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Lloyd & Sarah
We made our contact from having our profile listed on Parent Profiles.com. Without it this is a connection we never could have made. IT wasn;t the miracle few weeks some speak of. It took a 1-1/2 years to make this connection, but it was definately meant to be. We made several connections over that time and have met some very wonderful people. We very much love the birth mom of more ...
Leg Cramps
You've had a long and tiring day hauling your growing belly around work, stores, and cars. You collapse into bed and manage to ignore the little feet dancing on your liver long enough to fall asleep. And then, when you finally drift off, you're jerked awake by a sharp and sudden pain. Is it labor? No, it's just leg cramps.
Why are women so prone to leg cramps? Probably because your leg muscles are exhausted from carrying around that extra weight. Your expanding uterus may put pressure on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart, and on the nerves running from your trunk to your legs. These cramps often start in the second trimester and get worse as your belly grows, usually appearing at night.
Luckily, you can do more to ease leg cramps than merely practice your Lamaze breathing. When one develops, immediately stretch your calf muscles. Straighten your leg, heel first. Gently flex your toes backward toward your shins. It might hurt but it will ease the spasm, and the pain will ebb. Walking around for a few minutes helps some women. Relaxing the cramp by massaging or warming the muscle (hot water bottle, towel soaked in warm water) may also help.
There are some measures you can take to help prevent leg cramps from starting. Stretch your calf muscles throughout the day and before you go to bed, the same way you would to ease a cramp. Or balance on a low step - toes and ball of the foot on the step, heels hanging, hand firmly gripping the banister. Let your heels drop slightly so you feel a gentle stretch in the back of the leg.
Taking a doctor-approved walk every day can also help prevent leg cramps, as can a warm bath before bed to relax the muscles. Stay well hydrated throughout the day. Avoid sitting or standing with your legs crossed, and when you do sit, remember to rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes. And if you're getting tired, lie down, preferably on your left side to improve circulation in your legs.
If the pain is constant or if leg cramps are accompanied by swelling or tenderness, call your medical practitioner right away. If not, mention them to your practitioner, take preventive measures, and remind yourself that cramps almost always ease up once your baby is born.
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