Leg cramps late pregnancy

[Chl00]

Hi I’m nearly in third trimester and yesterday morning I woke up and my leg cramped up really bad hurt so bad for a couple minutes and then stopped and ever since it’s felt sore to walk on.. I read online that leg cramps are common towards the end and of pregnancy but nothing seems to sooth leg muscle.. (I’ve tried massaging it, stretching it, resting it/putting it up, walking as normal as possible but I can’t manage properly because feels too uncomfortable, and I just tried putting a cold bag of peas on it for a while and then putting my leg in a hot tub while sat on the edge) nothing is working and I’m such a worrier so whenever I look online I always read the worst things😅

Anyone else have this? Or have an tips to relax/ sooth the pain? (It’s not too painful just really uncomfortable when I try walk so I’ve been hobbling about for 2 days) TIA

I had this with my second pregnancy and midwife told me it was very common. You need to take some magnesium. Consult your midwife just in case.

Yes! With my first I woke up screaming every morning clutching my husband- the more I screamed the worse it got. I’ve had it once with my current pregnancy and I’m so scared it will get worse as I move to my third trimester. All I could do was relax- so much easier said than done but if I tried to breath and stay calm the muscle relaxed. The feeling afterwards was like I’d done a hr squat class.
You have my sympathy

When you get leg cramp you need to stretch your calf muscles because it's the muscles tightening up. When its finished the pain you're feeling is from the muscles tightening and is like you've done a tonne of exercise on them. Unfortunately, just like when you've done a big workout, there isnt anything above what you've done already (massaging, hot water etc) to stop the aching after cramp and it will just go away on it's own in a couple of days, just like it does with exercise.

Very useful tip I read was as soon as you experience the cramp pull your foot UP towards the front of your leg and hold it there. Really nips the pain in the bud therefore doesn't hurt for as long after.

Cramps are common - esp waking with them - make sure you hydrate well and try taking some magnesium (can get tabs from pharmacy or health shops).
But - pain on one side and ongoing for a couple of days sounds perhaps a little atypical, is your leg swollen at all? It would be worth discussing with doctor or midwife as sometimes a DVT can present like this.

I used to have a banana in the evening, which seemed to help x

I have the same 🙈 30 weeks now
As soon as I feel it starting I jump up out of bed and put my foot straight on the floor, flat. It's stops straight away and then not as bad to walk in afterwards 👍🏻👍🏻 I've found drinking more helps to xxx

@TenThousandSpoons0 yeah this is now day 3 of struggling to walk on it but there’s no swelling or redness but I might contact the doctor to see if he has any concerns as it hasn’t actually cramped up again it’s just still painful from the first time

Very sore calf here too! Woke up on Tuesday morning with horrendous cramp and spent all yesterday and this morning so far hobbling around - stairs are the worst 😫
It does feel like muscle DOMS so hoping it'll be better by tomorrow.
I went to the gym yesterday and did 30mins on the cross trainer which seemed to help in the afternoon (possibly due to increased blood flow to the muscle?) but sore again this morning, looks like it's back to the gym for me!

Update: GP said not to worry unless the calf muscle becomes swollen and red, she said it’s very unlikely to be a DVT or anything because I had a stiff painful leg cramp before the pain started, hope this is helpful for anyone else, she didn’t give any advice to deal with the pain she just said hopefully should be gone in a week but to do stretches to avoid it cramping again otherwise the pain won’t go away.. so I’m just gunna hobble round the garden for the next week or so 😂