Suggestions for Leg Cramps During Pregnancy

I also had terrible leg cramps and massage did nothing for me. My OB recommended taking Benadryl which can help with sleep--the leg cramps were keeping me awake. Once I started with the Benadryl, I either slept through the leg cramps or they went away. Drinking a lot of water and eating bananas are also supposed to help.

Even though I stretched before bed, drank plenty of water, ate bananas, and drank soy milk (no cows milk for me!), I still had cramps (although not as severe as when I didn't do those things!). The best thing that worked for me was to sleep on my soft, down-filled couch with a nice pillow between my legs. Slept like a baby!

I had the same problem when I was pregnant with my second, who is 6 weeks today. It was terrible. A couple of things helped. I began eating a banana every day, because lack of Potassium can cause cramps. I also stretched my legs out every night before I went to sleep. Calf stretches helped the best. I kept a heat pack by the bed just in case, which helped.

K.
I had those and I have 3 kids, it seem to get worse with each pregnancy, The ony thing is try a pillow between your legs and what your husband is doing..
Good Luck
C. S.

I would stretch my legs before I went to bed and that really helped a lot. If I skipped the stretching then I would get leg cramps.

Bananas for prevention; but, when you get a leg cramp, walk barefoot on ceramic tile, or other hard, cold surface.

Hi there.

When I was pregnant I got less leg cramps with the more water I drank. Also, when they do come, try pointing your toe up to the sky. (Flex your foot) until it goes away. That is the only thing that worked for me.

Read me first, i have the answer

read me first, i have the answer

vitaman e!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thats it, and you will love me for this
forget the potassium, sure you need some, but it doesnt cure these kind of cramps, mine werent cramps, they were down right charlie horses while i was sleeping. Bad bad ones, sometimes i would have a limp for two days later. A freind told me to take vitiman e, i went just to the dollar store and tried the cheap stuff......it works it works it works
just take a couple a day and dont forget and the cramps will be gone most likely the same day, at least the next....

I'm assuming this is what I call a "Charlie horse" and hopefully not a blood clot or something--I'd ask you doctor to be sure. I had these, sometimes almost nightly, through all four of my pregnancies. I've heard you can reduce your chance of having these cramps by avoiding salty foods like chips. Whenever I awoke with these cramps, I'd immediately jump out of bed so my feet were flat on the floor. It's the only thing that worked for me:)

Hello K.,

This happened to me a lot during both of my pregnancies. Try eating a couple of bananas a day. The potassium is supposed to help with muscle cramps. I hope this helps you.

D.

Hi K.,

I looked up leg cramps on babycenter.com and found this for you:
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/prenatalhealth...
I hope this helps.
J.

BANANAS - Potassium works wonders at preventing muscle cramps. When you do get them, as bad as it hurts you want to point your toes at your chest. I know walking isn't easy, but it does help! But definately EAT BANANAS - I ate a banana every other day through my entire pregnancy and I didn't get leg cramps at all - don't know if they are the only reason, but I am sure the potassium helped!

Actually, this sounds really odd, but it has really worked for me and I don't remember who or where I heard it from. Keep a bar of bath soap by your bed, and when you get your leg cramp rub it on the area. It worked wonders for me!

Hi K.,
I agree with Andrea, eat lots of potassium. I had leg cramps also when I was pregnant. I tried to eat at least 1 banana a day and when I would get a leg cramp it helped to walk around on it. I don't know why but massaging never helped for me. Good luck.
Chris

I know what you are going through. I used to get cramps like that too when I was pregnant with my second child. I noticed that if I ate a banana and drank water before I went to bed then I would have cramps. A lack of potassium will give you really bad cramps. Good luck and I hope you have a great pregnancy.

during my 1st preg. i used to wake up crying they hurt so bad but w/my 2d i stretched my calves everynight before bed. it was my cure. id lay in bed and pull my toes toward me and it felt good and really helped...

Some things I have used before are rubbing alcohol. I just sat on the edge of the bath tub and poured some on my legs and massaged them. I have also used muscle pain lotion. It was similar to Bengay. Of course, neither of these are the greatest smelling things, but they have both worked for me. I hope this helps.

try eating a banana ever day orthis might sound funny but it works befor you go to bed at night sit on the floor slap the bottom of your feet a few times on the hard side then put your legs up in the air resting on the wall it works wonders good luck and congrats

Eat bananas! I had really bad leg cramps at night also when I was pregnant with my son. I ate a couple of bananas a day and they stopped. It's the Potassium.

I had bad leg cramps during my pregnancy too. My doc suggested drinking more milk. I was not a big milk drinker and he figured it was because of a lack of calcium. What little bit of calcium I got was going to the baby. So I started drinking milk shakes and forcing myself to drink more milk. It helped alot. I hope this helps you.

I stopped getting leg cramps when I started taking extra calcium. Try the Viactiv chews, they are 500mg of Calcium, and they come in assorted flavors (YAY!)

Sounds like a charlie horse! I got them very bad with my first pregnancy. I was told it was from not having enough potassium. Getting extra will help with the cramps. If you do get them, put your leg straight out on a cold linoleum floor, or something similar that is cool. I did that and took them right away! I can remember waking up and hitting my husband until it went away, so I know what you are going through! Good luck!

Hi K., I used to get them too during the night when I was sleeping. I would just suggest more calcium especially before bed, bananas are good and of course milk or oj, if they continue, try a heating pad on your legs at night to relax the muscles.

Oooh, just reading your email brought back memories of pain!! I got them real bad with my last pregnancy and my dr. actually told me to have LESS dairy products (calcium). For some wierd reason, I ate a lot of dairy - cheese sticks, yogurt, milk & of course lots of ice cream (plus your prenatals have a lot of extra calcium too)! Once I cut back, they did seem to subside, and I was drinking more water as well. But, she did tell me that there is no true evidence of what causes them. Walking did not seem to help me - I walked about 3 miles everyday, pretty much up to delivery, and I still got them. And, like most of the other moms said - bananas seem to help too!
Good luck!! Hopefully they will be less frequent!

I had frequent leg cramps during my first pregnancy... I asked the dr. and he said it was calcium and potassium.. I tried to drink milk with dinner and take a calcium pill with dinner. That mostly eliminated the cramps. I did eat a banana every day too...

If you do get a cramp... do not extend your foot.. push down with your foot on the mattress. like you are pushing down on the gas pedal. that will help the cramp go away.

I can relate. I had that bad with my first. My doctor told me to take calcium supplements and that you can't have too much calcium. I took two tabs and the prenatals all at seperate times for maximum absorbtion and I honestly never got a cramp again. I am pregnant with my third and still have not had another now that I take the supplements. Hope it helps.

I heard that leg cramps are a lack of potassium. Try eating banana's. Maybe one right before bed. Hope that helps!