Tips To Avoid Leg Cramps During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful experiences in a woman’s lifetime. But we aren’t going to lie when we say it is also the most painful and annoying experience out of all. During your nine months of carrying your child, as a mother, you go through a number of ups and downs. Not only that but losing weight after pregnancy is another hard thing to do. The feeling of being a mom is great, but we can’t say the same about the effect it has on your body.

The first trimester is easier as compared to the latter no. As your body starts to grow bigger and bigger, your muscles and bones start to ache due to the excess weight added. Out of all, leg cramps are the most common among pregnant women. From sleepless nights to constant radiating pain throughout the calves – they can be quite annoying.

Today in this article, we are going to be discussing certain tips that can help you avoid leg cramps during pregnancy. So continue reading if you are suffering from leg cramps already, or you believe you might do so as soon as you hit your second trimester. 

What Causes Leg Cramps During Pregnancy?

In order to understand the problem and come up with an effective solution, one needs to understand the cause of the problem. In the case of leg cramps happening during pregnancy, doctors aren’t yet sure what causes them. According to much health professional, there can be a number of reasons behind them for instance;

1. The sudden increase in body weight might be too much for your muscles and bones to handle. 
2. The imbalance of pregnancy hormones can be blamed as well as they are responsible for multiple other types of body aches during pregnancy. 
3. The shift in your diet can also cause leg cramps. 
4. An increase or decrease of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus can also be a major cause behind cramps.

Tips To Prevent Leg Cramps During Pregnancy

Since we have a few known causes behind leg cramps during pregnancy, therefore here are a few tips that you can try to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. So let us go through them in detail. 

• Keeping healthy is the key to having a pain-free pregnancy. Your body goes through a ton of changes while you are pregnant. It is only acceptable if you provide your body with the right nutrients it needs to function properly with another growing human inside. 
• Stretching is one of the best ways to get those calf muscles moving and ready for the weight. Do some leg and arm stretches in the morning and at night before going to bed to add flexibility to your bones and muscles. 
• Since your bones aren’t strong enough to cater to the excess weight; therefore, you might need to add extra calcium to your diet to promote better bone health. This might help prevent cramps. According to experts, 1,000 mg is enough for the day. 
• Your footwear matters a lot. Since you might have noticed that your feet are mostly swollen therefore wearing heels or uncomfortable shoes might not be the answer. Get comfortable, simple, and soft sole shoes that help heal your feet and let your legs ease. 
• Try some CBD, maybe if pain killers aren’t effective. CBD, when consumed in a controlled quantity, can be quite beneficial to health easily when it comes to fighting pain. Do consult your doctor regarding this and invest in a CBD Pods for Juul right after getting the approval. 
• Consult your doctor. You never know when something might be wrong. It is better to be one the same side. Since it is common, therefore, your doctor will probably suggest you rest or take some multivitamin supplements to help with the healing process. 

Remember, some things are just a part of pregnancy. For instance,pregnancy and stretch marks go hand in hand. Similarly, you might experience leg cramps even after trying all these tips just because your body is not used to the weight.

When To See A Doctor? 

In the majority of cases, leg cramps are quite common. There aren’t any underlying health issues that you need to worry about. But in case the pain is persistent and leads to swelling or redness in the area, it might be best to consult your doctor. It could be nothing or can be a blood clot as well. Better to get it checked to be on the safe side. 

Final Words

Leg cramps are quite common in pregnancy, which is why if you have them, you don’t need to be surprised, especially when they occur in the second or the third trimester. They can be quite annoying and disrupt your good night’s sleep. Pain medication and  CBD concentrate wax can help. But instead of waiting for them to hit, you should try and avoid them as much as possible. Practice the above-mentioned tips and prevent leg cramps from being another painful factor in your pregnancy.