Causes of calf cramps during pregnancy

Calf cramps are very common. When this happens, choosing some simple massage methods can improve the condition. However, if the calf cramps are severe and last for a long time, you need to pay attention to keeping your legs warm at ordinary times. This will help alleviate the situation. What are the causes of calf cramps during pregnancy? There are many aspects to this. Let's take a detailed look below.

Causes of calf cramps during pregnancy:

After pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters, the daily calcium requirement increases to 1200 mg. We cannot meet this requirement from our daily diet, and the calcium needed for fetal development all comes from the mother, so expectant mothers are prone to calcium deficiency at this time. When the body lacks calcium, the excitability of muscles increases and cramps are prone to occur. At this time, your leg muscles are under greater burden than other parts, so cramps are more likely to occur. The blood calcium level at night is lower than that during the day, so calf cramps may occur at night when pregnant women sleep. Pregnant women who are calcium deficient can take calcium tablets to supplement calcium. Pregnant mothers who are prone to cramps at night can do stretching exercises on the cramp-prone areas before going to bed. However, it should be pointed out that pregnant mothers must not use calf cramps as an indicator of the need for calcium supplementation, because individual tolerance to calcium deficiency varies, so some pregnant mothers do not have symptoms of calf cramps when they are calcium deficient.

There are ways to prevent calf cramps in pregnant women: pay attention to keeping your calves warm when sleeping and wear more clothes. Do not over-tired your leg muscles during the day. Massage your legs and feet before going to bed. Engage in appropriate outdoor activities and get some sun. Milk, soy products, nuts, sesame seeds, dried shrimps, crabs, eggs, seafood, etc. are rich in calcium and you should eat more of them. When a pregnant woman has calf cramps, she should first gently massage the back of the calf (calf) from bottom to top, then massage the big toe and the entire leg. If the cramps do not subside, place the foot in a basin of warm water, apply hot compresses and gently rub the calf, which can usually relieve the cramps.

When your calf cramps, gently massaging the hardened muscles at the back of the calf, applying local heat, and moving your foot can provide relief. Pay attention to changing your walking habits, let your heels touch the ground first, and bend your toes instead of extending them forward when you straighten your calves, which can reduce attacks. Expectant mothers should increase their calcium intake in their daily diet. Foods such as milk, beans and bean products, nuts, sesame seeds, dried shrimps, crabs, clams, eggs, kelp, and seaweed are all rich in calcium. At the same time, eat less spinach, bamboo shoots and wild rice stems which contain more oxalic acid; eat less buckwheat and oats which contain more phytic acid, to prevent calcium and oxalic acid or phytic acid from forming insoluble calcium oxalate or calcium phytate which cannot be absorbed. In addition, you should regularly go outdoors and get more sun exposure to encourage the skin to synthesize more vitamin D, thereby enhancing the absorption and utilization of calcium.

After understanding the causes of calf cramps during pregnancy, when you experience this condition, you should make improvements based on the specific situation. When women are pregnant, they should eat more foods high in calcium, which is very helpful in preventing leg cramps in late pregnancy. Women should also pay attention to this.