leg cramp and labour

[toomuchtooyoung]

did post this in childbirth but no-one replied so thought I'd try here.

anyway, woken up again in the middle of the night by excruciating leg cramp from groin to calf, and concerned that this might happen during labour? am currently 39+2 and have had a trouble free pregnancy and stayed very active throughout, some may say too active!

only ever get it at night when sleeping and accidently stretch my leg but then i'm next to useless until seizure has passed

hoping to be as mobile as possible during birth, so perhaps it won't even happen, just wondered if anyone has any experience of this or tips?

[EdgarAllInPink]

it stopped with the onset - the baby had been causing it and as it dropped down it stopped causig it.

[toomuchtooyoung]

the onset of labour you mean?

Dr says baby is currently pressing on a nerve/vein so vein is more pronounced than normal but nothing to worry about

[LittleB]

I had this and had awful cramp in my labour, but only during the pushing stage, and only in one leg, but I had an epidural which worked in the other side only, so the other leg was numb anyway. My birthing partner was my sister and she spent most of the pushing stage massaging my calf, it helped me and gave her something to do. Might be worth asking what you can do to help prevent cramp though. i will be if I get cramp again later in this labour, I'm only 25wks now so it hasn't happened yet this pg.

[MiniMarmite]

I had terrible cramps in my last pregnancy and have had a few bad ones (lasting around 10 minutes) so far in this one (currently 29 weeks).

It is always my left leg - don't know if it is related but less good circulation that side and slightly clicky him. Last time I also had a trapped nerve for weeks when DS started to engage and was on crutches for a couple of weeks.

I was fully mobile in labour and by the time DS's head had fully engaged the nerve seemed to free up again, I had no cramps.

[EdgarAllInPink]

yes, i meant the onset of labour - DD2 repositioned and stopped touching the vein. The delivery before that i got cramp on the last push and yes MW massaged to get it to remit.

• i tried to avoid cramps by wearing thick socks (to keep feet warm even whilst legs bare) ..if i'd had leg warmers i'd probably have worn those too...and I had a hot bath to ease my muscles when i knew i labour was starting.
  

staying active is v. definitely a good plan.

[Honeydragon]

MiniMarmite I can't remember the reason behind it but potassium and calcium are good for preventing the cramp, throughout earlier pregnancy.

With dd last year I was advised to eat a banana /drink milk before bed (I suffered dreadfully in first preg with ds)- - I hate both so drank a glass of banana milk before bed each night - OMG they stopped! I am convinced this worked because any night I hadn't had banana milk I would wake up at least once with cramp.

[MiniMarmite]

Thanks Honeydragon, funny you should say that I don't seem to have been able to stomach bananas in either pregnancy!

I had also heard that it could be a salt imbalance but it can depend if you get the right one as to whether it helps (so your plan of having a bit of both seems like a good plan) {grin]

[Honeydragon]

Good luck - hope it works for you

[toomuchtooyoung]

Thanks for all your replies. Going to try the banana milk now too. Now found myself actually anxious about going to sleep just in case I accidently stretch and get a cramp. midwife will have to go some to get rid of it if it does happen in labour as it's pretty much the whole leg!

at the Dr's yesterday and 3/5 engaged with 'very tight' bump so she's on her way, we hope.

thanks again