Leg cramps, please remind me of any remidies.

[HelloBear]

Hi, 23+6 with 2nd dc and the dreaded leg cramps struck last night. I.e me waking up screaming 'fuck it hurts, it hurts, it hurts'. My DH briefly offering a grunt of sympathy and promptly falling a sleep again.

Seriously the pain is worse than labour!!!

Anyway someone please remind me is it best to pull your toes up to you or point them down? Also in the recess of my memory I am sure there is something that you should eat to prevent them but can't remember what???

Thanks ladies x

Oof you have my sympathy. I always got those.

I found that flexing my foot and massaging my calf helped

I was told that you should drink tonic water as the quinine helps. I think eating salt is supposed to help. That might be guff though

Hope they don't give you too much gip

lots of water and bananas

hth x

Drinking milk in the evening used to help me.

Cramps are often due to lower salt because of increased water intake, so guzzling a load of extra water alone may actually make it worse. Bananas are high in potassium, not so much sodium.

You can either go packet of crisps or peanuts, always good, or more natural sodium like olives or something.

HTH

I often suffer with restless legs and more so when pregnant, so not quite the same thing but...
I was away with the school on a trip last week (40 teenagers and a 15hr journey at 27 weeks, must be mad!) and wore flight socks while travelling (by coach). I'm not sure how long / often you can wear them for, but I found as soon as I put them on my legs felt better. I kept them on for about 9hrs I think and took them off when we arrived at the youth hostel. Might be worth a try.

I found it best to curl toes up towards you, pointing down made it more painful.

I agree with the pps that tonic water with quinine is supposed to be good and salty foods. Also try doing some calf stretches before you go to bed, I found that helped reduce them a bit.

Cheers ladies, will try your tips! Here's hoping tonight is not bad.

Flex your feet back towards you. Even better stand on the edge of the stairs with yours toes on the step and let your weight push your heels down over the edge. Really powerful stretch.

I've just been told that cramps can also be due to increased weight and presurre on your legs as you grow, so my Pilates teacher has been giving me some leg strengthening exercises. So squats, calve raises on two feet and then one only may also help make your legs a little stronger and reduce frequency...

Best of luck!

Salt and tonic water works for me (I have silly low BP). I guzzle just a small can of tonic before bed and seems to do the trick massage good, pointing bad, flexing good. Pilates def helps - the clam a really good one for when pregnant.

I'm so glad I found this I've been suffering MAJORLY :( Will try all these things!!!!!

Can you put gin in the tonic?

Yellow So glad that you asked that question I was wondering???? :)

Do you have a wall within leg's reach of your bed? If you put your foot flat on the wall and push really hard as if to knock the wall over with your foot it should get rid of the cramp, always works for me.

May I recommend a truly... magical remedy? Go out into your garden and find some shrooms. I'm on my 8th wonder now and if you brew these little bastards for a few hours in a teapot (mine was a wedding gift - oh we do love those in-laws!! ) and it'll really take the edge off...

Spread the love, StonerMom

It's salts. Bananas are good, but add (in normal levels) a bit of extra salt.

Stoner - No thanks.

Those hideous dioralyte drinks do the trick

Kiwi fruits

Schweppes tonic water or another brand that has quinine, cheapie supermarket stuff often has an artificial quinine flavour in it instead.

Magnesium supplement