Foot facts

Nope, you’re not crazy—your feet really have grown larger (and not just from the swelling!).

According to Marybeth Crane, DPM, FACFAS, a Dallas-area foot and ankle surgeon, “Permanent growth in a woman’s foot … can occur from the release of the same hormone, relaxin, that allows the pelvis to open to deliver the baby. It makes the ligaments in your feet more flexible, causing feet to spread wider and longer.” The good news? The change is likely permanent, so you have a totally legitimate excuse to go shopping for new shoes.