Not Sleeping, Pregnant, Leg Cramps

Read More About Pregnancy

But why do they occur in pregnancy?

The baby growing in your uterus (womb), gains weight, along with the added mass of the uterus, the amniotic fluid (the fluid surrounding the fetus), the placenta etc. You may also have noticed a few additional pounds as your body increases fluid levels. The end result is weight gain far beyond the weight of the fetus alone. The later in the pregnancy, the more fluids and weight gain, all serving to provide the baby with a perfect development environment. This can be as much as 18 to forty pounds in extra weight that the expectant mom, carries daily. This weight is ultimately all transferred to the lower limbs, resulting in pressure on the muscles of the legs and resultant cramps. Leg cramps during pregnancy is also blamed on low calcium and elevated phosphorus levels in the blood stream. Leg cramps may happen as a result of prolonged standing or walking. The fetus can also be pressing upon the blood vessels and nerves that pass via the abdomen to the legs. Unfortunately, leg cramps often take place during the night (nocturnal) but might also occur during the day.
What precautionary measures can you take to avoid leg cramps?

Must you pass on exercise?

No! On the contrary, you ought to make an effort to have frequent periods of moderate exercise making an attempt to keep away from anything that feels like it is straining any muscles. Quick walks of about 15-20 minutes are highly recommended. Leg stretching workout routines are also advocated as these help relax the muscles of the lower limbs. If required, a physiotherapist should be consulted to help with these easy exercises. When possible (e.g. while watching TV or studying a book, try to wiggle your toes or rotate your ankles; this easy maneuver helps enhance blood circulation inside the legs. Above all, it is important to prevent dehydration by sufficient water intake. Keep in mind, that, cramps are sometimes caused by by inadequate fluid intake. To prevent nocturnal cramps, try taking a warm water bath immediately before bedtime. Do not overdo physical activity. As we mentioned earlier, frequent and brief exercises are the important thing to prevent leg cramps. Try resting on your side while sleeping, as opposed to lying supine or prone. It's believed that taking magnesium supplements also helps avoid leg cramps during pregnancy. However, a word of warning here- all medication during pregnancy needs to be taken after proper consultation with your gynecologist or physician.

Treatment of an acute attack of leg cramps:

Experts recommend speedy stretching of the calf muscles (the soleus and gastrocnemius) at the onset of cramping. This is accomplished by pulling the toes towards the shin of the leg bone. Additionally it's a good idea to softly knead the cramped muscle tissue of the leg and soak it in hot water.

For additional details about leg cramps see the link below.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Mark Livingston helps people resolve their health issues with the internet's most complete online medical diagnosis software. Look here for more information about Leg cramps during pregnancy

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Pregnancy Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Family | Pregnancy

Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap

New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service