Leg Cramps and Pregnancy
I was at a birthday party yesterday when someone asked me how I felt in my last month of pregnancy. I moaned about my leg cramps. Well, sure enough another 3 women in the room had the same problem (1 women was pregnant, 2 women were in their 60’s) and all offered solutions. One was to drink quinine (found in tonic water), the other to put my feet up and the third to hydrate myself with water. I didn’t think pregnant women could drink quinine so I opted for the water solution. (Putting my feet up was not an option yesterday). I drank 7 glasses of water starting at 7:30 pm last night. Voila! No leg cramps last night or today! So I am trying it again tonight.
P.S. (my sister-in-law, who is a midwife, gave me magnesium for my leg cramps a few months ago, and it seemed to work with the added bonus of deep sleep)
However, I wanted to know three things:
- Can a pregnant woman drink quinine?
- What other solutions have been offered out there that work?
- Have any of you found good solutions for YOUR leg cramps?
Answer to question 1.
A few small studies suggest that quinine is effective in decreasing the
frequency of nocturnal leg cramps but not their severity or duration. In general, quinine in any form should be avoided by pregnant women and
people with hepatic failure. Quinine consumed for the treatment of leg
cramps should be prescribed and monitored by physicians, and people who
consume quinine in commercial beverages must be warned of the health
risks.
Answers to question 2.
Muscle fatigue isn’t the only reason you may be suffering from leg
cramps. Too much phosphorus (found in processed meat, snack foods, and
soda) and too little calcium and potassium circulating in your blood
can also cause muscle spasms.
And a third reason is that as your uterus expands, it can put pressure on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. Eat a banana or drink a glass of milk before bed for a quick calcium and potassium boost.
Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time. Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.
Stretch your calf muscles (see How to get rid of leg cramps, below) several times before you go to bed.
leg cramp, relax the muscle through gentle massage, or heat the muscle
with a warm towel or hot water bottle. A warm bath before bedtime may
also help to relax your muscles and prevent leg cramps. Avoid standing or sitting in one position for long periods of time. Stretch. Stretching your legs (especially your calves) before going to bed can help reduce your chances of getting leg cramps. Exercise. Regular exercise, such as a daily walk, can help prevent leg cramps
Related Posts:
- Ach! Growing Pains (August 4th, 2010)
- Favorite Local Resources For Pregnancy (March 13th, 2009)
- Readers Comments and Questions (July 8th, 2008)
- Pregnancy and Weight (January 14th, 2008)
- Stress and Pregnancy (October 12th, 2007)
I know how awful leg cramps can be. Until I lost 90 pounds, I used to get painful cramps in my legs almost every night. There are many helpful comments on http://www.nolegcramps.com/
that explain why leg cramps can occur and solutions for getting rid of them. When I started to eat better and drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, my leg cramps disappeared. One of the reasons you can leg cramps is from dehydration – so always drink plenty of fresh water everyday!
I had horrible leg cramps with my first pregnancy–drank lots of water, etc. Had completely forgotten about them when I was pregnant a second time. Then one night I had the awful cramping again, the kind that make you jolt up in bed in pain. Asked my midwife and all she said was–I kid you not–”Don’t point your toes.” I swear to god… I never pointed my toes and I never had another leg cramp.
Yay for only 1 month to go!! And good info to know… Were the leg cramps like Restless Leg Syndrome? I had that really bad too. I’m glad the water worked… although, were you up running to the bathroom all night instead of up with leg pain??