https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:45:29 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-543441 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:13:31 +0000 cascademom 543441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>bananas and coconut water worked best for me. I hated them too. I also got a pillow to elevate my feet at night while I slept. That helped quite a bit too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-543427 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:09:59 +0000 autumnlove 543427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lovejoy: My leg and foot are still sore! I need to load up on potassium! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-543060 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:44:58 +0000 Mrs. Lovejoy 543060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@autumnlove: it must have been the night for Charlie horses, because I literally just went searching on HB about this and laughed when I saw how recent this thread is. Ouch! I'm getting them so often in the middle of the night! Thanks for all the good advice ladies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-542978 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:37:49 +0000 Arden 542978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got horrible ones a couple nights in a row around 25 weeks. I started using magnesium spray daily and eating mangos/bananas, and I never got one again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-542967 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:14:58 +0000 autumnlove 542967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just had an awful cramp in my ankle and calf. :-( I hope it doesn't happen again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386095 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:16:10 +0000 cokiezombie 386095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had them about 4 times in the past 2 months and omg they hurt soo bad. And my calf is sore for a few days afterwards :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386063 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:09:09 +0000 Mrsbells 386063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had this a lot while pregnant, It was horrible, Nothing I did really helped </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386050 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:06:43 +0000 Mrs Checkers 386050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had TERRIBLE leg cramps all throughout my 3rd trimester, and they were always right in the middle of my sleep! Usually I'd wake up, howling in pain and DH would need to massage it out. One night I had them in both legs and it was so painful, I cried. </p> <p>I hope yours go away soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386038 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:01:30 +0000 wheres_c 386038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them really bad at the beginning of second tri.<br /> I ate bananas, kept hydrated and drank coconut water.<br /> Getting up and walking helped a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386010 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:51:58 +0000 pl0508 386010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have had them throughout my pregnancy and the always com in the middle of the night. It feels like a knife in my calf and I am always sore the next day, too! They are the worst! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386002 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:49:40 +0000 WALLAROO 386002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually get mine in the middle of the night when I am in a deep sleep. I do what @highwire: recommended and flex my feet. It goes away but you will still feel the soreness in the calf the next day. I have been eating a banana a day - not sure it helps but I've heard that potassium in your diet should help keep the cramps at a minimum. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-386000 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:48:12 +0000 IcebergMom 386000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I forgot all about that symptom! Hang in there! I have no advice though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385988 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:44:47 +0000 kodybear 385988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i used to get them too but i found that as soon as i feel one coming on, if i stretch my legs so that my toes are pointed up towards my shins, it stops the cramp immediately. haven't had a leg cramp since. i also noticed that i would get the cramps when i'm stretching my legs so now when i stretch my legs i stretch them with the toes pointed up so i don't have to worry about getting a cramp </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385977 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:41:29 +0000 dagret 385977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i agree, get out of bed asap and walk on it! The worst is when you get one and you're all tangled up in the covers. </p> <p>I tend to get them in the morning when I'm half-asleep and stretching my legs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385966 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:34:13 +0000 junebuglim 385966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to get them during pregnancy too... so painful - also in the middle of the night. My hubs would have to massage it down for me. I tried to eat bananas with my morning cereal and as @highwire mentioned, I did a few calf flexes before going to sleep (while watching TV). I would do it against a wall. If you have the What to Expect book - they have a few exercises in there also. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385824 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 11:29:25 +0000 Andrea 385824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get a lot of potassium and drink tons of water but I still get them. I probably do not stretch enough so I've been trying to do more yoga. Definitely jump out of bed right away and put pressure on it. I just had one last night, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385731 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:38:47 +0000 Mrs. Blue 385731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: I'll try that. I've definitely been pointing my toe up off and on all morning trying to stretch out the soreness! Unfortunately, this one hit right in the middle of dead sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385727 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:36:57 +0000 DillonLion 385727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you feel one coming on, flex your feet back (pointing toes will make it worse) and try and stand up/walk immediately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385724 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:35:39 +0000 Mrs. Blue 385724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: It's all part of the "fun," right?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385721 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:34:04 +0000 T-Mom 385721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel your pain! I got them frequently. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night, clutching your leg in agony, and then falling right back asleep.. oh the joy of being PG... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385712 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:30:19 +0000 tororojo 385712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Poor thing! I got my first charley horse last night while half asleep after a pee break, but I forced my toes back toward my shin and it went away pretty quickly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385645 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:10:00 +0000 Smurfette 385645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have had a couple charlie horses. Hate them!</p> <p>I have restless leg syndrome and pregnancy has made it 100% worse. If I don't work out for a couple days it is awful. On the plus side it is helping me keep up with the gym. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385629 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:05:17 +0000 blackbird 385629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know they're common, but potassium and water can help. What about drinking coconut water? It's reeeally high in potassium. The mango kind is tasty </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385624 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:03:28 +0000 mrsmenow 385624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Blue: The same thing happened to me yesterday. It was the worst pain ever and I am still limping. I had them a lot with DD #1. Being low on potassium or dehydrated can make them worse, but otherwise I don't think there is much you can do:( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385620 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:02:14 +0000 Minnie_Girl 385620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Try applying magnesium oil! My midwives recommended it and it works like magic! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385615 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:00:37 +0000 mrsjyw 385615@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>HOLY CHARLIE HORSE. I had them bad!!!</p> <p>Tried to eat a lot of bananas, DH insisted that I drink coconut water (UGH NASTY)... so I did that a few times. Towards the end I finally figured out a foot bending method that worked to relieve my calf leg cramps pretty quickly.</p> <p>Hope they fade for you soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385611 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:58:55 +0000 Mrs. Blue 385611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@photojane: I'll try standing up next time. Sadly, I feel confident there will be a next time! :) Glad to know I'm not the only one that writhes around like I got my leg cut off! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385606 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:56:45 +0000 photojane 385606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>charlie horses are crazy common during pregnancy! i used to get them all the time growing up, so i know exactly what you're going through. thankfully, i've only had it happen twice since being pregnant. i've dealt with it my whole life, but i still wake up screaming, writhing, and freaking out like its the first time its happened. i've found that standing up and walking on that leg helps get rid of the cramp the quickest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leg-cramps#post-385604 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:54:06 +0000 Mrs. Blue 385604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Holy leg cramps, y'all. I rarely to never get muscle cramps and haven't since I was playing sports in HS. Last night, however, I woke up in agony; as in, I swear I've never hurt that bad in my life. I couldn't even straighten my leg and rolled all over poor DH while crying out in pain--I'm such a wimp apparently. Eventually, it eased, but this morning I'm limping slightly because my right calf is so darn sore from the cramp. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that pregnancy sometime causes increased leg cramps, but hadn't given it much thought. </p> <p>Did you get leg cramps during pregnancy? Did anything help prevent them/make them less frequent? </p>