Shoe Week: The Shoes I Wore While Pregnant
Apr 18, 2023
From week 16 of my pregnancy on, I was in pain every day. My legs and feet started swelling and didn’t stop until almost two months after Sloane was born. Many days, I could not put my feet in shoes and ended up working from home. That was until I broke down, and purchased Birkenstocks.
Hey, they’re adjustable.
For many years, my grandmother tried to convince Birkenstocks were magic. But I had eyes and opinions, so she was unsuccessful. But as a pregnant woman, having adjustable footwear with arch support was critical.
Of all the Birkenstock options, these Big Buckle Sandals were my favorite. I also owned the black on black regular Birkenstocks.
As an attorney, I was lucky most of my meetings and court appearances were by Zoom. If I needed to go in to the courtroom, my plan was to change into mules in the hallway and wear pants to cover the open heel.
Have swelling with or without pregnancy? If I had known these compression boots were available, I would have purchased a pair. Wearing compression socks offered little relief, and now I have varicose veins where the band of the socks squeezed too tightly.
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I only wore Birks from upper elementary through college .(Hello elder millennial here! ) Then I swore them off for adorable flats and other shoes once I got a job. Fast forward 8-9 years and I got old. All of the sandals I owned started making my knees and ankles hurt. I swallowed my pride and bought a new pair of Birks, and lord, my body rejoiced. I now have 6 pairs and wear nothing else during warm weather. I’ve not broken over to the mules/clogs yet, but I’m sure it’s coming.
Do you wear the Arizona styles? Have you tried some of the other strappier styles? I’ve got my eyes on a pair but haven’t quite committed to the idea of Birks.
I just had a daughter after a rough pregnancy, where I developed plantar fasciitis (among other things). I tried everything and FINALLY broke down and tried birks. Birks have made my back, hips, feet, and knees VERY happy almost instantly. They are life-changing. I will die on this hill.
Chiming in, in solidarity – I’m currently battling plantar fasciitis postpartum and it’s THE WORST. I’m fairly active and used to various workout/running/etc. injuries that come and go, but this one is really sidelining me. Arch supports in all shoes, PT exercises, hiatus from running, ugh. Apparently the hormones that relax our joints during pregnancy and linger postpartum can cause your foot arches to fall and lead to plantar fasciitis and various foot issues. FUN!
Just ordered a fresh pair of Birks for the summer to patch my sorrows in abstaining from all the cute, extremely flat summer sandals sitting idle in my closet.
I have pretty small feet normally but they were so swollen in my 3rd trimester (September baby, heatwave and preeclampsia) the wide Birks were the only thing that fit! I get it now 🙂
Geez, yet another element of pregnancy we don’t hear enough about. I have two pairs of Birkenstocks, both in a fun finish. Love them. Am lusting over the new soft footbed style. Must feel even more slipper-like than regular Birkenstocks.
Those look like the boots I had to wear the first 12 hours or so post-c-section (I think those were just sleeves though). Had no idea they were available commercially. I didn’t have a lot of swelling during pregnancy but did have some plus aching, cramping and varicose veins. That contraption was so nice, gently squeezing and releasing my calves. I would’ve so used that every night in my third trimester.