Leg cramps!

Last night both of my calves had the worst cramps and my right leg is still sore :/ baby #4 and it's the first time it's happened ... I seem to remember bananas can help, is that true? Don't want it happening again!

I had that with my first and read that it was a lack of calcium. I took calcium supplements and that helped a bit. Ouchies! Not sure about the bananas.

Leg cramps are common in pregnancy and the jury is still out on what exactly causes them. It can be a calcium or magnesium deficiency (thus the bananas), or dehydration, or just a quirk of pregnancy. And they can definitely hurt! I had some that had me limping for a few days. :S
Avoid pointing your toes, stretch your legs out before you rest, drink plenty, and try a calcium/magnesium supplement. For what it's worth, the cal/mag helped my prelabour cramps and helped me sleep better too, along with alleviating the leg cramps. (It doesn't help everyone though.)

Was talking about this the other day in a FB group and someone mentioned magnesium supplements weren't recommended in preg unless on Drs advice...I wouldn't know, but you might want to before you take anything.

I had them badly with both pregnancies. I didn't take any supplements though (I was on a stack of other pills to keep me going and didn't want more). I found the quickest way to get rid of them was to stand up. The pressure of standing relieved the pain instantly.

Thanks all!!

Cal and mag supplements have been my lifesavers for all three of my pgs. Recommended by both my ob first pg and m/ws since. I doubled my dose last week as they came on quite badly with the really hot weather. For me they are one of my few pg complaints. I will drop back to just one tablet a day now they've alleviated.

yep, my ob recommended magnesium supplements for leg cramps

Most of the pregnancy supplements have calcium and magnesium, so I found that taking those helped. On the days that I forgot to take my pill I would know about it when I went to bed...

I had some painful leg cramps last pregnancy, I thought it was due to lack of exercise, but no matter what I did they just kept coming back! You have all my sympathy!!

I was taking cal/mag and potassium(very small dose) so harmless. It helped mine heaps. Nothing worse than being woken in the middle of the night with leg cramps! That is why the bananas are great cos they have high potassium. Mine was recommended by a naturopath.

I know this is old but i just wanted to write anyway in case someone else reads it
Magnesium magnesium magnesium.

Epsom Salts, magnesium oil and chelated magnesium capsules!
With my DS i had the worst insomnia, leg cramps and had mild pe......all are related to mag deficiency. in fact nearly everyone is magnesium deficient!! I also craved bananas something shocking - a sign that your body is craving mag!

magnesium and calcium work together in the body and need to be in balance. more often than not we have a society that is giving their bodies too much calcium and no magnesium.
After DS's pregnancy, with my DD I took magnesium and i only had one or two leg cramps the entire pregnancy and had no insomnia or pe.

Whoops - posting in the wrong spot...

A banana and a glass of milk shortly before bed helped mine enourmously.