what can i do about leg cramps im pregnant?

Answer 1

Well I take a potassium tablet everyday.
You can stretch your legs before bed.
Massage.
Walking.
Thats pretty much it.

Answer 2

Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.

• Stretch your calf muscles (see below) regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.

• Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.

• Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.

• Avoid getting too tired. Lie down on your left side to improve circulation in your legs.

• Stay well-hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.

• Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.

• There's some evidence that taking a magnesium supplement in addition to a prenatal vitamin may have some benefit. But check with your provider before taking any kind of supplement during pregnancy.

If you do get a cramp, immediately stretch your calf muscles: Straighten your leg, heel first, and gently flex your toes back toward your shins. It might hurt at first, but it will ease the spasm and the pain will gradually go away. You can relax the cramp by massaging the muscle or warming it with a hot-water bottle. Walking around for a few minutes may help, too.

Answer 3

Whenever I had leg cramps, I would soak in a warm tub of water for maybe 10 minutes and that would work to loosen or relax those pesty cramps in the legs. I totally understand what you mean. I had 4 pregnancies and had leg cramps because of the weight gain. Don't worry about the weight gain, though, nursing will make you loose it.

Answer 4

I hear your pain! If this happens at night, which is how I always get them you can do a couple of things that sometimes work for me.

1) pinch your upper lip under your nose and apply pressure until your leg relaxes. For some reason this sends a message to your muscles or nerves to knock it off.
2) Be careful but start to flex your foot the other direction and hold it in place while rubbing your calf.

Drink more water and get some potasium through bananas or other sources.

Answer 5

i'm 6 months with my third. From my journey I had undesirable cramps in my calfs with my 1st 2. i tried the banana ingredient and that i merely ought to no longer eat adequate bananas. my husband informed me now to not stretch my legs out instead he would help deliver my feet twds myself and prompt alleviation! With my third toddler now i change into doing an excellent variety of determining and eating no longer something yet heathy meals earlier I were given pregnant. I drank ninety 5% water. And nonetheless do. per chance a million 32ounce soda the following and there or tea. yet Water is your savior. even as i'm at paintings I drink an excellent variety of water. Come domicile at evening no cramps. the days that i did not drink a lot water BAM cramps! Pull my feet in is going away and that i grab a bottle of water. I later then examine that water enables. i'd ought to assert it really is defiantly authentic.

Answer 6

While there is still time, go swimming. Swimming helps to alleviate pressure on your legs and joints and is great exercise for pregnant women. If you can find a local swim club with an indoor pool, consider joining for the winter. It will be easier to get in and out of the pool as you progress during your pregnancy, than getting in and out of a bathtub.

Also try warm towels on your legs. Be wary of using muscle creams like Icy Hot, as topical ointments can still pass chemicals to your blood stream.

Also try elevating your feet as often as you possibly can. If you are having fluid retention in your legs, which is common during pregnancy it could be causing your cramps. Potassium also helps.

Answer 7

Eat a banana a day! Sounds crazy, but i had AWFUL leg cramps when i was prego. It was a lack of potassium. Instead of taking pills, just eat a banana which is packed FULL of it.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

im not sure if there is anything we can do about that---I notice that i get them later in the day--like when i get home and take off my shoes and socks. my legs start cramping so i put on some warm socks and put a blanket on them and they go away----or sometimes i walk it off----but that has worked for me...

Answer 9

all the suggestions you received so far are good ones, and you can also while sitting, wave your legs in a circular motion,(from the knee down) this helps improve the circulation down there and reduces the cramps frequency.
just wave them arround when watching tv, or whenever.

Answer 10

i used to have horrible leg cramps that would wake me up in the middle of the night screaming...my doctor told me to eat bananas and mangoes and then my mom told me that whenever i feel one coming on i should point my toes down and it helped prevent them sometimes...dont move your foot around a whole lot or itll just get tighter!!