Leg Cramps - what causes this again and what to do?

[jdd0709]

hello

I'm 11 weeks and woke up this morning feeling like I had run a marathon overnight - the back of my calves are just agony, I can hardly walk - you know like when you get cramp after running? I did get this last time but not til much later - I seem to remember it was something to do with salt and potassium and eating bananas??

[Frenchsmallfry]

hello, it is a lack of potassium. Bannanas may help as they are high in potassium. I'm not sure about the uk but here in France if you suffer with cramps in pregnancy they prescribe medication for it. I am 27 weeks pg at the moment and have only had the occassional bout of cramp, give your gp or midwife a call for some guidance.

[nailpolish]

drinking tonic water helps apparently (its the quinine)
quinine sulphate can be px by dr (although i only know this from other sources, dotn know about taking it while pg)

hth

[maisym]

had this - awful. Hope you find something that helps xxx

[NbgsYellowFeathers]

I was told it was potassium and Calcium.

I had to eat lots of bananas and was told to have a milky drink before bed and things like porridge and milky desserts after dinner.

[MerlinsBeard]

another one who was told its potassium, if you get it in the night u need to stand up so that your heels are flat and your calf is stretched. And eat lots of bananas too

[MrsMar]

Oh wow, I'm 8+5 and I have something similar! I thought it was because I'd climbed lots of stairs over the weekend. My calves feel really tight, exactly like I'd done a big sesh in the gym, not really cramps though! I've been eating quite a few bananas, as they've really been helping with the morning sickness. Perhaps I'm lacking something else!

[Creena]

I've also read about bananas being good for this (potassium etc). I've also read something about not pointing your feet when you're in bed (not sure if anyone actually does that!) and flexing your feet when you get an attack to help ease it off.

[ja9]

sympathies. i have suffered with this at various stages in both my pgs.

I tried tonic water (quinine) and bananas for the potassium.

[Bramshott]

Try circling each foot 10 times in each direction before you go to sleep - seems to help me.

[tubismybub]

Definately try drinking a couple of glasses of milk each day it's the only thing that stopped mine

[ShowOfHands]

Yes, agree with Creena. Immediate relief is provided by flexing your foot (bend your foot up towards your shin and hold for a few seconds). Otherwise, all good suggestions on here.

It does ease off as the pregnancy progresses thankfully.

[jdd0709]

thanks all that is really helpful!!

Interestingly, I normally have a bananna on toast for breakfast but in the last couple of weeks switched to weetabix to try and remedy my other pregnancy symptom - extreme constipation. You can't win!

Also, in my last pg I drank loads of milk for the heartburn whereas this time I had stopped drinking milk to lose weight after the first pg and haven''t started again.

Right, tommorow I am having the following for breakfast:

Bananna on toast
Weetabix
Porridge
A gin and tonic!!

I will check with the doc as well if it comes back - MrsMar last time it was more crampy - this time I feel exactly like you - like I walked up 100 flights of stairs last night.

Thanks again