cramping legs at nite!

[Sara's Boys]

Oh my. Well, not only do I have to get up every hour to wee, but now I am woken by my calves cramping up in a very painful way....I didn't have this last time...but I vaguely remember some one saying it happened to them.


Is/has anyone experienced this? Is there an underlying cause? and how the hell did you ease the cramps? Any advice will help.

My guess so far is that its related to bad circulation, because I seem to be getting pins and needles i the legs a lot too.

[~EmsMum~]

Oh I can sypmathise with you!!!!

I got really bad leg cramps during my pregnancy!! I found if I could feel them comming along I would try and walk on it to ease the pain

[RedPanda]

I kind of remember itbeing a deficiency of some sort..magnesium or zinc?? I cant remember but you have all my sympathy as I sooo remember it!!!



I think it's calcium. I had cramps during pregnancy, and never really found a way to stop them (sorry - probably not what you want to hear!). :fingerscrossed: it goes soon!

[Little_Toad]

I've heard magnesium is good for cramps.,
I get them bad too and make sure my toes are flexed back on my duuvet.
Drink lots of water too.

[Mamaduke]

When I had cramps in my legs at night (in the calves also) my doctor recommended magnesium tablets or Quinine tablets - also called Peruvian Bark Tree or Cinchona bark. It got rid of the cramps alltogether.
Just check with your doctor first as I wasn't pregnant when I took the tablets - make sure they're safe for you to use in pregnancy.
It does work!

[KarniF00l]

*cringes* i soooo remember the cramping pains at night and yelling and crying for DH to pull my toes back, couldn't reach myself you see. :laughing:

Anyway Mamaduke is right AGAIN (:rolleyes: :D ) magnesium tabs are the way to go. By memory i don't think they are prescribed, you can get them over the counter. No harm in going to the chemist and asking a pharmacist.

I hope it gets better soon for you :hugs:

[Beany]

Calcium and magnesium.

I was taking calcium supplements anyway (which had some magnesium in them) but still got the cramps. I upped my daily milk intake by eating cereal for breakfast instead of toast and drinking an extra glass of milk. Seemed to sort the problem out pretty quick.

[Ky]

Just a suggestion ... when the cramps hit, jump out of bed and stand on some cold tiles ... it really does ease the cramping! If you don't have a tiled area nearby ... borrow some large tiles from someone and put them beside your bed so that you only have to stand up briefly.

[PhAnToM]

I had them very badly too. My obst had said it was sodium deficiency.
He told me to drink powerade to resolve it, and it sure did! :thumbsup:

[KarniF00l]

I had them very badly too. My obst had said it was sodium deficiency.
He told me to drink powerade to resolve it, and it sure did! :thumbsup:

I thought energy/hydrating drinks aren't recommended whilst pregnant :confused:

If i knew that, i would have lived on them. :yes:

[pebilz]

I can sympathise with you as I had these really bad with my first pregnancy. It was a nightmare and I was in so much pain that I couldn't even massage them myself. Had to get hubby to do it for me. I have also heard that sodium can help and have heard that using iodised/ionised (whichever one it is) salt in your food can help. This time around I have been lucky to have them not hit just yet but I do stretch them first thing in the morning. :fingerscrossed: you find something to ease the pain.

[Mariposa]

i suffered greatly to leg cramps. every single night. they were absolute shockers. cold tiles, more calcium, more iron. but what also helped me was "deep heat" yeh the stuff stinks but it helped. i got to the stage that i would put it on (well dh would) before going to bed. hth

[PhAnToM]

I've heard that too Karni- but my obst suggested it.. and i did it (if he told me i had to go try milk an elephant to stop the cramps, i would have tried! believe me! :laughing: )
He probably didn't mean live on them, but well.. umm.. i did. :o :laughing:

[Sara's Boys]

Thanks guys for all of your helpful advice. Got thru last nite ok, but I could feel that feeling.....like any minute now.... but drank plenty of water, had a powerade (YESSSSSS!!!) and had hubby give me a massage! Now...to get him to do this every where and every nite, maybe I just need to whinge more!Lol!

[sugar n spice]

I am 21wks pregnant and i have found that i have cramps behind my knees at night. not waking me up in bed but just at the end of the day and its not like i even walk heaps

[Ashleigh<3]

I've been told that nothing will help my cramps as mine are in my hips, and because the baby is engaged it adds extra pressure to them so they're just gradually expanding for labour. This scares me. And it's so painful at night having to wake up to rock my hips, i ask DP to rub my hips for me but i suppose it's hard for him to locate the pain when i'm in to much pain to explain where exactly it is lol
My only recommendation for similar hip pain, is a hot bath, But also I’ve heard that hot baths aren't recommended during the first trimester.
But It's working for me at 36 weeks.:)

[zenifa]

I also had terrible leg cramping at night during the last trimester of my pregnancy. I took Blackmores Magnesium and Calcium vitamin tablets before bed at night and this helped a lot!! This was recommended by my homeopathic friend, OB/Gynae and other pregnant friends. Good luck and hope your cramps reduce so you can get a good nights sleep!!

[littleboyblue]

a glass of tonic water everyday done the trick for me