The last 3 or 4 weeks i have been having very very light leg cramp in my right calf at night. It wasnt anything to write home about as it was not very painful and was sometimes kind of pleasant.
I know from the 2nd Trimester of pregnancy women can get leg cramps during the day but alot more at night and i had wondered if i was going to be one of the unlucky ones who would be cursed with it.
Im not far from the 3rd Trimester now which i have read can start from 26 weeks! (i will be 25 weeks sunday).
Well feeling this light cramp i decided i didnt mind it after all if it was going to be so nice and light 🙂
How wrong was I!!!! 
Last night i woke up in the middle of the night on my left side and decided to roll over onto my other side to go back to sleep. I havent slept on my front since the 1 trimester and so im used to side sleeping now.
Rolling over i had a little stretch of my legs at the same time BIG MISTAKE! OMG the pain! Sudden sharp leg cramp and the Whole of my right calf was a solid block of agony!
I seriously had to clamp my mouth shut to stop myself from crying out in pain it was so bad! Dont get me wrong i know what leg cramps are like after all i am a runner and have experienced them before.
All runners have experienced them once in a while and im actually glad i have had previous leg cramp experience before even though its not nice.
But this was so intense and fast it was horrible! I just lay there for a full 3 – 4 minutes unable to move because the pain was so bad. Eventually i managed to massage my calf a little and that helped unlock some of the pain until it became a dull pain which wasnt so bad.
I was a bit scared to go back to sleep again after that incase it happened again or incase i tried to stretch again when i was sleeping!
In the morning the dull ache was still in my calf and its very stiff, i am limping round the house even now!
Im curious why its only my right calf which is cramping and not my left so i did a Google but apparently know one knows why pregnant women get leg cramps.
They believe it could be that your leg muscles are tired from carrying around all of the extra weight. Or they may be aggravated by the pressure of the expanding uterus puts on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and the nerves that lead from your trunk to your legs.
I know from running my left leg is slightly out of alignment than my right leg so im wondering if my right does more of the weight work when i walk. And maybe thats why its been cramping because its dealing with extra weight from my pregnancy while coping with my left leg issues!
I did However hopefully find some things i can do to help stop the cramps:
- Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.
- Stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.
- Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.
- Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.
- Avoid getting too tired. Lie down on your left side to improve circulation to and from your legs.
- Stay hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.
- Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.
I do have to keep an eye on it though as apparently if it persists this can become a problem. I will have to tell the Gyno/Doctor anyway next visit.
I have read that if your muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp or if you notice swelling, redness, or tenderness in your leg, or the area feels warm to your touch. These may be signs of a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention. Blood clots are relatively rare, but they’re more common during pregnancy.
Thats kinda the extreme they have about leg cramps and i know its not that. But i will keep an eye on my leg cramps anyway there hard to miss heehee
So hopefully if i follow the suggestions on preventing them i wont get many leg cramps in the next just over 3 months until D Day!
Run Brit Chick Run 