Leg Cramps at 37 weeks

[finlayk]

Anyone else suffering from leg cramps? Not like the minor discomfort of teenage growing pains, but the most excruciating pain, making it impossible for me to put my foot flat on the floor or even stand up! Was too scared to go back to sleep last night in case it happened again! If these are any indication of the pain of contractions I am losing my faith in my ability to have the natural birth I desperately want!!

Does anyone have any tips or remedies!!

[waitingforgodot]

oh yes I remember it well. Not funny and no advice really just heaps of sympathy!

[Bubbaluv]

Am getting exactly the same and had them last time too.
They are no indication of the pain of contractions - sorry.
The only thing that helped to reduce them for me was gallons and gallons of water. And rub the muscle like mad as soon as you feel a twinge coming on.

[Wheelybug]

I have been having them for a while (38+3) and had them a bit in my first pregnancy. This time though I get them in my thigh which is quite strange. However, I am convinced its all to do with lack of fluid. So make sure you drink plenty (which is a pain atnight because it means getting up every couple of hours to go to the toilet but I think this is preferable to cramp).

[B52s]

Potassium is needed I believe. Was told by my MW 'not to point your toes in bed' (! WTF?). DH never believed how painful calf cramps were till he got one - typically a man cramp though - and obviously so much worse. Think a bad calf cramp is worse than a contraction, but only just...

[muffle]

I had horrendous ones when pg - one night I screamed so loud, DP thought I was having the baby. In fact I can safely say, even though I had a very painful labour, the leg cramp pain was worse (and lasted longer) than any of the contractions.

I was advised to have bananas, tonic water, and crisps before bed to stop cramps. Not sure it worked really - but maybe it would have been even worse without!

When they happened, having a hot water bottle handy (prepare it when you go to bed) and warming the leg up helped most.

[leftangle]

Well I've always had them in my toes, and occasionaly my calves but now I'm getting them in my ankles as well - never found a solution except streching them out when it happens. Can't work out which way to stretch my ankles though. Grrr

[dinkystinky]

I had them too - magnesium phosphate pills (rom health store) were my saviours as the only thing that stopped them

[phdlife]

am leaping out of bed nearly every morning with one-or two. I also find warmth rather than any dietary factor to be most effective. Which is to say, not terribly...

iirc googling leg cramps when pg with ds, found that alongside various mineral deficiences, pg itself can be a "cause" - not much you can do to cure that except wait!

[finlayk]

Thank you for all your advise, I had heard bananas, tonic water and stretching before going to bed so have been doing all of that religiously and so far so good!!

Have gone back to my calm place where I can cope with my labour....

[franfoxy2003]

i too had these cramps during preg, from about 20 weeks i think, only in bed and happened to my calves, they kinda seized up and contracted, hurt like hell i found even though it pure agony straightening your leg helps! think its the muscle seizing up, i was told ds could have been lying on a nerve!!! as soon as i had him it disappeared!!

[scrooged]

Is your leg hot/swollen?

[WelshLou]

Hi, I'm Louise- new girl.

When I was pregnant with dd I got really bed leg cramps in the 2nd half of pregnancy but didn't know what I could do to prevent them.

However, I am 33 weeks pregnant with 3rd baby and after having my 1st leg cramp this time round had read in a pregnancy magazine that this could be caused by low calcium levels. Since then (2 months ago) I have had a mug of Horlicks every night before bed (don't have to have it immediately before though) and haven't had a cramp since! Yay! Also been having a yoghurt or 2 during the day- but if you don't like yoghurt just have another mug of Horlicks! I've also tried the 'light' version where you use water instead of milk and it works just as well. Hope this helps?

Lou