Leg cramps in the night

[DaisyEM]

I’m 16 weeks with baby 2 and I keep getting woken up in the night with agonising cramps in my calves 🤦🏻‍♀️ does anyone know why this happens and how to alleviate it? I vaguely recall maybe having the same with my first but much later in pregnancy. DS doesn’t sleep well so I’d like to try and minimise wakeups beyond him waking several times, me waking to pee, and waking because my hips are aching…and now because of cramping calves too!

I had this with each of my pregnancies and the only thing which stopped it was sleeping on my side with my knees bent, so my legs were in flexion. I'd love to know why it happens!

@BadgeronaMoped I’ll try and look into it. I have a feeling it might have something to do with a vitamin deficiency?! Although I’m taking pregnancy vitamins. I’m side sleeping anyway as can’t lay on my front due to bump and can’t get comfy on my back. Maybe I’ll try getting my pregnancy pillow out and see if sleeping with it between my knees helps 🤔

Do you take multivitamins? Magnesium is good for cramps x

I found sleeping with a pregnancy pillow helped... And for some reason drinking plain tonic water!

Yes, what rainbow said. It is a magnesium deficieny, you can get magnesium spezialisiert formulated for the night (sometimes called magnesium for sleep)

@rainbow616 @fuzzwuss @MrsWidgerysLodger thanks all. I’m taking a pregnancy vitamin so I’ll check what the magnesium content is and will look into whether I can take an additional supplement. Will dig out my pregnancy pillow too!

I got magnesium salts for the bath so have that once a week and they seem to have stopped. Absolute agony though! I think they can be caused by dehydration too so top up your water if you can ☺️

I agree, it could be dehydration. Trying drinking water when the cramps are happening - if that stops them you've found the problem.

magnesium spray from holland and barretts that you spray on your legs just before bed. Epsom salts bath that you sit in for 20 mins, twice a week

As others have said Epsom salt baths and magnesium spray have really helped me. I got my magnesium spray from home bargains the main better you brand about £5 cheaper than Amazon or anywhere else.