any tips for relieving restless legs at night??

[blondebaby111]

I fall asleep no problem but I keep waking about 2 or 3am and I don't know where to put my legs, I lay one way then the other but its just no good...takes me forever to get back to sleep, the contant ache aand restlessness in my legs is awful...help..any tips???

Paracetamol and a hot water bottle on my calves - seems to be the only thing that works for me

Magnesium supplements, according to someone on my antenatal group. Available from health food shops. She said they worked wonders.

Get up and have a bath.. Was the only thing that worked for me. It completely went the moment I gave birth though and didn't come back

Depending I how far along you are lying on your back with your legs up the wall for a while really helps.

Drink coconut water!

Seconding magnesium - if you don't want to take the supplements, then get Epsom Salts and put them in the bath that MummyLuce has suggested. :)

A cork at the bottom of your bed (under the covers touching your feet). No idea how it works but it did for me.

I read on a thread the other day that restless legs and cramps can be due to an imbalance in your salts (I know, I sound loopy!) from drinking too much water. Apparently lucozade/dioralyte type stuff can help.

Eat bananas, something to do with potassium gentle leg stretches before bed.

You have my sympathy, i had restless legs with DD and it was horrible.

a bar of soap at the bottom od the bed. Bizarre, but worked for me!

My godmother suffers from this (she's not pregnant though) and the only thing that works for her is a little shot of vinegar before bed. Don't know if that would be worse than the restless legs though!

Thanx for all your replie, I'll try these tips, I'll pass them on to my mum too. She suffers with this (it drives her mad, she's not preggo tho) so I now know what she goes thru x

Foot and leg massage solved it for me most times, although I used to mostly get it in the evening before bed and it's easier to persuade someone to massage you then. I suspect my DH would have been less willing if I'd woken him up on the few occasions I did get it at 3am.

I did try massaging my legs myself when DH wasn't about/was fast asleep but it didn't have the same effect so I'd end up walking around or having a bath.

Hope that you find something that works for you!