To ask WTF I do about restless legs?

[jamoncrumpets]

29 weeks pregnant this weekend and every time I try to have a rest, or go to sleep, my legs develop a mind of their own. I just want to stretch them out constantly, but doing so makes absolutely no difference!

Surely there's something I can try?! I've tried walking lots to tire them out - nope. Warm bath - nope. Elevating the feet slightly - nope. It's maddening!

Probably not much help but I suffer from restless legs and I find putting them up makes them far worse I have to sit with feet on the floor. I have heard that it can sometimes be caused by a mineral deficiency so worth asking the doctor

I think it's normally magnesium deficiency but if it's pregnancy related I think you may just have to wait for it to pass. Sorry

Ask your midwife to check your iron levels, i sufffered when pregnant and it stopped when i started iron tablets for anemia...also try bananas, tonic water and salty crisps. All supposed to help.

I have restless leg syndrome, try putting your legs up as previous poster said it may help for a bit but otherwise just change leg positions. Unfortunately it’s rather irritating.

Tonic water! I can have a fake G&T!

Yes to tonic water. I've had restless leg syndrome on and off since my pregnancys and a quick swig of tonic water always sorts me out.

Yum! I could probably add a thimbleful of gin too, right? Just to, yknow, taste...

Try an epsom salts bath, (check that it's ok for pregnancy first though).

I'll look for them in Tesco in a bit. Not holding out much hope that they'll have them but I will try anything!

I read once that bananas are good too - is that the magnesium again? Anyway, I force myself to eat one daily and notice twitchy legs happen when I stop for a few days —mainly because they make me feel sick when I eat them if they’re not green—

Strikethrough fail

Can't do bananas. IBS issues. I love them but my guts hate them.

I had this with 3 pregnancies and suffered horribly first time. My most recent pregnancy was so much easier in this regard because I discovered Magnesium. Epsom salt baths were good, a topical spray of magnesium oil also but the clincher was magnesium powder especially before bed - I used a brand called Natural Calm. Good luck!

I have this too (though not pregnant) It drives me bonkers - I get it mostly when I am tired or stuck sitting down for a long time (cinema, long flight etc) It’s so uncomfortable. I have found the cooler my feet are the less bad it is (so in bed I stick my feet outside of the duvet) - and I have to try and really relax as the more I worry about it the worse they get! So hard, you have my sympathy. I might try magnesium like others have said.

I do mega stretches and peppermint leg gel

I had restless legs in my pregnancies, iron tablets helped a little but the only way I could relieve it was to buy one of those mini exercise bikes (just pedals) and cycle until my legs were tired. I'm sorry you're experiencing this OP. It's hell.

I found a good pregnancy multi vitamin, a banana and a glass of milk before bed helped.

Shame you can't do bananas. I also craved anchovies while pregnant with ds. And salt and vinegar crisps.

Cold water! Put your feet in a bowl of cold water, as cold as you can manage, and leave them there for 15 minutes or so.

It really does help.

Also, get your iron levels checked. Mine are much worse when I’m low on iron.

Bananas are potassium right? What else has lots of potassium... avocado! I ate some this morning...

I think I heard bitter lemon could help! Also lovely with gin

Magnesium oil spray!

I’d also say tonic water. Have had terrible restless legs through both pregnancies and then when I properly gave up smoking, didn’t know where to put my legs. Never got them when I had a g&t and read somewhere else that it’s the quinine in tonic??? Works for me though so don’t care what’s in it,better than jogging up and down the stairs to try to get them to stop

OP I have this at the moment, my legs twitch violently! It’s also restless leg.

I’m not pregnant but mine is caused by anemia, iron deficiency. I’ve just got some ferrous sulphate and I know that will fix it.

That is very common in pregnancy as well, have you had your iron checked recently?

I do understand - its horrible and nearly drove me crazy
Agree with tonic water, I dress it up with ice and lemon slice and its almost as good as a G&T :))
I also find massaging feet and legs (about 5 mins) with sesame oil followed by some Yoga stretches help a lot.
The yoga thing is very simple - I do them in bed after the oil with feet out side the duvet:
Slowly and with awareness point toes 5 times
Then flex heels (as if you are pressing against a wall) 5X
Repeat
Rotate both feet clockwise (again slowly and with awareness) 5X
Rotate both feet anti clockwise 5X
Rotate feet inwards 5X
Rotate feet outwards 5X
I'm usually asleep by this stage - if not just repeat

Hope this is of some help

I really feel for you OP, it really is awful.

For me, walking about just made it worse when I eventually wanted to lie down again. And trying to keep them still made it even worse still.

The only thing that did work was distracting myself, reading, using my phone, mumsnet etc and it eventually passed if I managed to keep my mind off it. Hope it gets better for you soon.