leg and foot cramps....ouch

[mum2fourds]

Every night for the last few weeks I've been waking up with the most unbelievable muscle cramps....im 24 weeks....i have a herniated disc in my back which caused nerve damage in ny leg but that was fixed with a steroid injection about a year ago but the pain is back in my leg at night....anyone else experiencing bad muscle cramps or have any advice on how to help?

I have had occasional cramps in the night, mostly in my legs and feet but more recently my arms and hands! Very weird.

I have heard that bananas can help to prevent cramping but my cramps aren't regular enough for me to say whether they are effective. Might be worth a go for you though.

I had these really really badly for a few weeks and I've followed loads of advice and they've finally gone. There are a number things that can cause cramps: low calcium, low potassium, low sodium, dehydration, and low magnesium. So I started eating bananas daily, drinking loads of milk, drinking more through day and taking magnesium supplements. I also drank tonic water (as quinine in tonic can help cramps). I also have a terrible habit of crossing my legs - which I have consciously stopped. After a few days of doing this, they have stopped. They were so bad I would be screaming and crying for what felt like ages and my poor OH didn't know what to do and then I'd struggle to walk the next day my muscles were so tight.
Hope you feel better soon.

My yoga teacher says sometimes performing some stretches before you go to bed is good for preventing cramp

My legs cramp at night when I fold them back. So if I go to sleep with them tucked up I'll wake up a couple of hours later in agony. Now I make a conscious effort to sleep with my legs straightened out, that helps some.

I'm 29 weeks and had this pretty bad about how far along you are, but now not so much. When I do get it though, best thing I've found was as I felt it coming, get out of bed and stand up. Instantly goes and no pain the next day.
I tried bananas, exercising, stretches etc but couldn't find a way to stop it. So instead if I've found a way to deal with it when it happens.

I've had this too, it is bloody agony. I've taken to eating bananas but I dread waking up I case I have cramps. The other night I had cramps in both calls, I could hardly walk the next day. I'm ultra careful when I get up as u sometimes get them from stretching my legs in the morning.

I've woken up the past four nights with leg cramps. 20 weeks. And my legs still hurt the next day. So annoying.

Thanks girls....ill give those tips a try.....the cramps are so unbelievably painful at times ....actually had a leaving for tonic water with my first pregnancy so ill def give that a try too....best of luck to you all and thanks :-)

*craving

Indian tonic water (the real stuff with quinine in it) will stop the cramps, take a good big glass before bed.
I had to increase a bit towards the end of pregnancy, a glass over the course of the evening and a glass at bedtime.

Makes note to buy some tonic water

Also try magnesium. Epsom salt bath before bed. You can also get spray oil which is amazing but expensive.