Leg cramp winge

[fibrecruncher]

Am 35 wks and since about 28 wks have been experiencing the most horrible sympton of leg cramps. I am peacefully sleeping and will be woken up with the most severe cramp in my calf I have ever felt. Actually feels like someone is ripping off my calf muscle its soooo painful. :(

Just wanted to have a bit of a winge. Already feels better.

Yep, i am 23 weeks and leg cramps have started already. Every morning, I try to stretch and cramp without fail!

Apparently something to do with calcium and magnesium.

I was getting horrendous foot cramps about that time that would make me scream and poor DH would come running thinking the baby was on her way!

I found if I took a dioralite (sp?) rehydration sachet they stopped completely. Coconut water seems to help too, something about potassium apparently.

Will try see if some sort of diet/drink change helps. And yes poor DH - I do wake up screaming really loudly - totally freaks him out.

Ginger did you have the sachet just before bed?

They take ages to go away as well.

I feel your pain. I'm 26 weeks and the other night I had foot cramp at 3am it was excruciating, i got rid of it and it immediately came back this happened three times. I went back to sleep and got woken up at 4.15 with leg cramp!! It just wouldn't go and I was half asleep dealing with it, whimpering all the while. The pain lingered for the rest of the day making walking really difficult. I'm so worried its going to get worse :(

Had this with DD, and am beginning to get it now with DC2 (22 weeks).
Try eating bananas and drinking tonic water or bitter lemon, which seems to ease it for me, or use a search to find other foods rich in Potassium, Magnesium (and quinnine, can't remember why though).

I also find that I needed to stretch the right way. If I stretch my legs with toes pointed it could bring on a cramp, but if I flexed my heel so that the calf is stretched out (toes up towards knees IYSWIM) then I was much less likely to get leg cramps.

Hope that helps.

Evening I think twotears but around dinner time I think rather than just before bed. My husband is a pharmacist and he told me to try it. Much as I hate proving him right it definitely seemed to work!

I use to get these pre pregnancy and found more salt and water (hydration generally), in my diet helped, and keeping my legs warm at night (although I don't suppose thats an issue at the moment).

Easiest way to ease it was to get OH to apply pressure to the bottom of my foot to strech the calf and then rub the calf really hard, once you can move again standing on that leg and rubbing the calf some more so you get to a stage that you can stretch it out.

get some magnesium supplements from H&B or Boots etc.. I prefer the Boots ones as they also have calcium and vit D in them. I suffer really badly with cramps anyway cause of nerve damage and also restless legs syndrome.

After a week of taking the supplements a few months ago, I can hand on heart say I have had an attack of RLS about 3 times, and even then very mild - and until the last few days have had no cramps. But then now I am 37w and with the heat and fluid and swelling it's kicking off again cramps wise.

Honestly, try it, it's awesome!

Me too! I've even started cramping on the top of my hand?!?! Bloody hurts. It happens a lot on the top of my foot too. I've never had cramp that stretches from thigh to foot before my 3rd trimester...a night without that little treat is a great night I really sympathise. No restless leg syndrome for me yet though. I'm still grateful for each ailment I haven't clocked up yet ;) xx

Yeah, it's due to low magnesium. My midwife recommended the magnesium spray (picked it up in Holland and Barrett). She said to spray it on your legs and rub it in, if it stings, it means that it's low magnesium causing the cramps. I did this and it stung quite badly after a few minutes. Definitely helps. No cramps since I started using this.

What a brilliant tip - thanks!