I am 32 weeks along and for the past week or so I have been waking up in the middle of the night with horrible charlie horse knots in my legs. Last night I woke up four times its awful and extremely painful. I have been taking all my vitamins and been drinking plenty of water...any ideas??
I found out recently that this is a normal pregnancy symptom. It sucks - happens to me every morning when I start to wake up. It's quite the rude awakening, that's for sure!
I've been dealing with foot & leg cramps for weeks! They sometimes hit in the evening but are usually the worst overnight. I've found that drinking a lot of water helps but doesn't always help to stop it. I saw that stretching can help so in the past week I've been trying to stretch my legs & feet a few times every day and definitely right before bed. I have had a LOT less cramping. It may just be coincidence but I'll keep doing it just in case.
Stretch Routine = Rotate foot in circles to the right at least 10 times, switch direction and rotate foot in circles to the left at least 10 times, and point/ flex toes at least 10 times. Switch to other foot. Repeat whole routine at least 3 times a day.
hate to say it, but it's definitely just another "symptom" that comes with pregnancy, and there isn't much you can do about it. Sometimes elevating your feet/legs helps. Hope it goes away soon for you!
Taking extra calcium ABSOLUTELY helps! I had the same problem with both of my pregnancies. My cramps went away after taking calcium. I took 2 calcium pills a day. It was miraculous.
Okay, this is going to sound really weird (really weird!) but someone told me that if you put a wrapped bar of soap (a bar of soap that you just bought at the store w/the wrapper still on type thing) at the foot of your bed underneath the sheets, then that will stop the leg cramps.
I tried this when I was about 37 weeks pg w/my second. I suffered from horrendous leg cramps - upper/inner thigh leg cramps that couldn't be walked or massaged out. So for the last 2 weeks that I was pg, I tried this and no cramps. I can't swear by it, but it can't hurt, right?
I gues it's an old wive's tale. Not one that I've ever heard of before. Don't ask me what magic powers a wrapped bar of soap has on leg cramps. Nothing I can think of makes any sense what-so-ever. Again, can't hurt and it's cheap!
Good luck!
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Someone just told me about the " soap" trick last night and she swears by it. I have been waking up at least once a night with a charlie horse so I am going to try the soap trick tonight and see what happens
Elevation and flexing the foot so your toes are pointing up toward your face help me most in the moment. I try to stretch the leg with the foot pointed up several times a day (when I am waiting in line, when I'm cooking dinner, etc). Also I found that exercise like walking or bike riding helps to prevent them or at least makes the cramps less intense.
Their high levels of potassium will prevent the leg cramps. My first one was so bad I woke up screaming, I ate a banana every day thereafter and didn't get them anymore. I thought I was safe but after not having a banana in a couple of weeks it happened again ! Now I eat bananas at least twice a week but if your getting them often I would eat them once a day!
Re: leg cramps
I've been dealing with foot & leg cramps for weeks! They sometimes hit in the evening but are usually the worst overnight. I've found that drinking a lot of water helps but doesn't always help to stop it. I saw that stretching can help so in the past week I've been trying to stretch my legs & feet a few times every day and definitely right before bed. I have had a LOT less cramping. It may just be coincidence but I'll keep doing it just in case.
Stretch Routine = Rotate foot in circles to the right at least 10 times, switch direction and rotate foot in circles to the left at least 10 times, and point/ flex toes at least 10 times. Switch to other foot. Repeat whole routine at least 3 times a day.
Okay, this is going to sound really weird (really weird!) but someone told me that if you put a wrapped bar of soap (a bar of soap that you just bought at the store w/the wrapper still on type thing) at the foot of your bed underneath the sheets, then that will stop the leg cramps.
I tried this when I was about 37 weeks pg w/my second. I suffered from horrendous leg cramps - upper/inner thigh leg cramps that couldn't be walked or massaged out. So for the last 2 weeks that I was pg, I tried this and no cramps. I can't swear by it, but it can't hurt, right?
I gues it's an old wive's tale. Not one that I've ever heard of before. Don't ask me what magic powers a wrapped bar of soap has on leg cramps. Nothing I can think of makes any sense what-so-ever. Again, can't hurt and it's cheap!
Good luck!
Elevation and flexing the foot so your toes are pointing up toward your face help me most in the moment. I try to stretch the leg with the foot pointed up several times a day (when I am waiting in line, when I'm cooking dinner, etc). Also I found that exercise like walking or bike riding helps to prevent them or at least makes the cramps less intense.
Good luck
Bananas Bananas Bananas !!!
Their high levels of potassium will prevent the leg cramps. My first one was so bad I woke up screaming, I ate a banana every day thereafter and didn't get them anymore. I thought I was safe but after not having a banana in a couple of weeks it happened again ! Now I eat bananas at least twice a week but if your getting them often I would eat them once a day!