Leg Cramps in Pregnancy

Cramps in your muscles are common during pregnancy. They may be caused by the weight you are carrying, circulation changes, or calcium deficiency.

Suggestions:

• Regular exercise
• Adequate calcium intake
• When the cramp begins, bring your toes towards you, and massage the muscle

To try to prevent leg cramps, I'd recommend that you do a bit of stretching before bed. One of the easiest exercises that you can do is to take a large book, like a telephone book and stand on it. Place your feet on the book so that you can drop your heels off of one side of the book, thus stretching the calf really well.

You can also lean forward, placing your hands about shoulder height and distance on a wall. Take your right foot and step backwards, being sure that you place your heel on the ground so that you get that stretch. Repeat on the other leg.