For some women, pregnancy is the best time in a woman’s life. For others, it is the absolute worst experience ever. This of course depends on how easy or hard the pregnancy is on the woman’s body. One of the main complaints women have during pregnancy is back pain. The second most common complain is leg cramps. If you are expecting, or planning to be expecting soon, you need to know how to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy.
What Causes Leg Cramps During Pregnancy?
There are a number of causes of leg cramps during pregnancy. Some of it is attributed to the extra weight that your legs are not used to carrying around. Some doctors say that the leg cramping mostly occurs due to the fact that the growing uterus is putting more strain on the blood vessels.
These leg cramps usually begin during your second trimester, and they may continue, or become worse as the pregnancy progresses. They occur most often during the night, but they could also occur during the daytime hours. These cramps are what are also known as ‘Charlie Horses.’ The back of the calf cramps up, and when you feel a cramp, you should not rub it out. Instead, you should stand up and walk backwards. It takes a little longer to work the cramp out with this method, but this is the safest way to do it, as you don’t risk causing blood clots to race to your heart.
How You Can Reduce Leg Cramps
There are a number of things that you can do to prevent leg cramps. First, do not cross your legs or sit on your legs. Make sure that you are always getting good circulation to your legs. Try not to sit too much or to stand too much.
Take time each day to sit down, hold your legs out in front of you, and to flex and point your toes, working the calf muscles. Wiggle your toes as often as you can remember to do so.
Make absolutely sure that you drink plenty of water. Dehydration is a major cause of leg cramps – even if you aren’t pregnant. Also take a warm bath before you go to bed, as this helps to expand the blood vessels and relax the muscles.
What to Do About Severe Leg Cramps
Severe leg cramps during pregnancy should be discussed with your doctor. The doctor needs to know the intensity of the cramping, what you are doing to prevent it or to remedy the condition when it happens, and how often it is happening. If you are experiencing leg cramps four times a week or more, this could be an indication that there is something serious going on.
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