Leg Cramps :(

[SueB]

Over the last few days i have started to suffer leg cramps. I know this can be a normal part of the last Trimester of pregnancy.Last night i woke at 3:30 am with the most painful cramp in my calf, i tried stretcing and breathing through it but nothing seemed to help i ended up in tears (i have a very low pain threash hold) .

Is anyone suffering them and how are you coping with them?

[Danni]

Hey, Magnesium tablets are great for this. I have a jar that I can send you for free if you like? Let me know

[saslia]

I ate a banana and had a glass of milk before bed. HTH

[LadyRaven]

I had horrendous leg cramps my leg would start to turn inward, all the muscles would cramp and it felt like all my joints were going to dislocate themselves. I found having a warm bath while pressing ur toes back on the end of the bath and having Dad2b give me a really rough painful massage was the only thing that stopped them, then i slept with a hot water bottle and a heatpack on my leg to keep the heat going and the leg warm. They were so bad I was almost screaming and was bauling my eyes out. Make sure you have someone to help you though if you have a bath I couldnt have got out otherwise

[KatieRabbit]

Hi Sue
I experienced my second one last night! Sorry- I don't know what to do about them, but they are agony. I can still feel the leg muscle sore all day today from it when I walked!! I may try the magnesium that Danni suggested.
Good luck.

[Carmen2]

Hi Sue, some people said that Powerade helps. Others said eating a banana would also help. I am still experiencing leg cramps at night but have not found any solutions to my problem yet. Sorry I could not be of much help.

[mrsr]

Aren't cramps due to a build up of lactic acid? I'd try and do some light stretches regularly just to work them a little differently to how they're being used during the day....oh and drink PLENTY of water too. Maybe that would help a bit.

At present I'm doing dynamic stretching as I usually do prior to playing a game of softball which involves swinging legs and arms gently in particular ways (only about 10-15 each way) - that's of course, while I can still do it. Static stretching - where you stretch and hold the stretch is now considered best for a warm down.

[LadyRaven]

I used to drink tonic water for the quinine in it it pretty much stopped my cramps HOWEVER you CANNOT drink this during pregnancy it is BAD for bubs very very BAD. For some reason if quinine does help its a electro-magnetic muscle tissue problem and other methods won't really help. If bananas or milk etc help them its a vitamin issue..

It can also be caused by a blood clot. I went to the hospital with my cramps one day it was so bad all they could offer was some painkillers but they said that sometimes they can be caused by clots and checked me over for them. Maybe see your dr and have a talk to them it is better to be safe than sorry

[sirenz]

i too am suffering horrific leg cramps... the other night i had at least 10.. everytime i moved my toes or my legs, my calfs would cramp up.. they are getting that bad that my calf muscles are sore during the day like as if i have done weight lifing with them or something.. i have tried drinking water, poweraid, eating bananas, walking, heat packs.. etc.. nothing seems to work..

[Karina]

Yes! I did have them but more around 22-25 weeks. I'd wake up a few times a night with horribly painful cramps in my calves too. I tried to do stretches before going to bed.. Someone also suggested magnesium to me, but I forgot to get it and by the time I remembered what it was, the cramps had stopped.

[Mel:D]

yeap I've had these too a couple of weeks ago really bad, couldn't walk for 2 days afterwards. they can be caused by blood cloth so if the pain is localised or you can see any redness on your leg definetly check with doc. I just drank heaps of water and hoped they would leave me alone. they have been a lot better, now at the first sign of them even if its painfull I grab my toes and pull them towards me so my leg is straight it really works if you can get them early they go away pretty quickly. good luck!

[Sammiejane]

Hi All,

I had never experienced leg cramps prior to pg and now have had several - i pity those who have loived with them for years.
My sister is a Myotherapist and also a footy Trainer and thus treats loads of cramping.
According to her it is related to 2 things 1) dehydration and 2) lack of magnesium.
She has given me a cream that you buy from the chemist that is especially for this and is homeopathic containing only mag.
Since my last one, i have been drinking more water (and having plenty through the night, a bit each time i wake), stretching out my calves before bed and once a week rubbing the cream in and have not suffered with one again.

Oh yeah - regarding the blood clots - also called DVT's, if you notice any swelling to your leg (more than normal) that is affected by the cramps, go and get checked out straight away - you leg will also feel warmer than the other if you have a DVT.

I hope this information helps

[boo]

I get these cramps too, lately they have been coming everynight, sometimes on both legs - all i have to do is move slightly and i just cramp up. The other night my left calf started cramping - it stopped for a second i went to move my leg to stretch it out and it cramped up again it lasted ages and i was in so much pain i was almost in tears! I've heard that drinking milk can help - i've started buying the boost milk with extra calcium to see if that helps.

[mrsr]

I was reading in a Johnson & Johnson baby book that extra calcium can help...I drink quite a bit of milk so that could be why I don't suffer from them. *touch wood*

[Ltl Panda]

Hey there

I agree with ammiejane, lack of fluid and dehydration are two of the main causes of leg cramps.

As a personal trainer, I have also noticed that cramps are caused when there is an electrolyte imbalance, so salt and minerals are the best thing to help.
As our baby is growing we require more minerals and hydration to replace what is being taken by the baby.

I so far have increased on my mineral intake from eating extra greens and variety of beans and proteins to recuperate the loss and I have not had one cramp, use to have them when I was exercising prior to the pregnancy and never replenished but now not one.

Good luck.

[kitten2b]

I get them as well and I am drinking heaps of milk and eating lots of bananas.

[Evie76]

These are just awful. I ate bananas but, to be honest, just had to put up with them on a constant basis.

I was getting out of bed one night (to go to the toilet, where else?) and put my toe to the floor. Next thing my whole right leg cramped. I've never seen anything like it. My whole leg was like a board poking out in front of me. I could not get to my foot to bend it back to get a stretch going due to my leg being sooooo straight. I screamed for DH. He had to run around to my side of the bed and force my foot to stretch (as it was pointed). It was just awful.

They dooooooo go away. Mine stopped around the time I hit the 3rd trimester.

[Eurobaby]

dreadful things. Every single night (except the last 2 - touch wood). I've had those cramps, particularly in my left foot the last month atleast. I'm hoping they've disappeared now.... The worst thing is they turn up while I'm asleep, so even if I've managed to sleep through and not needed to wee, I'm totally awake once the cramp hits... All I can do is wriggle down the bed and push my foot down against the bed rails to stretch the muscle out again.