If you’ve had leg cramps during pregnancy you’ll know how painful they can be.
The exact reason for leg cramps is not known, although it is suspected that the expansion of the uterus puts pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in the legs, which then causes leg cramps and some occasional pain.
If you do get a cramp, immediately stretch your calf muscles: Straighten your leg, heel first, and gently flex your toes back toward your shins. It might hurt to begin with, but it will ease the spasm and the pain will gradually go away. You can try to relax the cramp by massaging the muscle or warming it with a hot water bottle. Walking around may help too.
What can help prevent leg cramps?
- Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.
- Stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.
- Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you are sitting, such as during meals or watching TV.
- Avoid getting too tired. Lying on your left side can improve circulation to and from your legs.
- Try a warm bath before bed to relax muscles.
- Eat magnesium-rich foods such as spinach, kale, silverbeet, lentils, chickpeas, black beans, almonds, cashews, seeds, wholegrains, avocado, bananas and dark chocolate.
- Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.
- Stay hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.
It's also thought that taking a magnesium supplement can help prevent leg cramps, but check with your midwife first.
Stay well mama
Extract from Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond e-book - FREE with your Labour TENS Hire.
