by Anna Maria Ryan

Created on: April 05, 2010

When you first learn that you are expecting a new life, the first thought that comes into most women’s head is: “I hope the morning sickness won’t be too bad.”

The many, many other things that a woman will experience in her pregnancy are rarely thought of at this stage, many of them are not even known to the woman at this stage. Previously pregnant friends and family forget many of the things that they have gone through, and so it is only with each new pain or problem that a pregnant woman becomes aware of all the stresses and worries there can be during the nine months it takes for your baby to arrive.

Leg cramps start usually in the second trimester, during the fourth month. You will find yourself finally sleeping peacefully after the first three months, when suddenly you will be awoken during the night by terrible pains in your lower legs. These cramps can continue and possibly get worse throughout your pregnancy, they can make it difficult to sleep as they always seem to strike at night-time, but there are a few things you can do to control them.

1 – Buy yourself a good body pillow. These pillows can be bought from any maternity shop and can also be bought online at argos.co.uk or argos.ie. If you are short on budget, grab a couple of ordinary pillows, they’ll do just as well. The nice thing about the body pillow is that it is the length of your body and can be used to support your bump, back and legs, and is also quite comforting to hug. Whether you use a body pillow or a normal pillow, sticking it in between your legs, especially your calf muscles, will help relieve the cramps a great deal, and lead to having a lot more sleep at night- time.

2 – Go for a walk in the evening. I know that a lot of pregnant women do not like to exercise. The bump can make strenuous activity impractical and the lack of energy makes moving about incredibly undesirable, but a gentle walk in the evening will work wonders on reducing the painful leg cramps. It will also give a much needed breath of fresh air, and if you go for a walk with your partner, it can act as a great excuse to have a good chat about the baby and any worries either of you may have.

3 – Ask your partner to give you a leg massage. As your partner can’t feel the wonderful things that are going on inside your body, and can’t begin to understand the misery of leg cramps, morning sickness and having colds when you can’t take medicine, he could possibly be feeling very left out and will jump at the chance to be involved in helping you combat any pain. Make sure he pays particular attention to your calf muscles and your ankles. Ask him to massage the muscles as hard as is comfortable for you as this will get rid of more tension and make your legs more stretchable.

4 – Stretch your legs and toes. This is a very easy step and can be done at anytime, anywhere. When the cramps do strike at night, this is the first thing u should do; lie or sit up in bed and straighten your leg. Then stretch the muscles in your leg, bringing your toes towards your body, wiggling them and rotating your ankle at the same time. This can be done at any time during the day, and should be done regularly.

Always try to sleep on you left hand side during pregnancy, whether you experience leg cramps or not. It is the best position for your circulation, and the most comfortable once you get used to it. It is almost possible not to lie on your back at some stage during the night, if you toss and turn, but try to keep it to a minimum, or ask your partner to give u a nudge to move you, as lying on you back can lead to complications such as more cramping, haemorrhoids and impaired circulation.

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