September 2019 #7

[easterbuns1]

I get nervous when it's so close to post 999..:

I just read about stretches I can do. Ouch though.

I just said to my husband seems like the cramps are a thing in pregnancy. He said "they aren't caused by pregnancy, they might just be a symptom of it and I can't imagine it will last throughout"

EYEROLL

I intend to use a pool. That’s my ideal :)

Baby is just above the 50th percentile apparently so can’t be as big as I feel (ie a whale)

I like the idea of a pool. Im wanting a homebirth so id need to rent one, not sure i will. I have a vision of me being on all 4s, squatting and giving birth. I don't think I want to be on my back on a bed, that seems wrong and not helpful to me.

@whisky2014 is he a doctor?! They are a symptom of pregnancy that you wouldn't necessarily experience if you weren't pregnant. So therefore caused by pregnancy, surely??

The thing I find worst about them is that they come on in the middle of the night and wake me up. So there's the adrenaline rush of waking up in severe pain and then the actual pain. Hideous.

Lol no he's bloody not. And earlier in the car he let out a help and said he had a stabbing pain a bit like a stitch. Then he said maybe it's sympathy pains.
Pah!

Honestly he is lovely but those 2 things annoyed me!

Yes, that's what happened to me. Actually I'm sure I was dreaming about a sore leg and then it's almost like I felt a pop and then boom, cramp. Waking up in agony and writhing around in pain but I was stuck because my back was so sore!

@Whisky2014 I agree, they said that lying on your back was probably the least helpful position to be in to give birth. If you are bending over then your cervix widens by 30%. I'll definitely be aiming for standing, squatting, all fours of some sort!

Yes to rubbing the cramping leg as hard and fast as you can while swearing repeatedly!

Google says ...

Leg crampsduringpregnancymight be caused by fatigue, the uterus pressing on certain nerves, or decreased circulation in thelegsfrom the pressure of the baby on blood vessels. They might also be caused by calcium or magnesium deficiency, or dehydration

I have given birth 3 times on my back and once on my side!

I didnt feel safe kneeling on the bed and was too exhausted to stand

Can I ask if you had any tears @IVEgottheDECAF ?I read laying on back is a higher chance of tearing.

I'm thinking I'll just be on the floor rather than a bed.

Nope! No tears, no cuts. Babies between 7lb9 and 8lb9.

You just have to see how you feel when your actually there i think. I love baths, but i cant sit in one in labour so i doubt i would enjoy a pool.

Cramp wake ups are the worst! My full sympathies.

My husband was a terrible sufferer of leg cramps, so I've had years of middle of the night wake ups to deal with them. First I rub the affected leg as fast as I can. Once the area has warmed up a bit, I massage the muscle. Once the worst of the pain has abated he does some knee bends and calf stretches.

Now I'm the one getting them and he just stays asleep! Luckily some calf stretches and getting the leg warm again has done the trick so far. Bananas are not an option. Vile disgusting things.

Yah I think the calf stretch the thing that dissipates the cramp the fastest. Its so horrible though.

I'm honestly so worried about Labour. I had a sharp pain in my side one night and could barely tolerate it. Then found the leg cramp excrutiating. Honestly, how am I going to cope? I had in my head I wanted to be left alone and I'll just use all my internal energy to give birth and also not let out screams and moans cause that won't help me along. I think now, it's highly unlikely!

whiskey definitely a pregnancy thing! I've only ever had leg cramp at night when pregnant! I'll straighten my legs out and get a shooting pain in my calf. Mine must be caused by dehydration as midwife said I was definitely dehydrated this week.
Realised the bananas give me heartburn too so I'm having lots to drink plus some tonic water as the quinine helps too apparently!

I really wanted to use a pool with DS and did get to go in it. But I hated it. It made me feel quite claustrophobic with every transaction. But looking back I think it was probably too hot for me, I don't really like a hot bath so perhaps the heat had something to do with it. I would have tried again for a water birth this time round but that's not an option.

@whisky2014 my pain threshold is zero and I'm a huge wimp. Labour was fine. Mostly got through with a tens machine and gas and air. (teeny bit of diamorphine to make me sleep for an hour halfway through).

Oh that's good to know, stroan.

Boodles, I wondered if I got cramp from walking so much but maybe it is dehydration. Also could be fatigue as I have had really terrible sleeps the last few nights. Will keep and eye on it.

Leg cramp sufferer here too. It's really hard, but the best thing I've found is literally just to leap up as fast as you can and stand on it- it seems to stop it in its tracks. Someone else has suggested curling your toes upwards, I've only tried that once and that seems to work too, but need more evidence! I mentioned it to my midwife and she said it's increased lactic acid that does it, and the only thing that helps is drink more water. But then you'll be getting up to see more! Catch 22.

No leg cramps here yet but I’m taking notes in case needed!
Absolutely hideous heartburn today, almost made me cry. Gave up on Gaviscon and had a Ranitidine I found instead. Think I’ll get some more!

Growth scan in 5 days, exciting! I want to know if she’s moved yet.

Birthing pool doesn’t float my boat at all, I don’t like being in water for long, makes me grumpy so not something I’m planning for now. I hate pain though so just want drugging up.

No cramp here but I do get restless legs most nights which is a pain. I'm absolutely exhausted tonight I will be glad when all the boxes are away and I can actually relax for a few weeks!

Oh and when I had my extra scan at the hospital on Monday after my bleed they said she was about 2lb 1oz so just under 50th centile at the moment.

My heartburn has totally gone since l cut out dairy which was unexpected!

Whisky I actually find leg cramp pain worse than labour pain, labour pain feels oddly purposeful. I've not needed any pain relief with either labour (and actually with my second I assumed I hadn't actually started until I needed to push, as it wasn't painful enough!). I've moved about a lot in labour but gave birth on my knees in the end both times (in a fancy bed which turned into a sort of chair thing in the hospital, and on the bathroom floor).
My best tip for leg cramps is toes up as high as possible and push the heel hard!

@DustyDoorframes
I am getting heartburn even on a completely empty stomach. I suffered a bit pre-pg so it’s in overdrive now. Given how well I feel otherwise it could be worse I guess.

That's a pain @Megan2018 ! Oddly, my hungry hollow feeling shades into the heartburn feeling so I was making it worse by snacking late in the evening because I felt like maybe I was hungry. It's so grim, I'm really lucky it's not something I've ever had in normal life. Pregnancy is weird.
(and just to clarify, I absolutely don't think people should cut out dairy or anything else! I did because it was giving me horrific upset stomachs, but I am quite worried about dropping a whole food group, especially as there is evidence that exposing unborn babies to allergens through maternal diet makes them less likely to be allergic. I'm going to try reintroducing bits I think.

Oh gosh, I've just popped on to say the dreaded leg cramps are back with this pregnancy. Looks like I'm not the only one suffering.
I also managed to wedge baby in a weird place last night when turning around. So painful!! DH thought I'd gone into labour. I'll try turning under. Good idea.
Has anyone tried an epi-no? If so would you recommend it?

Same as Dusty , @Whisky2014 - leg cramps are certainly worse than labour pains. I'm also a massive whimp when it comes to pain, DH always taking the piss how pathetic I am. But labour really wasn't that painful, just tiring - I got through with no pain relief for a couple days. (then again I did have an epidural working on one side of my body for last few CMs because I just needed to have a rest... so I did probably miss out on the most painful bit 🤷‍♀️ )