Restless legs ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[Santabroughtmethis]

I get it every time.

Last baby my symptoms were so bad I was going nuts. I went to my local health food shop and got some magnesium supplements which also contained vitamin b6 (very good for sickness - anecdotal but worth a shot) but I've not got any in. I will try and go tomorrow, in the meantime any suggestions will be so gratefully received.

Its only at night

[teaandkittens]

Put your feet under cold water.

It helps me...

I had restless legs before pregnancy and now they're just a billion times worse. Will be coming back to this thread for more tips!

[recall]

rest your legs up the wall ?

[Lesshastemorespeed]

Do you have any iron supplements? And don't have any more caffeine.

I always get them when I'm a bit anaemic, and caffeine def makes it worse

[Wooki]

I had this and i always did a few leg stretches and it seemed to go away.

[RaRa1988]

I can't find that anything helps, except codeine (which I've been given for back pain), and that's hardly ideal . In theory, I'd have thought that exercise would help, but I had my worst episode of it last week after I'd been swimming during the day so perhaps not!

[ChicaMomma]

Caffeine make it worse for me too...
bananas are good as they are full of potassium.

a decent amount of mid afternoon exercise (30 min walk for eg) also helps me. So dont rukle this out on the basis of one swim! there could be any reason for that.. or try someth8ign other than swimming.

[seatfor5]

I have the same and I swear by banana's, they really do work :)

[Wings13]

Suffer very badly when not pregnant but worse now of course. I just try putting my feet on cold tiles/floorboards before I go to bed. Also peppermint leg lotion can help ease it a bit also.

[thebestnameshavegone]

can I ask a silly question? what does restless legs feel like?

I sometimes can't get comfy because I feel like I need to tense all the muscles in my legs all the time and if I don't it feels really weird and unpleasant. is that restless legs or something else?

[MissMilliment]

Yep, thebestnames, sounds like classic restless legs to me. I found a homeopath helped when I was pregnant with dd (I'm quite skeptical about homeopathy but don't care if it was woo magic or placebo effect, it worked ).
The other thing that works is an orgasm

[ChicaMomma]

haha lol MissMilliment- given that strategy also brings on labour we are all set to have a great time for ourselves during pregnancy ;)

[StillPukin]

You have all my sympathy, I've suffered with it since my teens and during this pregnancy it has been unbearable.

HAVE YOU IRON LEVELS CHECKED! I did and found that they were really low, I started taking (prescribed) iron tablets + a pregnancy supplement to help absorb it and it stopped that night.
Omg, I can not begin to tell you the relief - many nights I would still be awake and wriggling until 6am, I was honestly getting really desperate

Good luck with it x

[stinkingbishop]

A large steak, spinach and dried bananas (not all together!) because they're supercharged.

Would a leg massage help?

[ChicaMomma]

Stillpukin that is interesting. I only started taking iron this week so hopefully it'll ease soon. I'm pleased to read that!

The wriggling is horrendous. It's a sensation that you cannot describe to someone and only fellow sufferers will understand!
I havent been able to go to the cinema because of it (hello, i was thinking i'd be in the cinema weekly while preggo!)

[StillPukin]

Chica what a great idea,, why havent I spent my pregnancy in the cinema!! Good luck with the restless leg, it really is horrendous

[mixi82]

I've been suffering from this for the past 2 weeks and don't get a good night's sleep at all! I wake up with fidgety legs and can't keep them still, it's like I have to move them. Although it doesn't work every time, I try to stick my feet out of the bed and let them get cool(they always seem to be red hot lately), I put a pillow between my legs and rock very gently. The rocking seems to help with the fidgety legs. it really does my head in sometimes and I feel like getting out of bed to pace up and down to make it better.

[kazza446]

Try rubbing Vicks vapour rub on your legs before you go to bed. Worked for me when i was pregnant with dc1!! Sounds bizarre but does work xx

[mixi82]

oooo I may try that kazza! how much did you put on roughly?

[00rainwoman00]

Putting feet in cool water and drinking a cold glass of milk worked for me.

[fifi669]

I second the orgasm treatment! Only way I've found to get to sleep quickly when I'm suffering. My nan, dad and siblings all get it to some degree (we haven't discussed my treatment but nan says refreshers help?) and when I'm pregnant it's constant. Not just at night either :( I remember with DS stretching my legs under my desk and walking out if the office so I could hoist them onto the bannister and stretch them that way. It is evil.

I'm sure your DPs will be happy to help out or you can always get a pregnancy sex aid :)

[kazza446]

Gosh I can't remember, its really strong so go easy with it at first. I'm sat here breast feeding at present AND its set mine off again. Nasty!

[Writerwannabe83]

I'm wide awake now, can't sleep because of my stupid legs!! I just want to cut them off!!!

[Baazinga]

Eat a banana - it sorts me out everyone....almost instantly!

[Writerwannabe83]

I would rather amputate my legs than eat a banana, lol - I think they are VILE The smell of them makes me went to vomit let alone the thought of one coming anywhere near my mouth

[Thingymajigs]

My symptoms have gone from the completely unbearable 'I want to chop my own legs off' territory to just 'really annoying' since I started taking a better multivitamin. Saying that, I'm still awake now but I've made it worse for myself by getting over tired. Naps are really helpful.