My hands are a bit puffy in the mornings. Preeclampsia?

Mild hand puffiness, especially in warm weather or late pregnancy, is common on its own. The pattern that matters is sudden and pronounced facial and hand swelling, particularly alongside headache or vision changes — that combination is what earns the call.

No — severe salt restriction isn't recommended in pregnancy and doesn't resolve swelling. Regular movement, elevation, and hydration do more.

Will it go away right after birth?

Often it briefly gets worse first, thanks to IV fluids and the post-delivery fluid shift, then settles over the following week or two as your body offloads the extra volume.

When it happens · 3 min read

Swelling in pregnancy: normal, or not?

Almost everyone swells in the second half of pregnancy, and most of it means nothing at all. But swelling is also a symptom of two things that matter, so it's worth knowing which questions actually separate them.

Last updated August 9, 2026

The three questions

How fast? Gradual over weeks is ordinary; sudden over hours or a day is not. Where? Feet and ankles is ordinary; face and hands is not. One side or both? Symmetric is ordinary; one leg noticeably different from the other is not.

Ordinary swelling also has a rhythm — worst by evening, substantially better after lying down overnight. Swelling that no longer improves overnight is worth mentioning.

Why ordinary swelling happens

Blood volume rises substantially in pregnancy, and fluid shifts into the tissues. Meanwhile the growing uterus presses on the large veins returning blood from your legs, so fluid pools downward. Heat, long days on your feet, and late pregnancy all make it worse. It's mechanical, not a malfunction.

What helps, modestly and honestly: putting your feet up when you can, moving regularly rather than standing still for long stretches, comfortable shoes, and compression stockings if you're on your feet for work. Cutting salt drastically doesn't help and isn't advised. Take rings off early rather than waiting until they're stuck.

The two patterns that need a call

Sudden puffiness in your face, around your eyes, or in your hands — especially with a severe headache, vision changes, or pain under your right ribs — is the preeclampsia pattern and warrants a same-day call, including in the weeks after birth.

Swelling in one leg with pain, warmth, or redness is the clot pattern and warrants a same-day call. Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain with it is 911.

Common questions

My hands are a bit puffy in the mornings. Preeclampsia?: Mild hand puffiness, especially in warm weather or late pregnancy, is common on its own. The pattern that matters is sudden and pronounced facial and hand swelling, particularly alongside headache or vision changes — that combination is what earns the call.
Should I cut salt?: No — severe salt restriction isn't recommended in pregnancy and doesn't resolve swelling. Regular movement, elevation, and hydration do more.
Will it go away right after birth?: Often it briefly gets worse first, thanks to IV fluids and the post-delivery fluid shift, then settles over the following week or two as your body offloads the extra volume.

If it's this, not that

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Where this comes from

Preeclampsia — Symptoms & causesMayo Clinic
Signs and Symptoms of PreeclampsiaPreeclampsia Foundation

Every claim on this page traces to one of these. See every source we use →

Written from the sources named above, and it is not a substitute for your own doctor. If something feels wrong to you, that instinct is a good enough reason to call — you know yourself and this family better than any page does.