painful calf cramps while pregnant

[penguinpear]

Hi. I'm 12 weeks on second pregnancy and just started getting painful calf cramps. I had the same in pregnancy before, at night I wake in excruciating pain when calf muscle literally locks in a tense cramp, I fall out of bed and rub it frantically until it goes.

Does anyone else get this? How can I prevent it?! I don't get it outside of pregnancy.

I got this last time as well. No advice other than stretching out the offending calf muscle whilst leaning in the wardrobe and cursing like a sailor.

I had this too. Horrible

Other half told me I was likely a little dehydrated and so increased drinking more water, problem solved.

You need a supportive partner to massage them in the middle of the night

Drink tonic water! Honestly it helps but I can't remember why!

Yes often had these, it can be due to a lack of potassium, try eating a banana a day.

Eat a banana a day for potassium and drink tonic water it's the quinine in the tonic water helps.

I got these, they were awful. Used to wake DH up with my violent swearing when it happened. In my second pregnancy I got better at breaking the cramp IYSWIM- I could feel it coming and so I'd flick my ankle in the opposite direction which seemed to stop the muscle spasm. It's a bit hard to explain and feels a bit counterintuitive the first time you do it, but it seemed to help.

I had these quite bad in my last pregnancy, not so much in this.

Tonic water before bed really helps as does trying to remember (although this isn't so easy to do at 3am) to flex your foot up (toes towards knee) when you feel the cramp coming on, and not down. This stretches the cramp out, as it were.

Same here, really bad also, only in my right leg! But did pass eventually, massage and plenty of water does help x

I had this with both my pregnancies & second tonic water, a couple of glasses in the evening really did help.

I had this, would also suggest more fluids. I still remember waking up with it and not being able to remember if I should bend my foot up or down. I guessed down and it was agony. Never again!

Tonic water might not be recommended in pregnancy.
A foam roller for calves every evening , regular stretching and support stockings help as does drinking water - lots of it.
Avoid heels too -for a bit until it settles down.

That's exactly what I was trying (and failing) to explain bagofsnakes. Stops the cramp in its tracks if you do it in time.

Tonic water and osteocare tablets

I had these, especially in the final weeks. I'd leap out of bed shouting about cramps and DH would start running around in circles looking for the hospital bag, car keys etc. ready to leave for the hospital fool

Watching with interest as I had this terribly last time (poor dh kept thinking I'd gone into labour with the noise I was making). Not been so bad this time (so far, only 20 weeks) but I have been consciously drinking more fluid so maybe that's helping.

Ah I feel your pain!
I've had them all this pregnancy and my first! Sometimes even in the muscle inside my knees?
I seriously recommend getting your bloke to fetch something frozen asap it helps no end.
I sleep with the iron next to the bed as it's the coldest thing I can have near me to slap onto my leg when I get them!
Isn't pregnancy full of delights

As someone who has successfully made it to week 38 (this Saturday) with no craps in the last few months (since 3-4 month really) here is what I did:

• drink loads
• eat magnesium rich foods or get a calcium + magnesium only supplement (I am on the supplement since I don't do well with dairy and don't want the baby to take the calcium out of my bones plus my body uses magnesium a lot)
• before doing to bed stretch your calve muscles your posture adjusts with the growing bump and puts more pressure onto the muscles
• when you feel the cramp coming on stretch against it straight away before it has a chance to get full blown.

Maxis1, no craps for months?! Sounds uncomfortable.

I had this several times a night early on, the only thing I found that helped is to put your toes down on the floor and move your heel up and down to stretch the calf muscle. I found rubbing it made it worse! It passed super quick by doing this.

Justspeaksense that's hilarious! Your dh must have been hyper alert to the prospect of labour.

Hi I suffered with these between 20 - 30 weeks. I could feel them coming on by the end and the moment I felt it I would flex my foot towards me. So flexing toes towards my shins and it would stop it before going into full blown cramp.

The other thing I did was scream 'leg' and my DH would just lift it in the air and squeeze my muscles while half asleep!

xx