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Charley Horses?!

9 posts on this thread and the last post was on May 1st, 2006 1:16 PM
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livdea - April 29th, 2006 12:05 PM
[Original Post]

Lately I've been getting charley horses galour! The other day I got one so bad in the bottom of my foot I had to pull over and scream for about 20 minutes! I've been eating lots of bananas and trying to get as much potassium as possible but still...I woke up this morning to a horrilbe one in my calf! I'm just wondering if this is common in your 3 rd tri or not and if any one else has noticed they are getting them more?


Allie - April 29th, 2006 1:04 PM

Hi Livdea. I went through a period in my second trimester where I got these bad, it got better, and now at 32 weeks they are back full force. I woke up 4-5 times last night with cramps in my calf, once so bad I was crying. They do seem to be better when I am able to walk more during the day (my feet have been swelling so badly that I haven't been able to walk as much this week) so if you can, try and walk a mile or 2 each day...also, when you wake up with the cramp in the calf, pull your toes towards yourself - this seems to help relieve some of the pain.


ChannY - April 29th, 2006 1:44 PM

I know what you mean. I had that bad cramps on my calf and it hurt like a effing b*tCh! It felt like I had a big lump behidn there..10 minutes later it disappeared..Thats happened when I was sleeping. I grabbed my pillows and screamed. It's only happened once and thats happened 2 weeks before i had my dd


TaraNMatt - April 29th, 2006 6:23 PM

Yes livdea, this is very common, it actually happened to me this morning. I asked my childbirth class instructor about this, b/c I too take plenty of potassium. She said that it starts happening at the end of pregnancy mostly because the weight of the baby on your nerves, and also your circulation to the lower extremities is poor. She told me to keep the legs warm and this really did work for me. Wrap something loosely around your calves at night and I promise it will pretty much stop. Hope I could help! =)



livdea - April 30th, 2006 3:28 AM

thanks for the advice ladies. I'm super active...generally trying to work out 2 hours a day but I"m going to try keeping my legs toasty at night cause man...it hurts! Im glad and sad I'm not alone!


miraclebaby - April 30th, 2006 11:33 AM

you have to have more calcium, I drink alot of milk now and it helped me alot. My doc. said the baby is takiing the calcium and that its a lack of that usually not potassium. I did both and it helped. good luck My preregistration book from the hospital also states to drink milk if muscle cramps. Heat will also work, but more calcium is the trick :) :) Heck, they hurt so bad, I said I am afraid of labor lol lol, lol


Renee-Marie - April 30th, 2006 3:26 PM

Been there! I am now consuming about 3 gallons of milk per week - not suggesting you do this, but it's just part of my cravings anyway. Well, I haven't had any cramping since my second trimester, but I was told to flex my foot (flat) and hold it in that position and the cramp should go away. I'm sorry to hear it's causing you so much pain. :-(


livdea - April 30th, 2006 3:36 PM

I'm a huge milk drinker as well! I drink usually about a half gallon a day, pretty much every day. I don't know what else too do about these pains! :( I'm going to keep tryin everything though!



Bolton - May 1st, 2006 11:12 AM

Hello Livdea, I am currently 33 weeks pregnant with twins. For the past two months I go to bed and then wake up with leg cramps every hour. The only way for me to ease the cramp is to get up and walk. I asked my doctor what I could do to stop the cramps. I was told that I needed potassium, so I started eating bananas like crazy. Didn't help me a bit. Then I went to a nutritionist and she asked if I have been drinking any milk. I said no ( got sick off milk early in pregnancy and had an aversion to it ever since) and of course she told me that it was very important that I start. So I have been drinking at least 4 glasses of milk a day and am no longer getting leg cramps.


Rachel0510 - May 1st, 2006 1:16 PM

I've been getting these cramps in my upper, inner thighs since I was about 37 1/2 weeks (I'm 39 weeks now). Usually when I'm standing up or walking around. I drink a ton of milk and take prenatal vitamins every day and still get them so I don't know what's up.