional footwear". The Pedors brand has been in business since 1997.
Pedors takes their company name from the word "pedorthics," which is defined as the practice of designing, creating, and fitting orthopedic shoes for relieving painful conditions of the feet.
These shoes are made from a very stretchable material, making them ideal for feet that swell to different sizes throughout the day.
The Bad
The Pedors Women’s Classic Neoprene Walking Shoe is not offered in very many different choices of color. This shoe is currently only available in beige or black.
There is not much adjustable room from the bottom of the foot to the top of the arch. They seem to come a little larger than their sizes suggest.
If you need wide shoes, you may be disappointed as this particular shoe only comes in a few wide sizes.
The Gist
While the Pedors Women’s Classic Neoprene Walking Shoe is not available in very many color choices, the stretchy material and lightweight construction make this shoe perfect for swollen feet.
2. Crocs Unisex Bistro Clog
The Good
The Crocs Unisex Bistro Clog is a fully molded classic clog, constructed out of Croslite material for maximum lightweight cushioning. This clog features a contoured footbed that massages your feet as you walk!
The forefoot contains adiPRENE+ inserts that provide pinpoint comfort. The slip-resistant tread provides optimal traction on wet or greasy floors. The Croslite material conforms to the foot creating a custom fit. The material is very easy to clean with only soap and water.
The Bad
These shoes do not provide much arch support and are therefore recommended for pregnant women with flat feet.
Tread may begin to come off after a year or two, depending on the amount of wear.
These shoes also tend to fit a little larger than the size suggests so you will need to round down on your particular size. Additional cons of this shoe are that it is not available in wide or extra wide and can shrink if left in direct sunlight.
Although these shoes are slip resistant on wet floors, they are very slippery on ice.
The Gist
Although these shoes do not seem to provide a lot of arch support, they are perfect for pregnant women with low arches or flat feet. If you work in a restaurant or spend a lot of time in your kitchen, then this shoe was designed with women like you in mind.
3. Orthofeet Proven Pain Relief Sanibel Comfortable Orthopedic Diabetic Women's Mary Jane Shoes
The Good
This shoe provides a premium orthotic insole with anatomical arch support and a cushioning heel pad that conforms to the contours of your foot as you walk. The sole is made out of the lightweight Ortho-Cushion material that offers an air cushioned and softened step.
This shoe is available in blue, white and black from size 5 up to size 12 with wide, extra wide and double extra wide in several of the sizes.
The Bad
This shoe fits better for wide fit and even with a back strap and inserts, there is not much grip for narrow feet.
Your toes may be bumping into the top of the shoes, although the inserts help slightly. These shoes tend to run a little larger than the size suggests, so you might want to order them a little smaller than your normal size.
If you have extremely painful swelling in your feet, this shoe may not be as forgiving as some of the others that I'm mentioning.
The Gist
While these shoes are cute and great for walking in, they seem to be tailored more towards feet that are not severely swollen, injured, or painful. They do come with two different sized soles, but the difference between the two is minuscule.
4. Drew Shoe Women's Paradise II Velcro Slip-on
The Good
The Drew Shoe company has refined and mastered the science of therapeutic comfort footwear, with over 135 years in the business.
The Drew Paradis II is a very casual design made of lightweight material. These shoes come with two adjustable Velcro straps that allow for simple adjustments throughout the day or recovery process that accommodate various foot shapes and painful foot conditions.
The insoles are removable and add to to the depths with contoured heels, wide shanks, and rocker bottoms perfect for light walking.
The Bad
There is not much cushion in the soles which may lead to problems with joints. This shoe is not ideal for standing or walking for much more than an hour. The soles seem to almost rot very quickly.
These shoes are made out of leather and polyurethane and therefore require some maintenance. You will have to buff with a leather cleaner or polish and then wipe clean with a dry cloth.
The Gist
These shoes are constructed from breathable leather uppers and feature a padded tongue and collar. The flexibility of the Drew Paradise II makes it a good choice for light exercise.
The manufacturer is currently offering this style in four different colors: black, white, taupe, and brown and the size is pretty much accurate taking into account that the feet are not severely swollen.
5. Propet Women's Tour Walker Strap Sneaker
The Good
The Propet Women's Tour Walker Strap Sneaker comes in a variety of sizes, with many wide and extra wide sizes, as well. There are a few different styles and colors for you choose from.
The leather material is durable and easy to wipe clean and the two Velcro straps allow for adjustability, which makes them perfect for feet that tend to swell more throughout the day or with different activities.
The rubber bottoms provide excellent traction and these shoes are great for walking or standing for long periods of time. The footbed is 100% removable.
The Bad
I should have bought these in a size smaller than what I normally wear, as they were slightly too big. However, I know some people who have bought the same shoes in the same size and they seemed to run bigger than normal. Therefore, there may be a quality control issue.
Also, these shoes are a bit higher on the ankle than I like, but then again, you may like high ankle shoes.
The upper is made of a very thin leather material and the shoe is not very deep. Also, the velcro straps are fairly thin and flimsy and the heel is slightly elevated. When I was pregnant and my feet were swollen, I didn't want any heel at all.
Unfortunately, these shoes seem to slightly pinch the toes (and I have narrow toes).
The Gist
There are so many colors and designs to choose from that you are sure to find the right pair (or pairs) to match any maternity wardrobe. Great shoes as long as you don’t normally have a problem with pinched toes or super painful feet.
And the Winner Is…
Ultimately, the best shoes for you will depend on your individual taste, size, amount of swelling, and activities. However, the shoes that I like the best are the Pedors Women's Classic Neoprene Walking Shoes.
This shoe may not be the cutest, but let's face it, sometimes the need for comfort far outweighs appearance.
To Wrap Up
I hope that my buyer's guide to finding the perfect shoes for pregnant, swollen feet helps you in your search for the best shoes for you. Taking care of your feet is so important for the health and comfort of the rest of you.
So what do you think about this guide and these reviews? Do you know of a special shoe that you would like mentioned or have you had a negative experience with any of these shoes? Please share in the comments below!
