night leg cramps

[ThatllDoPig]

Why?
What is it caused by and how can I make it go away? SO bloody painful and my muscles ache all the next day after a bad one.
moan moan moan. fed up.

i had this too. I think its caused by lack of potassium? I had a lot of banana's and banana milkshake to try and stop it. I also found out that if I banged by foot on the floor (hard) it stopped the cramps though that was fairly painful

its meant to be dehydration. I had it really bad didnt drink much before bed cause of keep waking up but then id get cramp. I started drinking a good pint before bed and they seemed to stop. If u get it put your foot flat on a cold surface.

I got horrible cramps too. I read somewhere that it's thought to be lack of calcium so I made sure I drank lots of milk. Although they didn't stop completely, it definitely seemed to help. Hope it helps you too. My DH used to get the shock of his life when I jumped out of bed in the middle of the night going aaarrggh! Really not fun. You have my sympathy. All the best with your little one!

I get this too. Had it with previous pregnancy as well and I think it was worse last time, but I don't think I've done anything different other than flex my feet as soon as I feel it coming on. Never point your toes!!!!

For the fat old duffer I'm feeling at the moment, I can't half shift to stand up out of bed if cramp hits. Standing hard on a flat foot is the only thing that stops it once it's started for me.

You don't say how far along you are. I'm 32/33 weeks so on the home run and I know this bit is a bit crap but you get a lovely newbie at the end of it!

Not sure on which theory to go with, but I suppose if you had a big banana milkshake before bed you'd cover all bases of potassium, calcium and dehydration, or start taking a pregnancy vitamin and mineral supplement and lots of water.

They will stop as soon as you have your baby, along with all the other wierd pregnancy stuff that no-one tells you about before you get pregnant.

I had this and talked to a pharmacist and physio about it. Cramp in pg is unlikely to be due to lack of pottassium, and you shouldn't have too much pottassium in pg as its hard for your body to assimilte it, so eating lots of bananas could actually be bad for you. Its most likely to be due to pressure on nerves from swellings.
Do some gentle leg stretches before you go to bed, stretching your leg back behind you and flat on the floor, just a little way to stretch your calf muscle. And try to keep your ankle bent as generally the cramp will come on when you point your toes. This has helped me alol, I had loads of cramp in labour last time, so know now not to point my toes and do some stretches. Hope this helps you too!

this could be due to lack of magnesim or poor hydration/mobility during the day. drink plenty of water. excercise daily. gentle stretching is what you need. if you practice yoga, do upside down postures or stay with your legs up the wall for a few minutes every day. also, try eating raw cacao nibs (in moderation). hope this goes away soon.

I had it too and took magnesium in the evenings about an hour before going to bed.

Thanks everyone, I will try all ideas. Banana smoothies all round I think! gemhandley A PINT!? weren't you up to the loo all night? I already am.

forgot to say, I'm nearly 30 weeks.
Third baby, but not had the cramps like this before. I will try stretches too.

Hi there, I've never experienced this but my pregnancy yoga teacher gave us some leg stretching moves and said "this is good if you get leg cramps - do it before bed"

The stretch is like this:

www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.arooj.co.uk/Single-Leg-Stretch.gif&imgrefurl=www.arooj.co.uk/pilates.html&usg=__SoJC3iwMfHiyD1OkSpxQ8ymXiXA=&h=229&w=350&sz=59&hl=en&start=128&zoom=1&tbnid=sx5PXsDbsb2MJM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=172&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dleg%2Bstretch%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1043%26bih%3D614%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C3956&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=398&vpy=307&dur=394&hovh=181&hovw=278&tx=156&ty=112&ei=NYr3TLGhAcaL4QbRnZHkBg&oei=Bor3TOaCE8WwhQfD5_nFDw&esq=12&page=9&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:128&biw=1043&bih=614

but as we're fat, inflexible ladies we hold a belt (or dressing-gown chord) with one hand on each end, and loop it around our feet.

We keep our pelvis relaxed and flat on the ground, and stretch our heels up to the ceiling.

Does that make sense???

No idea if it helps, though, as never had leg cramp.

I found taking a magnesium supplement each day stopped them.
Seriously painful.