Cramps during pregnancy, a common condition that cannot be underestimated

Often experience leg cramps during the pregnancy phase? This is one of the most common complaints of pregnant women. Usually, leg cramps during pregnancy appear in the second and third trimesters, as the pregnancy grows. How could this happen? Can it be prevented and overcome? The following is the full explanation.

Causes of leg cramps during pregnancy

Quoting from NCT, leg cramps when pregnant are a very common condition. At least 30-50 percent of pregnant women experience leg cramps during their pregnancy.

Cramps are a sign that a muscle is contracting very hard, but it shouldn't be.

Usually, leg cramps during pregnancy occur at night and will appear more frequently in the late third trimester of pregnancy.

It is not known exactly why this condition is often experienced by pregnant women.

However, from many cases that occur, the causes of leg cramps during pregnancy are:

Weight gain during pregnancy that changes blood circulation.
Fetal pressure that makes muscles tense.
The body of pregnant women is too active.
Pregnant women lack movement.
Increase in the hormone progesterone.
Lack of calcium and magnesium.

Lack of these substances is due to the fetus taking the substances it needs from the mother's body.

Leg cramps in pregnant women often make you uncomfortable and it is not uncommon for you to feel pain.

However, there is no need to worry because the cramps will disappear and will not come again after the baby is born.

How to deal with leg cramps during pregnancy

To reduce discomfort due to cramped legs, pregnant women can do several things, such as:

Calf stretch

Regular exercise during pregnancy can reduce the appearance of cramps in the legs. Here are some light exercise movements that you can try:

Stand 1 meter from the wall and lean forward with your hands resting on the wall.
Keeping your feet flat on the floor, hold for 5 seconds.

You can do this movement repeatedly 3 times a day, each with a duration of 5 minutes.

Leg stretch

Apart from stretching the calves, pregnant women also need to train their legs to reduce cramps. The trick is:

Take one foot forward.
Then, bend and stretch your leg forward and back 30 times.
After that, do the same for the other side of the leg.

After doing this movement, try not to stand or sit with your legs crossed for a long time.

Position your feet higher while sleeping

Since leg cramps during pregnancy often occur at night, you need to change your sleeping position by placing your feet higher.

Prepare a pillow that is no more than 20 cm high, then place your feet on it and sleep on your side.

This method makes blood circulation smoother and can reduce leg cramps during pregnancy.

What if the leg is still cramped?

If after doing the various methods above but your legs still feel cramp, you need to do something else.

The reason is, leg cramps at night really take up the energy of pregnant women who have been tired all day.

There are several ways you can treat leg cramps at night, namely:

Slowly straighten your foot from the heel to the toes.
Flex your ankles and fingers by turning them slowly.
Get up slowly, then walk a few minutes.

When doing the above, initially you will feel pain, but slowly the cramps will disappear.

Try to keep the area of your mattress free of other items, so that your feet have room to move freely.

If the muscle pain is persistent and there is swelling or pain in the leg, contact your doctor.

How to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy

If pregnant women have not experienced leg cramps, it would be better to take precautions. Several ways you can do to prevent leg cramps, namely:

Drink 1500 ml of water every day or the equivalent of 8-12 glasses.
Avoid sitting and standing for too long.
Take a warm bath to reduce muscle tension.
Take calcium supplements for pregnant women.

For the selection of supplements, you can consult your doctor to get the right prescription and dosage according to the condition of the pregnant woman.