Leg Cramps at Night While Pregnant

I have the same advice that Thirza gave. I had the same problems. It was the worst my first. My doctor told it was from low potassium and eat a banana.

I had these also during pregnancy and my doctor put me on Calcet, you buy them at Wal-mart specifically for leg cramps. ASk them? it does help.

Yep - I've always heard that leg cramps during pregnancy are usually caused by a lack of potassium. I didn't have them so much with my 2nd child so I didn't need to try extra potassium...maybe I had enough? Anyway, when I had them with my 1st, I would flex my foot (toes up and back toward your head, hehe) at the onset of the cramp and it would subside fairly quickly.

I don't remember if my legs cramped any more when I was pregnant than any other time really, but I've heard one cause for leg cramps is not enough calcium. That may not be your issue, but if you're not drinking enough milk or getting enough dairy products, that could be one reason.

Lucky for you, I know of a "cure". Now, this is one of those old wives tales home remedies that have been passed down for decades, but it has even baffled scientists because it does truly tend to work. Take a bar of soap and place it between your mattress and your fitted sheet near the bottom of your bed (like near where you feet are). That's it. You shouldn't have any more problems with leg cramps after that. I know it sounds crazy, but my husband was suffering with leg cramps nightly for a while several years ago and my mom told me she read about this remedy in either Dear Abby or Dear Ann Landers and so we tried it. Neither of us have had leg cramps since we've put the bar of soap in our bed. My mother-in-law had a circulation problem she ended up having to get surgery for and she had terrible cramps. She was even having them in the hospital after she had her surgery. We put a bar of soap under her fitted sheet on her hospital bed and the cramps stopped. Again, I don't know why or how it works, but for everyone I know who's tried it, it has worked. Hopefully it will work for you too.

Good luck! :-)

You need to increase your calcium intake. Make sure you are getting 3 full servings of calcium daily, or take a supplement.

Good luck!

I'm also 23 weeks pregnant and have the same problem. Here's the advice that I've gotten that seems to work for me:
Eat a banana before bed to get some potassium to your muscles and stretch those calves right before you go to sleep. Put your hands on the wall, take several steps back, and lean into the wall keeping your feet flat on the ground and you'll feel a good stretch in your calves. If nothing else, this should at least help decrease the pain.
I find it helps if I massage my calf while the cramp is happening. Good massage and stretching as soon as it happens help it to feel less painful in the morning.
Hope that helps!

I had very bad leg cramps with my first three even though I had lots of potassium, magnesium, calcium and water (although these are all good remedies.)So with my fourth I got pregnancy pillows and made sure I kept one between my legs and slept on my left side. I didn't have any leg cramps at all!

This happend to me each time I was Blessed with an Angel growing inside of me. Do not stretch your legs or point your toes while prego... This is the only advice I have.

Good Luck Sweetie,

A.

I got these with each of my 4 pregnancies and have heard it's due to lack of potassium and that eating a banana would help. I just tried to remember to eat a banana each day and it did seem to help.