Tips for Aching Legs at Night?

[katydid7]

Hoping to get some advice from anyone else experiencing the same thing - I am 22 weeks and have recently started to have trouble sleeping because my legs are aching at night. I am not talking about a cramp or spasm, or even a general feeling of "restlessness" - just an allover ache. It gets slightly relieved when I roll over onto my other side, but then in an hour or two, the other side starts aching and I have to roll back over again, leading to tossing and turning and a generally crappy night's sleep. Any one else suffering from this and (hopefully) have a solution?

[Anonymous]

Sorry I don't have a solution. I've had issues with this, plus occasional restless leg syndrome and now a host of other things that wake me up at 33 weeks. Putting a long pillow in between my legs and lying on my left side provides a little relief - but as you said, inevitably I have to switch sides throughout the night. I've accepted it as par for the course.

[Anonymous]

Yep, I have this too (and in my hands more recently) plus the occasional Charley Horse. My OB said it's normal but didn't offer any solutions. One night I had my husband give me a long leg massage and though it was really nice, it didn't help. I'm 37 weeks and have been having this issue since about 20 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I have been having these aches some too. I am 21 weeks with twins. I have found that stretching some before bed, or even once I'm in bed, has helped. I have had more aches in my thighs and butt muscles as opposed to the calves. I still end up having to roll around during the night though, even if my legs feel OK. I sleep on one side and after a while something starts to hurt or fall asleep, so I roll over to the other side.

[Anonymous]

I just wanted to add in that I am experiencing the same thing. I am 22 weeks along. I also end up tossing back and forth throughout the night. For some reason laying on my back gives the most relief but its probably just because its the 'forbidden' way to sleep so its just more tempting.

[Anonymous]

I am just getting to that point with this pregnancy. On bad nights, I'll end up getting up early in the morning because lying on either side is murder on my hips.

In my last pregnancy, I would get up earlier and earlier and sit/recline on the couch, because laying became so painful. I'm not looking forward to it getting worse.

[Anonymous]

For leg aches and cramps, try upping your potassium intake a bit... have a banana before bed. Someone told me that and it could be the placebo effect, but it's worked for me.

As for the hip pain... I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

A little salt under the tongue.

[Anonymous]

Drink more water!

I had it sooo sooo bad that I could hardly walk and then when I sat down I couldn't get comfortable. I chugged water and felt so much.

It's not like charlie horse, but more of an ache. I know what you mean OP.

[Anonymous]

Here are some things to consider... Exercise, yoga, water intake, caffeine intake, fresh fruits and vegetable intake, taking a bath. These were all things that helped my restless and achey legs. I regularly took a bath in the middle of the night during my pregnancies.

[Anonymous]

Strange, but my mom always said put a bar of new soap at the foot of your bed under the covers. Seriously. She swears by it. Maybe I'll google it now and see if it is in fact a bona fide wives tale.

[Anonymous]

Yep. It's at least a reported wives tale. Says its undetermined. http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/legcramp.asp

[Anonymous]

Instead of bananas start Drinking coconut water before bed. Tons of potassium and magnesium.
I also had aches legs and a lot of that was from the IT band that runs down the Side of hips to knee. I stretch every night before bed and the use a foam roller on IT band each side to loosen it up. Awkward yes at 34 weeks but it helps
A lot!! And try arnica gel on legs before bed too.

[Anonymous]

I get RLS in my calves and the bottom of my foot. Yoga has helped the most. I go to class twice a week and do some stretching before bed. It really does help.