Leg cramps during pregnancy treatment tips

Leg cramps during pregnancy are not an uncommon things. So pregnant women often get cramps in their legs, especially when they are in bed at night.

So what are leg cramps? Leg cramps are sharp contractions which occur in your calf muscles. This starts to happen usually in the second or even the third trimester and they last just a few minutes. There is not specific proof to support them, but there are a number of theories as to why leg cramps during pregnancy start to appear. The most well known theory for which they appear is suppose to be because the woman`s uterus grows and because of that an increase pressure is pushed upon the arteries which supply your leg muscles with oxygen and blood. Once you delivered the baby you may noticed that they start to disappear.

There is a number of things that you can do if you start by any chance to have leg cramps during pregnancy. You can try to:

- have a cup of hot/cold milk before settling for the night
- circle your ankles and pull your toes up towards the ceiling for several minutes before getting into bed
- put something under the bottom end of your mattress so that your legs are slightly raised. This will help your blood circulate around your feet and back up your legs during the night.
- if a cramp attacks you, flex your foot vigorously upwards, and massage firmly between your first and second toes. If your partner will give you a massage, so much the better!