ahh charlie horse!

treehugginbride · July 2013

Early this morning was the second time this happened to me- a cramp in my calf so bad it wakes me up. (The first time I jerked and kicked FI in the 'nads- poor fella.) I try to massage it (which is difficult to reach) and stretch, which is *apparently* the only things google tells me to try but its starting to tense up again.. meh. Do you ladies have any other helpful hints?

MitsB707 · July 2013

I had that happen a few times in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago. I actually had to wake dh to help me flex my foot since I was in so much pain. Someone once posted that when you wake up, rather than pointing your toes straight out when stretching, flex your feet and point your toes up to stretch, and it helps prevent them. I've been doing that lately, and it's helped. Sorry I can't offer more! Good luck!

suv75 · July 2013

Yes, immediately move the foot to a 90 degree angle with leg flat on the bed. Don't point your toes but they should be up towards the ceiling.

lkobriant · July 2013

I get them first thing in the morning, fortunately flexing my foot seems to keep them in check. But I had to LOL about kicking your Fi in the nads, poor guy! And what a way to wake up!

amarissa85 · July 2013

Ditto pp. Stretch your foot up rather than pointing your toes. I used to get them bad with my last but have been able to avoid them this go round by doing that.

RK125 · July 2013

I've heard foods with potassium help. I hate bananas, but I eat a lot of potatoes.

kwhite27 · July 2013

Yes yes yes!

I would always get them even before I got pregnant. But since being pregnant I definitely got them more often. A few tips...

My OB actually told me that iron deficiency can be a cause for them. Turns out I was iron deficient. So since I have been on supplements the # of leg cramps has gone down.

Second, when I went for my prenatal massage I mentioned the leg cramps and she gave me some great advice; that so far (knock on wood) has stopped them entirely! Before you go to bed at night, lay on your back and pretend like you are pumping the gas in your car. Do 15 intervals with each foot. It has worked for me! She told me this motion stretches out the specific muscles that cramp.

If you still are unfortunate enough to get one in the middle of the night then you need to stand up and find a low piece of furniture. Put your foot on it and push down as hard as you can while pointing your toes up. This should stop the cramp.

I hope this all helps you like it has helped me!

I flipping HATE leg cramps!

rfrazier611 · July 2013

I've heard that they can be reduced by getting enough potassium. So, eat some bananas? Unless you want to continue to poop... then I dunno

I hear strawberries have lots o' potassium, too. I get them soooo bad - my foot will actually point downward on its own and freeze that way and the only way to fix it is to stand on it, but since it's frozen I have to stand tippy toe on my other leg and then sort of hop on to the offending foot in order to get enough momentum to force it back to a normal position.

Soleil3 · July 2013

I get one every morning, make sure to point your toes up and not out, so a 90 degree angle. It'll release the knot.

shelbell1028 · July 2013

This has been happening to me a lot in the morning! I don't have any solutions though and man do they hurt!

V&G101808 · July 2013

suv75:
Yes, immediately move the foot to a 90 degree angle with leg flat on the bed. Don't point your toes but they should be up towards the ceiling.

This! Pointing your toes out during the actual cramp will only knot it up worse.

BlondieBia21 · July 2013

Soleil3:
I get one every morning, make sure to point your toes up and not out, so a 90 degree angle. It'll release the knot.

This. Also, if there's a lingering pain after you have it, if you rub cold on it that for some reason has helped me.

treehugginbride · July 2013

lkobriant:
I get them first thing in the morning, fortunately flexing my foot seems to keep them in check. But I had to LOL about kicking your Fi in the nads, poor guy! And what a way to wake up!

he was like "oh, you better be in labor" jokingly, of course. XD I felt soo bad!

treehugginbride · July 2013

kwhite27:
Yes yes yes!
I would always get them even before I got pregnant. But since being pregnant I definitely got them more often. A few tips...
My OB actually told me that iron deficiency can be a cause for them. Turns out I was iron deficient. So since I have been on supplements the # of leg cramps has gone down.
Second, when I went for my prenatal massage I mentioned the leg cramps and she gave me some great advice; that so far (knock on wood) has stopped them entirely! Before you go to bed at night, lay on your back and pretend like you are pumping the gas in your car. Do 15 intervals with each foot. It has worked for me! She told me this motion stretches out the specific muscles that cramp.
If you still are unfortunate enough to get one in the middle of the night then you need to stand up and find a low piece of furniture. Put your foot on it and push down as hard as you can while pointing your toes up. This should stop the cramp.
I hope this all helps you like it has helped me!
I flipping HATE leg cramps!

I've always heard to eat a banana (and we're out of em.. so maybe tomorrow!) but I didn't know it could be iron! They had me on Iron supplements, but after having superconsitpation issues i stopped them for a week and checked again and it was fine! I really hope thats not it..

Gonna have FI massage them out.. and stretch before bedtime.

JBear02 · July 2013

I've been eating lots of bananas, but what really helps me when I stretch in the morning is as soon as I feel one start to form, I immediately stop pointing my toes and instead pull them so the toes are pointing towards the ceiling. It's stopped them every time!

kwhite27 · July 2013

treehugginmama:
kwhite27:
Yes yes yes!
I would always get them even before I got pregnant. But since being pregnant I definitely got them more often. A few tips...
My OB actually told me that iron deficiency can be a cause for them. Turns out I was iron deficient. So since I have been on supplements the # of leg cramps has gone down.
Second, when I went for my prenatal massage I mentioned the leg cramps and she gave me some great advice; that so far (knock on wood) has stopped them entirely! Before you go to bed at night, lay on your back and pretend like you are pumping the gas in your car. Do 15 intervals with each foot. It has worked for me! She told me this motion stretches out the specific muscles that cramp.
If you still are unfortunate enough to get one in the middle of the night then you need to stand up and find a low piece of furniture. Put your foot on it and push down as hard as you can while pointing your toes up. This should stop the cramp.
I hope this all helps you like it has helped me!
I flipping HATE leg cramps!

I've always heard to eat a banana (and we're out of em.. so maybe tomorrow!) but I didn't know it could be iron! They had me on Iron supplements, but after having superconsitpation issues i stopped them for a week and checked again and it was fine! I really hope thats not it..

Gonna have FI massage them out.. and stretch before bedtime.

Yes I had never heard of the iron thing either...

And I hear you on the "issues" with iron. Those supplements do interesting things to your body!!! LOL.

gnomely · July 2013

I have some crappy muscular things going on--charlie horses, cramps, twitches, restless legs, etc. My OB suggested bananas/mineral rich foods, a Cal-Mag-Zinc supplement, water and coconut water. Also exercise and stretching. Between all of that it is (mostly) under control.

Sorry you have them though! They're really terrible.

piperjayne · July 2013

suv75:
Yes, immediately move the foot to a 90 degree angle with leg flat on the bed. Don't point your toes but they should be up towards the ceiling.

I used to do this, but I've stopped getting them altogether since I started drinking a green smoothie for breakfast every morning. I just do a banana, almond milk (regular would be fine), mango (or whatever other fruit you might have), a bit of honey, and a handful of spinach. I'm guessing it's the iron and magnesium in the spinach plus the potassium in the banana. I had one a few weeks ago so bad I was crying, but now I haven't gotten one in weeks.

piperjayne · July 2013

piperjayne:
suv75:
Yes, immediately move the foot to a 90 degree angle with leg flat on the bed. Don't point your toes but they should be up towards the ceiling.
I used to do this, but I've stopped getting them altogether since I started drinking a green smoothie for breakfast every morning. I just do a banana, almond milk (regular would be fine), mango (or whatever other fruit you might have), a bit of honey, and a handful of spinach. I'm guessing it's the iron and magnesium in the spinach plus the potassium in the banana. I had one a few weeks ago so bad I was crying, but now I haven't gotten one in weeks.

Also, I should add that you really can't taste the spinach.

treehugginbride · July 2013

piperjayne:
piperjayne:
suv75:
Yes, immediately move the foot to a 90 degree angle with leg flat on the bed. Don't point your toes but they should be up towards the ceiling.
I used to do this, but I've stopped getting them altogether since I started drinking a green smoothie for breakfast every morning. I just do a banana, almond milk (regular would be fine), mango (or whatever other fruit you might have), a bit of honey, and a handful of spinach. I'm guessing it's the iron and magnesium in the spinach plus the potassium in the banana. I had one a few weeks ago so bad I was crying, but now I haven't gotten one in weeks.
Also, I should add that you really can't taste the spinach.

mm. thats what i need! that sounds so yummy. I wouldnt even mind the spinach (i love it raw or cooked mmm)

Earlier while I was over, MIL noticed that just about everytime my calf was hurting that LO would outstretch her leg so hard that it would make me jump as well! We are wondering since this is probably a sign of deficiency if LO is experiencing it too!

That makes me so sad, so I'm running out to the store first thing in the AM for bananas and spinach!

piperjayne · July 2013

treehugginmama:
piperjayne:
piperjayne:
suv75:
Yes, immediately move the foot to a 90 degree angle with leg flat on the bed. Don't point your toes but they should be up towards the ceiling.
I used to do this, but I've stopped getting them altogether since I started drinking a green smoothie for breakfast every morning. I just do a banana, almond milk (regular would be fine), mango (or whatever other fruit you might have), a bit of honey, and a handful of spinach. I'm guessing it's the iron and magnesium in the spinach plus the potassium in the banana. I had one a few weeks ago so bad I was crying, but now I haven't gotten one in weeks.
Also, I should add that you really can't taste the spinach.  

mm. thats what i need! that sounds so yummy. I wouldnt even mind the spinach (i love it raw or cooked mmm)

Earlier while I was over, MIL noticed that just about everytime my calf was hurting that LO would outstretch her leg so hard that it would make me jump as well! We are wondering since this is probably a sign of deficiency if LO is experiencing it too! That makes me so sad, so I'm running out to the store first thing in the AM for bananas and spinach!

I hope it works for you! They're also great for a natural energy burst.

Chrismarisa05 · July 2013

Don't point your toes, it seems to just make the pain worse and last longer. I try to point my toes up facing the ceiling, 90 degree angle. Hope this helps

treehugginbride · July 2013

at this point the cramping is gone and an EXTREME dull achy pain is left.. I'm starting to think sciatic nerve.. ahhhhhh. move off it baby, move! Just gotta keep trying to sleep and hope its gone by morning...

bendicott7 · July 2013

treehugginmama:
lkobriant:
I get them first thing in the morning, fortunately flexing my foot seems to keep them in check. But I had to LOL about kicking your Fi in the nads, poor guy! And what a way to wake up!

he was like "oh, you better be in labor" jokingly, of course. XD I felt soo bad!

I had to laugh at this because one night awhile back (around 28 weeks) I got a really bad leg cramp and woke up and I was complaining so loud that I woke DH up out of a deep sleep and he yelled, "Are you in labor?" because he had no idea what was going on. When I told him no, he rolled over and went back to sleep, haha.

tiaras09 · July 2013

Ahhh sorry to hear! I get these literally every night if I stretch my leg the wrong way.....I bring my foot towards my leg and they go away pretty quickly! Hope you find something that works soon......they're a pain in the A!