Q: Good morning Doc. I am 6 weeks pregnant and its my first baby would like to know if its true that if i wear heels its risky and might lead to miscarriage. Is it true?

A: I love my heels! I am petite (that’s fancy grammar for vertically challenged or not very tall. I draw the line at using the ‘s’ word :D). I also walk like a soldier (no kidding) whenever I wear flats…no regard to finesse et al! I probably missed all those classes where catwalks were taught (sigh!). So how do I live without my heels; I’d be looking up to everybody!!! But more seriously, the question is ‘are heels good for your feet or not?’

Truth is high heels can create deformities by altering the normal shape of the foot, can cause problems with your Achilles tendon (the prominent tendon at the back of the ankle), cause foot pain and increase the possibility of sprains and ankles (imagine falling from the great height of a six inch heel…ouch!!!).
I would love to feel that all heels would be thrown away now that we know they are bad….maybe, or maybe not Okay, how can these heels be worn safely though?

For people who are not pregnant, heels with soft insoles are very comfortable and if your heels don’t come with them; you can buy and fix in (I am sure they should be available in shoe shops or even big department shops anywhere), the larger the base of the heel, the better; don’t wear shoes that over-flex your arch (the natural curve of your foot) or shoes that you can’t walk in! If you can’t do the normal everyday things you do while wearing them, then don’t. If you try on a heel and your toes automatically slide to the front, they are not for you and could create more pressure and pain on your toes. Open-toed heels are helpful especially for people who have corns or calluses. Finally, switch the heels around and try and wear a mix of heels….throw some low heels into the mix, perhaps not higher than an inch (which is the ideal recommended height of a heel!!!).

When you get pregnant, it’s a different story! As your baby grows, your center of gravity shifts forwards, causing you to compensate by leaning backwards…the classic pregnancy pose (perfected by Nollywood, if I say so myself 😀  This pose together with relaxed ligaments around the joints due to the hormones being released in pregnancy and weight gain, already make posture a huge problem. I always jokingly say that I always used to know I was pregnant whenever I sprained my ankle…it happened in 2 out of 3 pregnancies! It may not be an exact science, but it worked for me :D….thanks to those hormones that made the ligaments holding my ankle joints together, quite lax ;D So, adding heels to this mix is not a great idea and a fall could be imminent! This could be injurious to both you and the baby. This is where the threat of a miscarriage could arise and not wearing the heels on its own.

For those who insist on wearing heels, please bear the following in mind:

• Low heels may pass in the first trimester
• Sturdy comfortable heels are a better option at this time and not stilettoes or pencil thin heels
• Take breaks from the heels during the day…relax your feet now and again

Point to note:

Flat shoes like ballet shoes may also not be a great idea as they do not give the feet sufficient support. Comfortable footwear with some absorbency is the way to go. Good examples are trainers or cushioned shoes that provide support for the foot arch.

So, it may just be a good idea to give ‘fashion’ a rest for 9 months in terms of shoes 😀 Don’t sigh…just yet! Whatcha think ladies? What do you do when pregnant? Wear your heels or not? What are your tips?

Have a great night, y’all 😀