cramp at night is it cos i'm pregnant and what can i do?

[lou222]

it's nearly every night in my toes and sometimes calves - it's awful
just wondered if it was to do with pregnancy or some other reason (I'm 15 weeks)
i'm hardly eating any salt (heard that can cause cramps)
anyone know what else causes it ?

We had this discussion at aquanatal this morning, MW suggested glass of tonic water before you go to bed, must have quinine in it, will be trying from tonight.

It is more common to get leg cramps in pregnancy, from all the extra weight and stress on the body.

I'm not sure there is an awful lot you can do, though I always found if I didn't have the quilt on (I was far too hot throughout both of my pregnancies for a quilt completely over me anyway) my legs felt a bit less constricted, and less likely to cramp, but it did still happen every now and then.

Tonic water helped me. You have my sympathies! x

I had cramp sometimes and I was recommended to drink a small glass of bitter lemon or tonic water. You could try streching your leg out and asking someone to gently pull your toes up as sometimes that can ease the muscles.

Oh and some gentle leg stretches before bed

bananas and milk for extra magnesium

Im pregnant too, and have this and had it in my last pregnancy. Its really awful isn t it? If you wake up with leg cramps then you need to get out of bed and stand on the affected leg. I know its the last thing you feel like doing but it honestly helps.

thanks for all the advice
re extra weight - lost a stone so can't be that !
oh no can't stand bitter lemon or tonic water!
will try bananas and milk thanks and the leg stretches

• no-one to pull my toes - poor me!!

I've been getting them too upto 3 or 4 times a night.
Don't normally have salt, but have been having a craving for salty foods especially crisps but doesn't seem to be helping.
Will try the bananas and milk though as I don't like tonic water either.
Must be a pregnancy thing. I'm 26 weeks.

I got terrible cramps with my first pregnancy. I used to get them in my calves. I found that if I just lay with my leg in the air, grabbed my toe, pushed my leg away from me and pulled back on my toe it kind of helped to stretch out the cramping muscle.

I don't know if that would work for everyone, but it certainly helped me.

I also used to get out of bed, lean on a wall and push down on the leg with the cramp, sometimes that helped. You do have my sympathy, I absolutely hated that particular pregnancy symptom!

Hope you find something that works for you.

yep def a preg thing. Try doing ankle rotations and foot flexes(point toes away then back towards you repeatly) before you go to sleep

Think it is a magnesium deficiency supposedly. If you aren't taking Pregnacare or something you could try taking that and see if it helps.

Yep - had this in both pgs. Agree with chaoskay's method - grab your toes, pull toes towards you, then push the leg away from you. Heard that bananas work for some but not sure they made a difference for me.

Leg stretches before bed def help.

It is agony isn't it - I'm 33 weeks and getting them nearly every night just now. Last night I was almost screaming

I had this - terrified my dh by waking up screaming in pain on numerous occasions! I swore by bananas - eat one before bed - and also as soon as you get a cramp!

I had this a lot when pg. One night I was staying in a caravan and my feet were almost on the wall at the bottom of the bed, so I just moved down so that they were flat on the wall (I was lying on my back) and that seemed to help. I suppose it was just stretching them out really, but without having to get out of bed!

Can you manoeuvre your bed so there is a wall handy?

I read it was magnesium deficiency, took supplements, and had no more cramps.

deffo try milk worked with both my pregnancies

definately try tonic water (schweppes the best, more quinine?)

I used to get cramp in my calf during pregnancy but I found eating crisps helped. Who knows??

I had this - MW told me to put a little salt on my evening meal, have not had it since i started.

Salt works for me too - my midwife suggested it as I have a low salt diet (but not because of any medical condition).

I have previously had cramps in my calf muscles almost every night during last half of pregnancies but this time round I've only had it twice.

Nice big bag of Burts or Tyrells is what you want!

arf @ Mr Cali!