Water birth and massively embarrassed by my feet :(

[Munchkin30]

Hey all,

I'm planning on a waterbirth in a birthing centre but i'm so massively embarrased about the bottom of my feet i don't know what to do i've always had loads of callouses and LOADS of verrucas i can't shift, i walk around a lot bare feet and have silly shaped feet that build hard skin on them.

I usually wear socks if anyone's going to see the bottom of my feet and i really don't show them to anyone, even my OH

It's getting a bit late to try and get them sorted out, and all the verruca treatments say not to be used during pg

Any ideas or thoughts??

Thanks ladies,

xxx

 

[htaylor]

wear compression socks while you give birth? even if it is in water, im sure no one would say you cant!

 

[Natalie21]

I woudlnt worry about your feet hun, more will be on show than that.

Good luck xx

 

[fedupwaiting]

you can get little rubber waterproof socks for wearing in the swimming pool in most sports shops. They are small like trainer liners so your feet wouldn't be too hot but they also have grip on the bottom so an added bonus.

 

[Cocoa]

Hi, You can buy 'swim socks' - just have a google, they're easy to get. People wear them when swimming if they have verrucas.

Hope that helps and hope you get your waterbirth!

 

[fedupwaiting]

i just googled em and they are called guard socks or verucca socks xx

 

[allaboard]

I know that feeling, with my son i gave birth in socks as i had loke 20+ verruccas on my right heel! I picked them up from communal showers and they just spread. They completely disappeared within weeks of having him, it was actually astounding after years of problematic verrucas. This time, i've got fungal nail on 4/5 nails, like badly. My poor right foot has never been right really, and i'm planning a water birth, so i'll be slapping on the nail varnish and hoping my really dry skin on that foot doesn't show every time i have to get out. TBH there's little to be seen once you are in the water and you could keep it all out of view if you get out for an examination if you bend your legs and put your affected foot flat down. I'd also file down your Vs with a hard skin file every night to take the tops off as much as poss before the birth.

 

[Munchkin30]

I know that feeling, with my son i gave birth in socks as i had loke 20+ verruccas on my right heel! I picked them up from communal showers and they just spread. They completely disappeared within weeks of having him, it was actually astounding after years of problematic verrucas. This time, i've got fungal nail on 4/5 nails, like badly. My poor right foot has never been right really, and i'm planning a water birth, so i'll be slapping on the nail varnish and hoping my really dry skin on that foot doesn't show every time i have to get out. TBH there's little to be seen once you are in the water and you could keep it all out of view if you get out for an examination if you bend your legs and put your affected foot flat down. I'd also file down your Vs with a hard skin file every night to take the tops off as much as poss before the birth.

Wow thanks hon, i've had mine for years and i've tried EVERYTHING! DId they really just dissapear??

I'll def try the swim socks too, thanks ladies that's a great help!!

 

[emyandpotato]

Go and get one of those fish pedicures! It'll sort out your feet and pedicures are meant to induce labour, though not sure if that's true.

 

[Periwinkle]

I know how you feel, I had awful verrucas for a while when I was about 21 and they wouldn't go with any treatments I bought or from the doctor. I didn't show anyone my feet for years, not even boyfriends etc. I ended up going directly to a chiropodist privately because I was too embarrassed to go to my doctor and show them how bad they'd got! Do you think it would maybe worth asking a chiropodist? They might have different treatments that are ok... I don't remember what mine used (I think it was some kind of acid though) but it wasn't anything I'd seen in shops or that cryo-wotsit they do at the doctors..

I have seen a couple of things on google about duct tape treatment. I don't know how effective it'd be but might be worth a go.

Treatment with duct tape

There is limited evidence to support the effectiveness of treatment with duct tape. Side effects are uncommon. However, using duct tape on the face is not recommended because it can irritate your skin.

Treatment involves covering the wart with a piece of duct tape (adhesive tape) for six days, before removing it. You then soak the wart in warm water for five minutes and gently rub the dead tissue off using an emery board or pumice stone (do not share these with anyone else).

You should leave the wart uncovered overnight and apply a fresh piece of tape the following day. Treatment should be continued for up to two months.

Failing that I think I'd go for the sock thing. You could always say you were worried about catching verrucas!

 

[stouffer]

I've heard duct tape can remove verrucas. Something about them needing light... I'm not sure how true it is but google it, there are a lot of people who say it works.

I've been using Bazooka the last 3 weeks. I didn't see anything on the leaflet about not using when pregnant. Oops.

Edit: Periwinkle beat me to it

 

[mummyx2]

A natural remedy for Verrucas is Banana skin, tape some over the top of the verrucas and leave overnight, they should start to clear in a few days.

I used to suffer dreadfully when I was little and this is what my mother did with me.

xx

 

[allaboard]

I know that feeling, with my son i gave birth in socks as i had loke 20+ verruccas on my right heel! I picked them up from communal showers and they just spread. They completely disappeared within weeks of having him, it was actually astounding after years of problematic verrucas. This time, i've got fungal nail on 4/5 nails, like badly. My poor right foot has never been right really, and i'm planning a water birth, so i'll be slapping on the nail varnish and hoping my really dry skin on that foot doesn't show every time i have to get out. TBH there's little to be seen once you are in the water and you could keep it all out of view if you get out for an examination if you bend your legs and put your affected foot flat down. I'd also file down your Vs with a hard skin file every night to take the tops off as much as poss before the birth.

Wow thanks hon, i've had mine for years and i've tried EVERYTHING! DId they really just dissapear??

I'll def try the swim socks too, thanks ladies that's a great help!!

Yeah, my Mum asked me one day when DS was a few weeks old how my verrucas were and when i looked there was nothing. I wondered if it was my immune system kicking back in after he was born (it's low during pregnancy), but i'll never know for sure! They've never been back, but i just have different problems to contend with now - sod's law!

 

[First.timer]

ive never had verrucas or warts but i do have embarrassingly dry skin on my feet...i went into hospital a few weeks ago and had to have an internal, when she told me to put my heels together she GASPED at my dry skin and gave me a lecture on it....i was gutted! i bought this

https://www.scholl.com/en-GB/Scholl-Cracked-Heel-Profile-/10035573/PrintProductDetails.raction

from boots the other day - it has an extendable handle so good for preggos! its actually made them look 100 times better, ive been doing it most days and then smothering my feeet in coco butter and wrapping in clingfilm after. and my feet almost look normal! im even going to get a pedicure next week!

you might not be able to get rid of the verrucas but you can try and get rid of the dry skin as much as poss, then just stick some plasters on the verrucas or wear one of those swim socks or something? you can get from boots/ superdrug these socks for intense moisturising where you cover your feet in cream and then put the socks on - they might be more light weight for when your in labour than the rubber swim socks... xx

 

[spaceprawn]

My toes are like a bag of smashed twiglets.... :S ...but I'm pretty convinced people will be looking at me squeezing out a baby rather than the hideous state of my tootsies I wouldn't worry....or just wear some flippers

 

[amipregnant]

yep banana skin worked for me too, put the squidgy side against your skin and put a plaster over the top and go to bed they when you wake up throw it away pick off the dead skin and let it dry then do it again at night. I have just bought a pedi egg and have managed to fine my feet again under all the dead skin!! good luck

 

[pink sparkle]

Im constantly battling a very stubborn verruca, when i was in labour with ds i kept my socks on which amused the mw's! I say go with the rubber socks like what you get for swimming...i honestly would ..as even when i was in full blown labour i did worry about my feet despite what other ppl saying i wouldnt care x

 

[Linzi]

My friend has a few verruccas on her feet she just can't shift, she has tried everything. I'm sure they will have seen it time & time again hun

As for hard skin, Ive found if you spend 20 mins a night soaking your feet in the bath, use a pumice stone/foot file on the hard bits, slap on loads of vaseline & then put a pair of socks straight on & keep em on all night it really helps to soften them up!!

I have a horrible nail on my right foot too as someone else mentioned & Im dead embarrased about it, Im really worried that other people will see but I googled & apparently applying vicks vapour rub on it twice a day for 6 months does the trick & safe in pregnancy!! Certainly makes it look a lot better in the meantime too.

Maybe have a google for natural verruca remedies? Theres bound to be something

xxx

 

[JZW]

Fish pedicures as mentioned by a pp are fun but not good enough to tackle the hard skin on my feet. I used to get really bad cracked heels and calluses from wearing 4 inch heels for work (I work in the city).

I treat myself to proper pedicures- the ones where they tackle the skin on your feet with a razor type thingy and then use intensive scrub. Just had one done during the weekend and my feet are now summer ready.

Weekly feet maintenance is the way to go. I used to do it myself when I could reach my toes. Pedi-egg, followed by one of those cracked heel file thingies (both on dry feet), and then soak in tub of hot water to soften any remaining hard bits, use a good foot scrub and then vaseline and cotton socks treatment overnight.

It doesnt help with verrucas but it does make you feel more confident about your feet. Mine are battered from years of heels and I have wonky toes and horrible bunions. It took me years to be able to walk around barefooted in front of DH.

 

[Baby2ontheway]

I wouldnt worry one bit about your feet! I have horrible feet too and thats going to be the last thing on your mind when its time for that baby! Good Luck