The exact cause of leg cramps is not known, but there are some factors believed to contribute to leg cramps. The extra weight of pregnancy, changes in blood flow and pressure on the nerves in your baby's growth is believed to cause discomfort in the legs. The best way to deal with leg cramps is to prevent them.
Prevention of leg cramps
There are some things you can do to prevent leg cramps. Standing or sitting too long at a time can cause leg cramps. If your job requires standing or sitting for long periods, take breaks during the day. Put your feet if you get up to work and get up and walk around regularly if you are sitting at a desk.
How you sit can also contribute to leg cramps. Avoid crossing your legs when sitting. Circulation is declining, while the legs are crossed. Sitting high on the legs at the end of the day or the breaks to help improve blood circulation, which can help reduce cramping.
When you get up, stretch the leg muscles can help prevent cramps. Stretch the calf muscles during the day and before going to bed at night because that's when the cramps are more common. Walking is another way to improve circulation in your legs and stretch the muscles.
How can you sleep at night, affects the blood circulation. Lying on the left side, the night is the best sleeping position to increase circulation. This is important to crises and to provide more oxygen to your body and your baby.
Regular exercise is good for your circulation. There are many benefits of exercise during pregnancy, including fewer leg cramps, decreased risk of certain complications, weight gain control and prepare the body for the job. Yoga swimming, walking and prenatal care are forms of exercise that increases circulation, reduce leg cramps and is soft. Ask your doctor or midwife before starting a new exercise routine during pregnancy.
There is evidence to suggest that some supplements can help with cramps. The theory is that low levels of calcium or magnesium may be responsible for increased cramping. The science is mixed on whether taking supplements is useful, but perhaps worth a try for recurrent cramps. Talk to your doctor before adding additional charges to your daily diet.
Dehydration can contribute to leg cramps. If you experience leg cramps, careful to stay well hydrated. Take a bottle of water, you can work out or run errands. Sipping water throughout the day to help you stay well hydrated, which can reduce leg cramps.
Treatment of leg cramps
Despite the best prevention efforts, colic may occur. When you become a cramp in the middle of the night, the pain is severe and sudden. To relax muscles and relieve cramps, stretch your legs, flex your foot and toes to move to work in the cramp. Avoid pointing your toes, which may intensify cramping.
Get up and walk to a stop. This is uncomfortable at first, but continue to walk to the bedroom to stretch muscles and increase circulation in the legs. After a hot bath with a bottle of hot water or massaging the calf muscles can also be useful to stop the cramps when they occur.
When you worry about leg cramps
While leg cramps are quite common discomfort and usually require no medical treatment, not all leg cramps are benign. Some things to watch for include constant pain in the calf muscles, pain and swelling. This may be a sign of a blood clot in the leg, which can be very serious or life-threatening if the clot is broken. Symptoms of blood clots should never be ignored.
According to the American Society of Hematology, women are at increased risk of developing blood clots during pregnancy. A family history of blood clots, obesity and bed rest increases the risk and can lead to complications during pregnancy or danger to maternal health. Therefore, it is important to keep an eye on warning signs and to tell your doctor immediately.
More information about leg cramps during pregnancy are available on the March of Dimes.
Biography
Patricia Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four children. Patricia has a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University. He has written extensively on pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and breastfeeding. She also writes about decorating and travel.
