As pregnancy progresses and your due date gets closer body changes including swelling of the fingers are normal. If your swollen finger has caused your wedding ring (engagement ring, any ring at all) to get stuck I have good news for you!
Dear pregnant women of the world. Don’t cut your rings off! If you have a stuck ring it’s possible to remove it without a ring cutter.
How to Get Rings off Swollen Pregnant Fingers
There are a lot of different methods for removing rings from swollen fingers. I recently found a video on YouTube that teaches you how to use an elastic band to remove rings from swollen fingers.
*Of course, follow your healthcare provider’s instructions before you follow mine, but here are some ideas if your finger swells.
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Okay, back to the video. I knew you guys would love this video. It seems a lot less painful than the “other” methods I’ve heard of.
If you’re just noticing your ring feels a little snug I recommend trying a hand lotion, petroleum jelly, or soap first. Can you wiggle the ring off if you add something to help it slide easier?
Other Ways to Remove a Ring From Swollen Fingers
If that doesn’t work and you don’t have a piece of elastic on hand try one of the following methods:
- Place your hand in cold water or ice water. This can help reduce swelling making it easier to remove the ring. Combining this with using a lotion or other lubricant usually helps the ring slide right off.
- I’ve heard people say that raising their hand above their head for a few minutes helps with swelling. This works if it’s minimal and not related to weight gain.
- Another option is to try to not swing your arms with your hands down by your sides when you’re walking. This can cause additional swelling in your fingers. If you are an arm swinger take your rings off before walking for any lentgh of time and give your hands a bit of time for the swelling to go down before putting rings back on.
If these options don’t work and you don’t want to make a trip to the emergency room grab some thin elastic and follow the steps in the video.
How to Prevent Rings Getting Stuck on Swollen Pregnant Fingers
It’s not unusual to get swollen fingers during pregnancy. It’s also likely your ring size will change during your pregnancy. To prevent your rings from getting stuck check them regularly. If it’s a ring you wear all the time like a wedding band take it off before going to bed and don’t force it on if you’re finger is swelling.
It’s a good idea to get a temporary replacement ring if you’re ring is getting too small and you want to continue to wear one. There are a lot of options on the market like a silicone ring or adjustable rings. You could also get a new ring in a larger size. Just remember it’s possible your ring size will continue to change as your pregnancy progresses.
When to Get Medical Attention?
If you try all the above methods and your ring will not come off it may be time to get medical attention. If your finger is changing color or losing feeling and you cannot remove the ring do not wait to get medical care, you could end up with permanent damage. If you have any questions at all contact your medical provider.
Concerned about your swollen fingers? Make sure to check out my preeclampsia post.
And, grab a prenatal class, you’ll thank me!
If you’re not sure you’re ready for the full thing, check out my Free Beginning Prenatal Class. Tens of thousands have LOVED the information in there:
Kim Anderson says
Oh man, I wasn’t even thinking of removing my ring during pregnancy until my grandfather mentioned how tight my ring was getting. Since it was one of his rings from his old jewelry shops he was looking out for me. My ring is one of kind. He said, “you know Kimmy, you might want to take your ring off soon so you don’t have to cut it off”. I actually find that putting a big glob of Noxema facial cleaning cream on finger reduced the swelling and helped the ring slipped right off. That was trick my mom taught me.
Sue Tucker says
That is genius. Thank you. Also, what has worked for me (also helped my friends) is this: Stand up. Hold the arm (if possible). straight up in the air. Hold there for AT LEAST 60 seconds. Longer is better. This is a quick way to reduce swelling to get that ring off. I have also tried holding my hand in ice water for as long as I could stand and pulling the ring off. Definitely have used the oil, lotion, butter trick. The one that helps me fastest seems to be the arm in the air.
Hilary says
That is a good one! Gravity is our friend. 😀