What causes calf cramps in pregnant women?

What pregnant women fear most is calf cramps in the middle of the night. Pregnancy itself has many discomforts in the body, and cramps will make pregnant women even more irritable. Although many people think that cramps are due to calcium deficiency, they will get better after calcium supplementation. But this is not always the case for pregnant women. Diet, cold, incorrect sleeping position, etc. can cause calf cramps. As prospective fathers, you must always pay attention to your wife's condition, let the pregnant woman always maintain a good mood, smoothly go through the pregnancy period, and welcome the arrival of the baby.

What causes calf cramps in pregnant women?

1. Caused by hypocalcemia

During pregnancy, the fetus needs a lot of calcium for bone development, and this calcium is mainly provided by the mother.

If pregnant women do not consume enough calcium sources every day, it will not be enough to provide the daily calcium needs of pregnant women and fetuses, which can easily cause hypocalcemia.

Calcium deficiency in pregnant women will stimulate the leg muscle nerves to become more excited, causing muscle contraction and leg cramps. In addition, pregnant women's blood calcium levels are higher during the day than at night, so they are more likely to have leg cramps at night.

Solution:

Increase calcium intake. Calcium supplementation during pregnancy can be carried out through food or calcium supplements.

In addition to supplementing calcium in your diet, you should also go out to get more sun and take vitamin D supplements to ensure that the calcium in your food is fully absorbed and utilized by your bones.

Foods rich in calcium: milk, dairy products; beans and bean products; seafood (special note: do not eat crabs); eggs; nuts, etc.

Foods rich in vitamin D: marine fish, animal liver, eggs, milk, nuts, etc.

2. Caused by wrong sleeping posture

Some pregnant women maintain a supine sleeping position for a long time without proper changes.

Maintaining the same sleeping position for a long time, coupled with the fact that some pregnant women sleep too long every day, causes the leg muscles to relax for a long time and blood flow in the legs to be blocked, which can cause passive leg cramps in pregnant women.

Solution:

For pregnant women, the correct sleeping position is lying on the left side. Sleeping on the left side is not only safe for the baby, but also allows pregnant mothers to get the best rest.

In addition, some simple stretching exercises can also help prevent leg cramps.

Pregnant mothers can develop the habit of going to bed early and getting up early, and take a proper walk during the day to prevent leg cramps caused by obstructed blood circulation.

3. Caused by diet

Dietary reasons can also cause leg cramps in pregnant women.

During pregnancy, many pregnant women worry that malnutrition will affect the development of the fetus, so they consume a lot of meat (be honest, foodies, are you using pregnancy as an excuse?).

Meat is rich in protein. Excessive intake will hinder the body's metabolism, and the accumulation of excessive acidic metabolites will disrupt the electrolytes in the legs, thereby causing leg cramps.

Solution:

Pregnant mothers must not overeat, be picky about food, and try to eat a variety of foods.

A balanced diet can ensure a balanced intake of various nutrients needed by the human body. Excessive intake of meat will put a burden on the body's metabolism.

4. Caused by overwork

As the weight increases during pregnancy, the burden on the pregnant mother's legs continues to increase, and the leg muscles are often in a state of fatigue.

Walking too much or standing for too long during pregnancy will increase the activity of the calf muscles, increase the burden on the leg muscles, lead to the accumulation of local acidic metabolic products, and cause leg cramps in pregnant mothers.

Solution:

It's time for expectant fathers to take the stage. Before going to bed every day, pregnant mothers can soak their feet in 40-degree Celsius hot water over their ankles for ten minutes, and then ask their fathers to help massage their legs. Doing this every day can reduce the accumulation of lactic acid and prevent leg cramps at night.

5. Caused by cold weather

Especially in winter, some pregnant women do not pay attention to keeping warm when resting, and their calf muscles are easily cold.

Due to the cold stimulation, the leg muscles spasm and cramp. Therefore, pregnant mothers should pay attention to keeping their legs and feet warm at night.

Solution:

Pregnant mothers must keep warm before going to bed and keep their lower limbs warm. They can wear comfortable cotton socks to sleep.

In addition, soaking your feet in warm water can not only prevent cramps but also help you sleep.