Cramps leg muscles in pregnant women. Why does a pregnant woman have cramps in her legs? How to help yourself

Pregnancy is a severe test for the fairer sex. Changes occur in the functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems, internal organs.

So, many women experience cramps in their calf muscles during pregnancy. Why do these contractions occur? How to get rid of spasms?

Why do leg cramps occur during pregnancy?

Every third person experienced cramps in the calf muscles. For a pregnant woman they are especially painful.

Cramps are sharp and sudden, long-term or short-term muscle spasms caused by overexertion. Doctors note that contractions in pregnant women appear in the second or third trimester, when the belly is already clearly visible. During this period, the uterus also increases in size, which compresses the blood vessels of the pelvis.

There are many reasons for abbreviations:

• impaired blood circulation;
• deficiency of potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, glucose and vitamins (B6, etc.);
• excess sodium and phosphates;
• lack of hemoglobin;
• dehydration of the body;
• insufficient or excessive physical activity;
• severe toxicosis;
• blockage of the inferior vena cava;
• dilation of venous vessels;
• swelling;
• anemia;
• myositis;
• diabetes;
• neurological diseases;
• hormonal disbalance;
• foot deformities;
• abuse of medications that increase the rate of blood filtration by the kidneys;
• bad habits (smoking, drinking strong coffee, tea, etc.);
• tight shoes and clothing;
• uncomfortable position in sleep.

Deficiency of vitamins and microelements

A woman who is carrying a child must consume a certain amount of nutrients every day. A lack of vitamins and minerals can lead to digestive problems and muscle cramps in your calves or feet.

Magnesium, calcium, potassium are the three pillars on which the health of the body rests. A diagnosed low level of one of the components will lead to disruption of the metabolism of other substances.

Enlarged uterus

The uterus grows with the baby. The larger the size of this organ, the more pressure it puts on the blood vessels of the pelvis. As a result, blood circulation is impaired, which leads to spasms.

During sleep, spasms are most often felt in the lower extremities. To prevent cramps from bothering you, after 7.5 months of pregnancy, doctors advise sleeping on your side. Another important point is gymnastics. This point will be discussed in more detail later.

Convulsions due to toxicosis

The first sign of pregnancy for many women is vomiting. Due to toxicosis, dehydration occurs, loss of essential substances, which ultimately leads to spasms in the limbs.

Night cramps and severe vomiting are a signal that it’s time to see a doctor. You can't sit and wait for it to be over. You need to take care of yourself and your baby.

Bad habits

The following bad habits can lead to seizures:

1. Poor nutrition during pregnancy can trigger not only seizures, but also a number of diseases.
2. Coffee leads to dehydration of the body. Muscles lose elasticity, which can result in cramps during pregnancy, as already noted.
3. Nicotine negatively affects the health of any person. Cigarette smoke causes a chronic lack of oxygen, which leads to cramps in the limbs.
4. People who abuse alcohol get a whole bunch of diseases. It is quite logical that the expectant mother should not drink this drink.
5. Sweet and fatty foods overload blood vessels. Tubular formations have to work in enhanced mode.
6. Wearing tight clothes and narrow shoes.

Phlebeurysm

Due to increased stress on the legs and hormonal imbalances, the expectant mother may develop varicose veins. Doctors note that more than half of all women inhabiting our planet suffer from this disease. The signs of this pathology are:

• fatigue;
• swelling;
• swollen and dilated veins;
• convulsions.

If a woman observed these signs in herself even before pregnancy, while carrying a child, varicose veins may again appear. Inflamed venous nodes may appear in the legs, increasing the risk of blood clot formation. The vessels will not be able to function normally, so blockage of the tubular formations is possible. In such a situation, compression garments will help.

Excessive stress on the legs

The motor activity of a pregnant woman should be gentle. The expectant mother needs to think not only about herself, but also about the child.

In the later stages of gestation, it is difficult for a woman to cope with loads that were previously habitual. Weight has increased, it is difficult to walk and sit, varicose veins and vena cava syndrome may occur.

Doctors note that circulatory disorders are often diagnosed in women who are carrying a large child. Twins or triplets can also cause vena cava syndrome. The uterus grows along with the fetus (fetuses), puts pressure on the internal organs and blood vessels, which leads to problems with blood circulation in the body.

What to do?

If a woman experiences calf cramps at night during pregnancy, the expectant mother should consult a doctor. Problems in the functioning of the body are signals that cannot be ignored.

If a cramp suddenly cramps your leg, you should not panic. Below are some tips that the expectant mother should heed.

Proper nutrition

Doctors note that food should be balanced. This should not only apply to pregnant women. A healthy person will never have problems such as caries, damaged hair, brittle nails, etc.

Due to the growth of the fetus in the womb, iron and folic acids are rapidly consumed. Fermented milk products will help replenish the reserves of these substances, which will relieve the woman of cramps.

Signs of low calcium include the following:

• nervousness;
• sleep problems;
• hypertension;
• cardiopalmus;
• tooth decay;
• bleeding gums (see also: how to treat bleeding gums during pregnancy?);
• brittle nails;
• skin rashes;
• convulsions.

If the calcium content is low, the expectant mother should include sesame seeds, onions, broccoli, cheese, almonds, seafood, legumes and, of course, dairy products in her diet. You will have to avoid foods that interfere with calcium absorption:

• vegetables containing oxalic acid (sorrel, spinach, etc.);
• products containing high levels of phosphates (caviar, canned fish, raw smoked sausages, etc.);
• soda and coffee.

Indicators of low magnesium levels in the blood of the expectant mother are the following:

• irritability;
• dry mouth;
• gagging;
• low blood pressure (we recommend reading: low blood pressure during pregnancy: what to do to increase it?);
• slow heartbeat;
• low body temperature;
• numbness in the limbs;
• deviations from the norm of coordination of movements;
• pain in the lumbar region;
• convulsions.

Magnesium, as doctors note, is found in almost all products, but they are especially rich in it:

• whole seeds and nuts;
• buckwheat grain;
• watermelons (nitrate-free);
• greenery;
• seaweed;
• carrot.

A healthy person should consume 360-380 mg of magnesium daily. Pregnant women will need a little more of this microelement: 400-450 mg.

Signs of low potassium in the blood of a pregnant woman are the following signals:

• convulsions;
• problems with stool;
• swelling;
• low blood pressure;
• cardiopalmus;
• thirst and dry mouth;
• nervous excitability;
• dry skin;
• acne.

The lack of potassium can be compensated for by introducing bananas, dried apricots, carrots, rye bread, legumes, and beef liver into the diet. Fermented milk products are also rich in this beneficial substance.

It is worth noting that diet alone will not always be able to replenish the reserves of necessary elements. In some cases, doctors prescribe vitamin and mineral complexes to expectant mothers. You can take them only after consulting your doctor.

Gymnastics and massage

To get rid of cramps in your calves, slowly pull your toes towards you, then relax the limb. Repeat these same movements until the spasm is relieved.

If discomfort occurs in the toes, you need to apply pressure to the foot. This must be done until the convulsions stop.

Sometimes pinching and pricking with something sharp, such as a needle or pin, can help get rid of cramps. When your legs cramp during pregnancy, massage movements help get rid of the discomfort. Rub the muscles of the feet, legs, and thighs to improve blood flow. Apply a thermofor or a bottle of warm water so that the nagging pain disappears. You can also warm your feet with a shower. An alternative to acupressure can be needle mats or balls. They need to be rolled on the floor with their feet.

Get plenty of rest. When sitting, try to place your limbs on an elevated position. If you are lying down, put your feet on a blanket folded several times or on a pillow. This will increase blood flow from the lower extremities.

Folk remedies

Everything that nature gives to humanity must be used. Many argue that even tablets can be replaced with decoctions and infusions. Sometimes this treatment really helps. However, during pregnancy, a woman is responsible not only for herself, but also for her child, so before using any remedy, you need to consult a doctor!

One of the folk remedies against seizures is eggshells, a source of calcium. To prepare the medicine, you need to wash the shell of a fresh egg, grind it to a powder and add a couple of drops of lemon to it. It is recommended to use this remedy once a day.

The pregnancy period is a time that not only pleases, but also worries, requiring a woman to pay attention to herself, responsibility and patience. Changes in the body cause phenomena that are unknown to a woman, so they are alarming and even frightening. It is important to remember the main thing - nothing is irreparable, so panic is not for us.

Sometimes a pregnant woman experiences unexpected pain in her legs, which often occurs while she sleeps. Unable to do anything not only from surprise, but also from ignorance of the nature of what is happening, the woman is forced to courageously endure until the pain stops. Having finally woken up, the woman understands that this is a cramp. It is accompanied by severe pain because the muscle has sharply contracted and is in no hurry to relax. It often happens that such a contraction slowly captures nearby areas of the muscle, as if moving. This kind of cramp is called “wandering”. She is capable of even more puzzling, if not to say, frightening to the point of fainting.

Convulsive contractions are well known not only to professional swimmers, but also to people who plunge into the cool water of rivers and other bodies of water. The reason in this case is the body’s reaction to a sharp temperature change. In the warm bed of a pregnant woman, such temperature fluctuations are unlikely to occur. What is the reason then? What happens in the muscles and what causes such severe pain?

Causes of cramping pain

Let us say right away that cramps do not have a negative impact on the course of pregnancy and the successful development of the fetus, unless the expectant mother succumbs to panic because she does not know why her legs are cramped during pregnancy.

From the point of view of the mechanism of cramps, severe pain occurs due to voluntary contraction of the calf muscle or the muscles of the toes. If the causes of seizures are studied more deeply, then their nature is due to metabolic disorders in the body, which affects the relationship between muscles and nerves. And this is one of the main causes of seizures.

• A pregnant woman is never alone. Especially during meals. Everything she eats is divided between two. The baby in her womb also needs vitamins, microelements and other nutrients, which he receives through the mother's placenta. Therefore, a deficiency of nutrients may be observed in her body for some periods of time. A noticeable imbalance of minerals in the body of a pregnant woman most often occurs in two periods: the first trimester - a period of pronounced toxicosis with decreased appetite, vomiting (waste of nutrients); second and third trimesters - with active growth and formation of fetal body parts (useful expenditure). During these periods, the consumption or loss of microelements sharply increases. The balance of minerals will be considered disturbed if the content of potassium, calcium and magnesium in the blood is below normal, and sodium and phosphate are above normal. A lack of vitamin B in food should also not be allowed, which also leads to convulsive muscle contractions.
• As the fetus increases in size, the pressure of the expanding uterus of a pregnant woman on the inferior vena cava and on the pelvic vessels increases. As a result, the outflow of blood in the veins of the legs is disrupted. And this is another reason for seizures.
• Developed flat feet increases the load on the legs and the veins of the legs, which can also lead to spasms.
• Sometimes pregnancy is accompanied by swelling of various parts of the body. In such cases, taking diuretics is indicated. The removal of excess fluid from the body inevitably leads to the removal of useful microelements. And their deficiency, as we know, leads to seizures.
• During pregnancy, the function of the parathyroid gland, which is responsible for maintaining calcium balance in the body, may malfunction, and if it is disrupted, painful muscle contraction occurs.
• The cause of seizures can also be a decrease in blood sugar levels, which is accompanied by an improper diet.
• Caffeine-containing drinks can also cause muscle spasms - coffee and tea stimulate the muscles, which means they keep them tense.
• Smoking is another cause of convulsive contractions in the calves of the legs due to the fact that it causes oxygen deficiency in the body, which affects the condition of the muscles.

Note! The balance of microelements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium is a vital condition for any organism. Their imbalance in the body leads to seizures.

How to avoid leg cramps

To replenish the body with minerals, it is useful to include cheeses, fermented milk products (55% calcium), and sesame seeds in the diet. You can replenish your potassium reserves with bananas, dried apricots, potatoes, and legumes. A child developing in the womb will receive magnesium if his mother eats buckwheat, nuts, carrots, spinach, and adds greens and green onions to her dishes.

Not always the most correct diet can restore the disturbed balance in the body. This can always be achieved with the help of a vitamin-mineral complex in tablets intended for nursing or pregnant women.

To reduce the likelihood of cramps, during advanced stages of pregnancy it is preferable to sleep on the left side to alleviate the pressure of the uterus.

The likelihood of seizures increases significantly if a pregnant woman has varicose veins or if they develop. It will help in such situations to wear special tights or socks on your legs that support the veins, or use safe lotions and creams for your legs. Foot massages and foot baths with sea salt will be useful, as they minimize any congestion in the blood vessels, which is often characteristic during pregnancy.

You should beware of impaired blood circulation through the veins and prolonged strain on the leg muscles when wearing narrow or uncomfortable shoes, especially high heels. Convulsions in these cases are quite expected. It is better to discard such shoes immediately.

Note! Taking any medications during pregnancy should only occur with the knowledge of a doctor and under his supervision.

Late dinners and long periods of time between large meals should be avoided.

How to get rid of pain?

Muscle pain during convulsive contraction will stop if you force the muscles to relax. This can be achieved by restoring proper blood circulation in the limbs. The blood will deliver the missing minerals to the muscle, and the cramp will stop. While overcoming the pain, you should carefully and be sure to smoothly pull your toes towards you. Then smoothly release and do the same again several times. Try to walk, transfer your body weight to your heels, roll from foot to heel.

The spasm decreases if the muscle is warmed, which means blood circulation is activated. To do this, the back of the shin (calf muscle) needs to be massaged (from the edges to the center) or watered with warm water (40˚C).

Note! The appearance of night cramps is a reason to talk to your obstetrician-gynecologist.

Together with him, you will find out exactly why your legs cramp during pregnancy, and the necessary treatment will be prescribed and you will definitely achieve success in overcoming this extremely painful phenomenon.

Maria Sokolova

Reading time: 7 minutes

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Cramps are involuntary muscle contractions accompanied by sharp pain; they can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. They manifest themselves in varying degrees - from mild muscle spasms to severe attacks, when loss of consciousness is possible.

Why does a pregnant woman have cramps in her legs?

Muscle spasms may appear at different stages of pregnancy, most often occur at night, but are also possible during the day, when a woman is resting or after being in one position for a long time.

The main causes of cramps during pregnancy:

• In the early stages this is toxicosis, vomiting, low appetite. The few nutrients that enter a woman’s body are retained for a short time, and a general weakening occurs.
• In the second trimester The cause of seizures may be a deficiency of vitamins and microelements (magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin B6). This is the main period of fetal growth and development.
• In the third trimester the uterus increases in size and the likelihood of “inferior genital vein syndrome” appears, as a result of which blood flow is disrupted and heaviness in the legs appears.
• Low blood sugar levels. Glucose is the main source of energy for the mother and the unborn child, so the need for it increases sharply during pregnancy.
• Decreased hemoglobin level(severe anemia).

There are several factors that influence the development of seizures in pregnant women.

If the expectant mother suffers from painful muscle spasms, then It is worth eliminating these dangerous factors:

• Consumption of caffeinated drinks (strong tea, coffee). After all, it contributes to muscle dehydration and leaching of calcium from the body.
• Smoking leads to lack of oxygen and causes severe muscle spasms.
• Poor nutrition– the cause of almost all health problems in pregnant women.
• Uncomfortable clothes, including skinny trousers.
• Taking diuretics– along with excess fluid, beneficial vitamins and minerals are washed out of the body.

Convulsions are not obvious dangers for the health of the woman and her unborn child, but their occurrence at different stages of pregnancy may indicate the presence of problems such as varicose veins or metabolic disorders in the body.

If spasms last more than 2 minutes, are repeated regularly and are severe, it is worth seeking medical help. If convulsions occur, it is necessary consult on this issue with your gynecologist to find out the exact causes and their subsequent elimination.

First aid for painful spasms of the calf muscles

To independently cope with pain during cramps and get rid of spasms, the following measures must be taken:

1. Relieve muscle tension. To do this, strain and stretch the sore muscle, and repeat this exercise until completely relaxed. Lightly tingling the muscle with a pin or needle will also help.
2. Warm up the muscle with massage , hot water or put ordinary mustard plaster.
3. Restore blood circulation in the legs - carefully walk around the room, stand on your toes, roll from toe to heel.
4. Avoid recurrent attacks - lie down with your legs raised up.

Features of treatment of leg cramps during pregnancy

As mentioned above, seizures in themselves do not pose a danger, but serve as a signal to take measures - preventive or therapeutic.

Regardless of the reasons, there are general recommendations that will help avoid cramps during pregnancy or minimize the possibility of their occurrence:

• Wear the most comfortable shoes possible with a heel height of no more than 5 cm.
• Try to sleep and lie on your left side to reduce pressure on the pudendal vein.
• Avoid putting excessive stress on your legs.
• When resting, keep your feet elevated(you can use a cushion or pillow).
• Do leg exercises.
• Avoid products with high caffeine content.
• Do not smoke and don't drink alcohol.
• Stick to it healthy eating.

Seeing a doctor will mainly help identify the nature of muscle spasms.

• When the cause of cramps is a deficiency vitamins and microelements, treatment involves analyzing and changing the nutritional diet of the young mother. If necessary, it is supplemented with vitamin and mineral complexes at the discretion of the doctor.
• If you have varicose veins, With a specialist can recommend certain creams and ointments, or underwear with an anti-varicose effect
• It creates the necessary pressure on the walls of blood vessels, and they do not deform under the increased weight of the expectant mother.
• To maintain normal glucose levels in the blood, fractional nutrition is selected, various types of sweets and foods high in sugar are excluded.
• To improve blood circulation in the legs , doctors recommend soothing sea salt baths and foot massages.

Having carried out the necessary tests and assessing the nature of the spasms, specialists will be able to understand the degree of their danger to the woman and child.

The site website provides background information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible only under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. If alarming symptoms occur, consult a specialist!

Eat several options for explaining the reasons of this phenomenon. And based on the trimester in which it first manifested itself, one can understand what caused such a nuisance.

If seizures occur in the first trimester, then this may simply be the body’s reaction to the development of the fetus, which is popularly referred to as toxicosis. They can often appear during the first 16 weeks, not only as an additional background to vomiting, but also as a consequence.

When vomiting, the body literally washes away the necessary microelements that maintain overall health in harmony. And after losses, the body needs additional nutrients.

Necessarily You should contact your obstetrician to choose the right medications.

If seizures occur periodically over a period of time last two trimesters, then this can safely be associated with the increased need of two organisms: both a woman and a child, to receive additional minerals and trace elements.

After all, the fetus grows rapidly, develops, systems are formed, and “building material” is consumed for this, which is generously provided by the body of the expectant mother.

Another answer to the question why pregnant women cramp their legs may be simply feature of the physiology of the female body.

Most likely, the uterus and fetus in your body are close to the venous arteries in the pelvis, which are responsible for the correct and stable functioning of the blood circulation in the legs.

Women at increased risk include those who drank alcohol or smoked for more than six months before pregnancy. For example, nicotine constricts blood vessels, making it difficult to saturate the muscles with blood, and therefore with oxygen and necessary substances.

After prolonged nicotine addiction, the walls of blood vessels become thinner, to the point of threatening obliteration. And muscle cramps are very similar to this process of muscle necrosis. Only a spasm is a short-term obliteration and therefore a process that returns to tissue revitalization.

How to prevent and avoid?

Prevent and avoid seizures During pregnancy, you can rationally take microelements, which, during the formation of the main body systems in the fetus, are consumed at an increased rate.

These primarily include calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Modern people, and especially pregnant women, have heard a lot about calcium, because it is one of the main materials that the human body needs from the moment of conception.

But few people know that even though you can take it, but without an additional source of vitamin D3 and magnesium, the usefulness of calcium alone is zero.

It is these two substances that determine the ability of the intestines to deliver calcium “as intended” during the process of over-poisoning.

Potassium the most important element present in every cell of the structure of human physiology. After frequent vomiting or diarrhea, the body lacks potassium, which leads to rapid muscle fatigue, neuroses and cramps. This should not be allowed during pregnancy, and it will not be difficult to replenish potassium in the daily diet.

Quite often the presence potassium found in such well-known products as: potatoes, beans (like the entire legume family), dairy products, dried fruits (especially).

Per day required about five grams of potassium to an adult. Additionally you can take potassium iodide, since potassium forms the basis of this complex mineral-vitamin preparation.

An important mineral during pregnancy is magnesium. An insufficient amount of it can lead, in addition to many other troubles, even to...

The following foods are rich in magnesium: green onions, bread (except those baked using new refining technologies), spinach, all types and nuts.

Cramps in calves

If in calf muscles convulsions appear - this may be a signal from the body to a developing seizure.

If cramps in the calves are accompanied by feelings of heaviness and increased fatigue in the legs, then the pregnant woman should overexert herself less and give the opportunity to completely relax the muscles.

It is advisable to do it over an area from the fingertips to the pelvis, warming up the leg muscles with circular movements and patting.

If your leg cramps, the pregnant woman needs to pull her toes up and down several times. Do not do the exercise in a hurry, but smoothly. You can grab your big toe, lifting your foot smoothly up and lowering your toes down, as if pinching it.

In order to normalize blood circulation after massage procedures, it is recommended to lie down for a while with your legs elevated. This will ensure the flow of blood into the muscles previously drained of blood by pinching the artery and will help avoid recurrence of cramps.

It is important for the health of your feet during pregnancy to wear comfortable shoes and tights. Among the proven folk advice, the most effective one was found - rub your feet or calves, wait until they dry completely, and only then get dressed and put on your shoes.

Within two weeks of constant repetition of procedures with lemon, massage and physical exercises in combination with a rational diet, then cramps will no longer occur again!

Sometimes expectant mothers experience sudden involuntary painful contractions of the leg muscles at night while sleeping, more often in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. At the same time, the foot extends, stretches, the calf muscle tenses, and for some time it is simply impossible to relax it and return the leg to its normal position (patients usually say that they have “cramps in the calves”). These painful muscle spasms are called cramps. What is their cause and how to help yourself when cramps occur in the calf muscles?

Why do seizures occur?

Muscle cramps are usually caused by a violation of mineral metabolism in the body (potassium, calcium and magnesium are involved in the mechanism of muscle contraction). Congestion in the vessels of the legs can also provoke cramps: the conditions for this are fully created during pregnancy.

During the period of bearing a child, the woman’s body’s needs for minerals increase, because now it needs to provide for two. The parathyroid glands have a significant influence on mineral metabolism (primarily calcium metabolism and maintaining a constant level of calcium in the blood). During pregnancy, there is a decrease in their function, leading to a decrease in calcium levels in the blood. The metabolism of one mineral is closely related to the metabolism of another, therefore, when the amount of calcium in the body changes, the ratio of potassium, magnesium and other substances is disrupted. In the diet of many people, it is possible to identify preferences for certain products, and if the expectant mother eats few fermented milk products, which contain a lot of calcium, the negative effect on metabolism increases.

The increasing size of the pregnant uterus puts significant pressure on the pelvic vessels. In the lying position, especially on the right side, the pressure increases, the uterus can compress the inferior vena cava, located to the right of the spine, causing disruption of the outflow of venous blood from the extremities. Therefore, during sleep, late pregnant women may experience cramps in the calf muscles. And if a woman had varicose veins, in which the venous outflow already suffers, the situation gets worse.

On the other hand, the appearance of muscle spasms in the lower extremities may indicate the onset of the development of varicose veins, combined with increased fatigue and a feeling of heaviness in the legs, especially in the evening hours. A decrease in hemoglobin in the blood (and this is a common occurrence in pregnant women) also leads to a lack of nutrients for the muscles.

When swelling of the legs occurs in a pregnant woman, women are often prescribed diuretics, which can also aggravate spasms of the calf muscles, since minerals are also excreted along with excess fluid.

Figuratively speaking, many factors converge at one point and are externally manifested by the occurrence of leg muscle cramps during pregnancy. Of course, you need to inform your obstetrician-gynecologist about this fact and try to understand the causes of the situation in order to, together with the doctor, develop further tactics aimed at eliminating the causes of seizures. The information received from the patient will help the doctor choose the optimal and most gentle treatment.

How to help yourself?

You can relieve a cramp in the calf muscle if, during an attack, slowly, overcoming the pain, pull your toes towards you, try to rub the stiff muscle, pinch it (sometimes it is recommended to lightly prick the shin with a sharp object: a pin, a needle). As a rule, heat helps eliminate the spasm, that is, you can put a mustard plaster on the back of the shin or pour warm water on it from the shower (temperature about 40°).

Another way to get rid of a cramp is to step on your heel and put your weight on it.

During pregnancy, try to lead an active lifestyle, regularly perform exercises for pregnant women, visit the pool, take a contrast shower at home on the shins, massage your legs more often (involve your husband in this).

Watch your diet: it must contain the required amount of minerals. Dried apricots and bananas, legumes and potatoes are rich in potassium. Fermented milk products contain up to 55% calcium. Carrots, green onions, spinach, and greens contain magnesium. But nutrition cannot solve the problem of mineral deficiency, so take vitamin and mineral supplements intended for pregnant and lactating women.

Try to sleep on your left side or place a small pillow under your right buttock to redistribute the weight of the enlarged uterus onto the left side of the body and thereby reduce its pressure on the inferior vena cava. If you have varicose veins, wear special anti-varicose tights or stockings, which should ideally be selected by a phlebologist. Try to keep your legs elevated while sleeping. Do not wear tight, uncomfortable shoes, high heels, do not stand or sit in one position for a long time.

Massage against cramps

Cramps in the calf muscles can be relieved with acupressure. To do this you need:

1. With both hands, clasp the shin in the middle so that your thumbs are on the back of the shin. Use your thumbs to massage your foot for a minute, gradually increasing the pressure.

2.Place your index finger on a point located midway between your nose and upper lip and press firmly on it for a minute.

If your leg often cramps during the day, then it is useful to do acupressure massage regularly 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days.