leg cramps
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11605
Printed Date: 16 August 2025 at 7:29pm
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Topic: leg cramps
Posted By: Danash
Subject: leg cramps
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:08am
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I've been getting cramps in my calves in the middle of the night - not too bad as soon as I stretch my foot it's gone, but this morning it was really bad my foot was pointing up and I couldn't straighten it out, fortunately DH was home and I yelled at him to come and straighten my foot. Now my leg is just achey... Any advice? Is it lack of salt? Pregnancy related? |
Replies:
Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:12am
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Yup, definitely pregnancy related, I think its calcium/magnesium related (i.e. a depletion of these minerals in pregnancy) so a supplement in these two things can help. I think there is also an aid you can get from the health store that you rub/spray (?) on leg for immediate relief... ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:13am
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I found this..hope it helps... it is normal!:) (from two different sites but all the weekly emails i get say that it's normal)
Leg cramps. Pressure from your uterus on the veins returning blood from your legs may cause leg cramps, especially at night. Stretch the affected muscle or walk your way through the cramps. Most pregnant women experience leg cramps on the second trimester of pregnancy. These occur at night or early in the morning and may interrupt your sleep. There is no exact reason why leg cramps occur, but these can be caused by some factors like inadequate calcium intake, fatigue, and pressure of your uterus on your legs' nerves. To help you prevent or get relief from this second trimester discomfort, do these solutions. • Perform exercises which can stretch your calf muscles. • If you stand for longer periods during the day, try wearing support hose. • Take regular breaks when your work requires standing or sitting for longer periods. Walk to and fro the office for a couple of minutes before going back to your work station. • When leg cramps occur, try to straighten your knee and gently flex your foot upward. You can also try flexing the toes of your affected leg to relieve the discomfort. ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: Lou1972
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:26am
| A girlfriend of of mine told me that the leg cramps are due to lack of calcium.She was told to have a glass of full fat milk before going to bed.I have been doing that ever since she told me and touch wood.havn't had any cramps since. |
Posted By: fairsk8
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:45am
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I use to get bad leg cramps during the middle of the night and like kawwww said, she said it was the uterus putting pressure on veins.. Midwife suggested putting a pillow under your mattress where your feet are to help the blood flow easier, it worked for me. ------------- http://www.bump-and-beyond.com/"> 
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Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:49am
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Thanks everyone - I love this site! I was standing for most of the day yesterday and then we had someone over for dinner and spent the night sitting at the table so I didn't really have my legs up at all. Will be a bit more careful in future. And will be putting all the above into practise. I feel like I've run a marathon and now have sore leg muscles. |
Posted By: Nic01
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:54am
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I used to get this too, but really really bad - I would literally wake up crying at night it was so painful! I hadn't heard about it being the uterus putting pressure on veins, but had heard that it was a lack of calcium, so upped my calcium intake & that seemed to help. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Tiff
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 1:17pm
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My mother gets really bad night cramps and swears by bananas and cream before she goes to bed??? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 1:39pm
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yep Tiff that's potassium..supposed to help:) ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 2:04pm
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Yep this works wonders. i had this through out my pregnancy and ate an apple before going to bed and the cramps stopped. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Tiff wrote:Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 2:19pm
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mmm, banana's and icecream... I could do that. |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 5:28pm
My dad swears by jellybeans in salt - yep, weird but he has intense cramps in his legs from driving for his job and he always takes a little bag of jellybeans. Half eats the jellybean then dips it in salt before eating the 2nd half. Something about the combination of the two helps. 
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Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 9:41pm
| Is it just leg cramps? Or are you getting restless leg syndrome as well? It is quite common in pregnancy and it drove me up the bloody wall. It was kinda like cramps, but more like an uncontrollable urge to move my feet and wiggle my toes. I upped my iron intake and that got rid of it within a week. Leg cramps I have heard that magnesium tablets help. Putting your feet onto a cold floor in the middle of the night is good too! |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 9:59pm
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For leg cramps I was told salt and/or magnesium supplement from a health shop. I found it was mostly ok after introducing extra salt. Wanna know a funny story though? I kept getting cramps in the middle of the night (2,3am ish), probably had a lot to do with pressure from being still. Anyway we went to stay over in a motel one night and at about 2am i started wriggling frantically and went to jump out of bed to stamp the cramps out LOL. DH thought i was having a bad dream and he reached over to comfort me and all I could think of was GET YOUR ARM OFF ME! I NEED TO GET OUT OF BED!! I said something like that, and he moved his arm but started stroking my hair saying "it's okay..." and by this time I was stamping the floor and saying "It's NOT ok!" after which time I settled down and could tell him what was wrong!
Ah my DH is such a gem. But it still cracks me up!!!!  -------------  |
Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 18 October 2007 at 10:17pm
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lol, that was an amusing read! DH thought I had just gone mad yelling at him to pull my foot down. |
Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 19 October 2007 at 8:11pm
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neeandsam... I do have restless leg syndrome , I just thought it was because I was tired. It drives me crazy too and my husband. I'll be upping my iron intake asap. |
Posted By: porcelina
Date Posted: 19 October 2007 at 9:40pm
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I dunno about introducing more salt, that can be really bad especially later in pregnancy as you'll tend to retain fluid worse (hello cankles!) and it can increase your blood pressure.
I have had restless legs for years and sometimes cramps, most of the population would have no imbalances of calcium or potassium (potassium usually goes out of balance with older people who have hydration problems). My homeopath suggested flax seed oil capsules and they worked a treat. -------------   
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Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 12:07pm
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For the last few days I have started taking pregnancy through to breastfeeding vitamins and having milk before bed, so far (touch wood) I haven't had any more cramps in my legs. I still have the restless legs though, but not as bad. Thanks for all the advice. |