Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

Leg cramps are caused by two things – tired, over-extended calf muscles or a mineral imbalance.  Whatever the cause, everyone who has experienced these nighttime awakenings understands the pain you feel!

There are two main ways to avoid leg cramps.  The first is to make sure that you are resting your legs during the day, especially when you reach the third trimester.  Make sure you’re sitting down with your feet propped up for at least ten minutes out of every hour.  If you do have to stand for long periods at a time, try to rest one foot on a box or stool four to eight inches from the ground, alternating feet regularly.

The other way to avoid cramping is to ensure that your diet is balanced, that you’re taking your prenatal vitamins every day and that you are avoiding junk food and sodas.  Cramps can be caused by an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus in your blood stream.  Junk foods, snack foods and processed meats are very heavy on the phosphorus – and certainly don’t lend themselves to a healthy diet – so it’s best to avoid them completely.

If you do experience those nighttime leg cramps, the best thing to do is to lie on your back and gently stretch your leg out straight, with your toes pointing toward the ceiling.  Very gently, ease your toes towards your nose.  As your muscle stretches, the cramp should ease. 

There’s also an old wives’ tale that drinking pickle juice will release those painful cramps.  Believe it or not, I was in so much pain once that I tried it and it worked!  Of course, my husband thought that it was just the walk to the fridge that stretched my calf muscles enough to ease the cramp.  Who knows?  But I do know that any extra sodium in a pregnant woman’s diet isn’t good for the baby, so always try gentle stretches first.  And remember, that great self-care is always the best preventative!