Sore legs at night

[wktz]

Does anyone else suffer from sore legs (not cramping) at night?.

I go to sleep without any trouble at all, but wake up a few hours later with pain in the tops of my legs (sort of where they join my body, IFYWIM :p ). The pain is on the side that I am lying on so I have to turn over, but then an hour later I wake up again with pain on the other side (that I am now lying on). This continues until the morning and eventually I have to get up and walk around until it eases up.

It is not a sharp pain, more like an ache I guess, and it goes away in the morning once I am up and moving around. I am using a body pillow which does help a bit I think, but even with that I have to keep turning from side to side every hour ... actually rolling is probably more like it now :laughing:

Oh, I forgot to mention that I am 28 weeks pg.

Please help!. Any advice will be gratefully received!

[Carmel Jane]

Just the last few nights I've been getting the pain in the side, but not my legs/hips. I presume this is just the next stage of 'stretching' for me, or its bubs pushing against my bits cos of gravity maybe?

Sorry not much help, but I can sympathise!

[Lunar]

I am now 40+ wks and I have suffered with this for months. Unfortunatly ther is not much you can do. I actually have to turn every half hour and if I don't the ache turns to shooting pains right down the leg I am laying on. Not very nice. I have found that I used to get a little relief if I still lay on my side but had a pillow at my back and tilted a little on the back pillow but was still on my side...does this make sense? Just to take a little weight off my side. I think it is the baby pressing on nerves or something like that.
I can't really offer you any other advise only that to be prepared it may get worse as baby gets bigger and heavier.

[Blessed Mum]

Hi Kirsty,
My precious baby girl is 6 weeks old tomorrow and from about 5 months pregnant I suffered the worst leg pain :mad: . Not every night and it would be either leg. I tried burning them in the shower, using cold packs & walking but all to no avail.
So sorry hun I can't help just wanted to say you are not alone in this & I hope it stops real soon.
Take Care
Tara:hugs: .

[Starlet]

I experienced this with DS1. It was so horrible. I think it might have had to do with the mattress being too hard.

Anyway, I used to have to prop pillows behind my back and rest against the wall, so pretty much sleeping sitting up. I found it quite comfortable, but only because lying on my side hurt so much. I couldn't sleep that way now.

I also used to sleep with a pillow between my legs. And I used to use voltaren(I think that's what it's called), on them to ease the pain during the night.

I used to get numb feet as well, that was worse than the sore legs!

[LittleBoysRock]

I had this problem too while I was pregnant. :thumbsdown:

I found sleeping with a pillow between my legs helped somewhat. :thumbsup:

You will be happy to hear it doesnt last forever, it goes once the baby is born! :smiliedance:

[kuz78au]

Yup, I suffered with this right up until the birth! What did help was pillows between my legs, heat packs, panadol, and pelvic rocking on a fitness ball. I went to the physio about it because it was hell and he recommended the pelvic rocking on the fitness ball and I found it really helped. Also the physio recommended massage which helped too!

It's just the lovely pregnancy hormones making the joints more relaxed, getting you ready for the birth!

Good luck! :)

[♥Heaven Sent♥]

Its called Restless leg syndrome and unfortunately its one of those things that can happen in pregnancy.

What it is and why it happens
If you've started feeling an uncontrollable urge to move around in bed to relieve crawling, tingling, or burning sensations deep inside your legs, you most likely have restless legs syndrome (RLS). Some researchers estimate that up to 20 percent of pregnant women develop this problem during the last few months of pregnancy, though others believe it's much less common than that.

You'll usually notice symptoms when you're at rest, especially right before you fall asleep or when sitting still for long periods, such as at the movies or during long car rides. Most of the time, you'll feel it in your legs, but some women experience it in their arms as well. Moving your limbs brings immediate relief, but unfortunately, it's only temporary. As soon as you sit or lie down, the sensations return. Your restless legs may even be waking you up once you're asleep. If symptoms are disrupting your sleep night after night, you may end up seriously fatigued. The good news is that if your RLS started during your pregnancy, it's likely to disappear altogether within two to four weeks after you give birth.

There are a number of theories about why some women experience RLS during pregnancy. Iron deficiency, folate deficiency, hormonal changes, and circulatory changes are all possible culprits. Recent research suggests that women may develop the sensations when certain brain cells aren't getting enough iron. Some medications, such as antihistamines in various cold and allergy remedies, seem to make the symptoms worse for some people. About half of all sufferers have a family history of the condition.


What you can do about it
Although there are drugs that treat RLS, most are not recommended during pregnancy. Instead, ask your doctor or midwife whether you should try iron supplements <http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/1468.html>. Iron can sometimes relieve RLS even in women who don't appear to be iron-deficient. Some women find it helpful to stretch their legs, get a massage, use hot or cold packs, take hot or cool baths, or practice relaxation techniques. Avoid caffeine and antihistamines because they can make symptoms worse. Finally, avoid lying in bed reading or watching television before you go to sleep, because the longer you lie still, the worse your symptoms will become. Instead, go to bed only when you're actually ready to turn in.

hope this helps:thumbsup:

[wktz]

Thanks everyone, it's good to know I'm not the only one suffering from this:)

Thanks for your suggestions too, they are much appreciated - I haven't tried a heat pack or pillows behind my back, so I will see if that helps at all. I like the idea of the fitness ball too, I might have to get one of those!!

And if worst comes to worst I only have 12 weeks of it left :eek:

I am VERY glad to hear you all say that it goes away once the baby is born!!.

Thanks again