Last night, while sleeping, I woke up to terrible leg cramps in both calves. I leaned over and grabbed my glass of water and guzzled that bad boy as fast as I could... I hobbled to the bathroom to get more, but of course, I woke up DH and our golden in the process!
Any advice or tried & true experiences to prevent or fix in the moment?? I've never experienced these before, but man, my legs are killing me today... It's like I went to the gym and worked these muscles out!! HA! (Maybe it's a sign that I should go to the gym?!?)
Update: Just got my 22w email from Your Pregnancy, and it actually talks about Leg Cramps! Here's what it has to say:
What causes leg cramps?
Surprisingly, those excruciating leg cramps that have you waking up in the middle of the night clutching your calves may be caused by your back and aggravated by changes in the circulation in your legs as your uterus enlarges. To compensate for supporting the increasing load in the front, the curvature of the spine changes during pregnancy so that the lower portion of the back is pushed forward. This posture frequently pinches the motor nerve which runs from the spine down the leg ? and that pinching is what causes leg cramps, according to Mark Taslimi, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, California. Prenatal yoga or any gentle stretching of the back and hips may help ease the pain.
And, a thanks to all of you who responded!!
Re: UPDATE: Leg Cramps?
Yuck! Sounds like a charlie horse to me.
Make sure you are getting enough fluids throughout the day!!! You were probably a little dehydrated.
I too am having leg cramps. I really love my pregnancy book and will tell you what it said about leg cramps.
Cramps in the lower leg muscles are fairly common in in the second and third trimesters. They most frequently occur at night and may disrupt your sleep. Although the exact reason of leg cramps is unknown, slow blood return , fatigue or pressure from the uterus on nerves in your legs may cause the problem.
Preventing:
1. Stretch the affected muscle.
2. Walk. May be uncomfortable at first, but it helps relieve the cramping.
3. Do exercises to stretch your calf muscles, especially before bed.
4. Wear support hose.
5. Take frequent breaks if you stand a lot during the day.
6. Apply local heat.
7. Massage your calves.
8. Try resting with your legs up on pillows or the arm of the sofa.
9. Wear shoes with low heals.
If they persist, talk to your Dr.
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
12/99 - Miscarriage at 12w - 6/08 - BFP - Miscarriage at 8w, 9/08 - BFP - Miscarriage at 8w2d, 12/08 - Found out I am a carrier of a Balanced Translocation between Chromosomes 8 & 16, 8/2010 - DE IVF = FAIL. 12/18/10 - Surprise BFP! Awaiting our Sticky Miracle! 12/20 - Beta #1-1208 * 12/27 Beta #2 - 6002 1/3/11 Beta #3 - 17,146. Beautiful little heart beating away! Stick little one, stick!
♥ Brielle Skye born August 17th, 2011 ♥
This. Before all my knee surgeries I ran 5-8 miles a day and if I didn't consume enough potassium I had terrible leg cramps. Bananas were a life saver. Also make sure you are hydrated.
Me - DX Hashimoto's Disease, Hypothyroid, Rheumatoid Arthritis
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