Let’s Talk Babies

You wake in the middle of the night with incredible cramping pain in your legs.  Ugh, leg cramps.

Pregnant women are very susceptible to leg cramps, particularly during their second and third trimesters.  Leg cramps are a sudden tighten of the muscles that can cause intense pain.  When you are awoken in the middle of the night by this intense pain it can quickly make leg cramps one of the most aggravating complaints during pregnancy.  There are several things that cause leg cramps including:

• A lack of fluids
• Staying in the same position for too long
• Blood not circulating properly in the area
• An injury to the muscle, such as a muscle strain

Doctors are unsure what the exact cause of increased leg cramps during pregnancy, however, it is thought to be caused by a combination of the following:

• Changes in blood circulation during pregnancy
• Additional stress on the leg muscles from carrying the extra weight caused by the pregnancy
• The pressure of the growing baby and uterus on the nerves and blood vessels leading to the legs

Whatever the exact cause of leg cramps in pregnancy there are several things you can do in order to help prevent leg cramps and alleviate those that do occur.

To help prevent leg cramps pregnant women are encouraged to:

• Stretch.  Including stretching before, during and after exercising, stretching before bed or if you have been sitting in one position for long periods of time.  When stretching your legs you should avoid pointing your toes and stretch heal first.
• Exercise. Keeping your muscles moving and in shape helps with the blood circulation.  Always be sure to consult your doctor and get the okay before exercising during pregnancy.
• Change position frequently.  Don’t sit or stand still for too long.  Staying in the same position, be it sitting or standing, increases the likelihood of leg cramps.  Every so often get up and move around, stretch, take a little walk.
• Stay hydrated.    When your body is lacking fluids your muscles are more likely to cramp.  Be sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.

If leg cramps do occur there are a few things you can do to help alleviate the cramp, including; massaging the affected muscle, stretching the muscle by pushing your heal down (do not point your toes as this causes further cramping), and applying heat to the affected muscle.

Leg cramps are no fun, but when added to all the other common complaints of pregnancy they become that much more annoying.  I was lucky enough to avoid leg cramps during my pregnancy (I count my lucky stars).  During my pregnancy I tried to exercise everyday and stretched my muscles often and I also drank plenty of fluids.  Taking care of yourself during your pregnancy is a great way to avoid many of the common complaints of pregnancy, including leg cramps.

If you suffer from leg cramps and they are being too bothersome or affecting your sleep too much be sure to talk to your doctor to see if there is anything you can do to alleviate your leg cramps.

Did you suffer from leg cramps during your pregnancy?  What helped you alleviate your leg cramps?

Care to comment