Is it harmful? crossing legs like men

[Saku]

I am 34 weeks pregnant. I know crossing legs in pregnancy can give restless legs.. but what if crossing legs like men (one leg ankle resting on other leg's knee)

I wear pants. In my office under my desk I am very habitual to cross my legs like this way.. I heard that crossing legs can stops blood flow .. but i am not keeping one knee on another then..

Even I read crossing legs can make umbilical cord to wrap around baby's neck... Is it true???

Will be grateful if any one can give more real information about this..

Really?! I've never heard of this being a problem. Certainly the cord thing is definitely not true!

I m 39+ wks and sit with my ankles crossed a lot, sometime it cuts the circulation off to my lower foot. So I stop and walk out the pins and needles.

Sometime when I do it I get a bit more oedema in my ankles than when I don't. Oedema isn't that bad this pregnancy was much worse last time and I couldn't sit with my legs crossed at all.

I don't worry too much about it, and the umbilical cord thing is nonsense!

Hi All, first of all Congratulations to all of you..
eltsihT So excited to know that you are full term.. let me know the big good news when it happens...

Not sure about crossing legs.. should I cross or try to stop.. I am still trying but unknowingly I cross them.. and cord thing if you search on web it is written every where..

eltsihT I am not getting pins and needles normally(I get leg cramps only at night or morning on bed).. I do a Yoga exercise for feet which is very easy and seems very useful for me ..No restless legs. Therefore thought of sharing..
Sit down on ground and spread your legs flat(dont bend your knee while doing this excercice) and wide in front you with ease. Give you support by your hands .. keeping your hands on ground behind you.. and try to make a big O in air by your toe in both the directions. Do it daily 10 mins .. that's it..

Honestly, I crossed my legs all the time during pregnancy. Yes it's all over the net but what you're actually seeing is nervous women asking on chat sites and people responding by saying its a myth. It's on babycentre which I've actually found a really useful resource. I should think the main issue with crossing your legs is it affecting your circulation and increasing the risk of puffy ankles, best thing to do is sit with them elevated whenever you can.

I was told by a midwife that crossing legs could heighten the risk of dvt. Not sure how true that is?

The cord thing is definitely NOT TRUE. I mean, just try to think about it logically for a second.

Increasing risk of DVT? Maybe, since crossing legs may compress the vascular system in the leg a bit (giving you pins & needles).

I reckon, if you're in late pregnancy, do whatever you fancy to be comfortable. You'll have to move within 2 minutes anyway!

I went to an antenatal physio who said it should be avoided if possible for two reasons:

1. Your circulation is worse in pregnancy due to hormone relaxin on the blood vessels and the position of the baby in relation to the inferior vena cava which is the main vein taking blood from the legs back to the heart. Crossing your legs compounds any circulation-related problems.
2. It twists your pelvis which is already loose due to relaxin on the ligaments. Most people have a favoured side when they cross so your pelvis can end up out of alignment which is the main cause of back, hip, knee and even neck problems.

So, it's not horribly "risky" and not bad for the baby but if you can get out of the habit or limit it it will be better for you. Also if you do cross, swap legs often and get up and walk around often.

Bloody hell, if we listened to all the ridiculous "advice" heavily dished out to pregnant women, we would all be kept in dark padded rooms living off water and kale for 9 months.

The position you described OP (ankle on opposite knee) was one of the stretches recommended to me in a PGP antenatal class run by maternity physiotherapists. So can't be that damaging! I can't actually get into that position since getting a bump though!

hi.. craftycottontail ohh...... it is very good to hear .. that unknowingly I am doing a good stretching.. yes with bump I also get tired in some time and do it other way around (with another ankle on opposite knee)... but I cant stop doing it ..