Easy Measures To Prevent Leg Cramps During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an amazing journey when your body prepares itself for embracing motherhood. While you will probably love that feeling of another life growing inside you, there are certain problems that you would want to keep away. One of the common woes that would-be mommies experience is leg cramps. These painful involuntary muscle contractions are caused due to the pregnancy-related hormonal changes which affect your circulation. They can be excruciating, making it difficult to move and even giving your sleepless nights. Fortunately, leg cramps are easy to prevent if you follow some simple lifestyle changes. Here are some measures to address them effectively.

Stretching exercise for calf muscles

Mobilizing your calf muscles can be greatly helpful for alleviating cramps. Gentle stretching is recommended as a safe and effective measure for pregnant women. It is a good idea to identify the muscle groups which you cramp most often and pay special attention to them. Some light stretches before going to bed are particularly effective to prevent night time cramps. Make sure that you don’t overdo when performing the exercise.

Staying hydrated is important

It may sound surprising but hydration is the key to keeping your muscles in a good shape and preventing cramps. Make a conscious effort to increase your water intake, targeting at least 8 glasses a day. Increase the consumption of water-rich fruits and vegetables as well and avoid caffeinated drinks. The advantages of hydration go beyond keeping your legs healthy as it also makes you feel energetic and pepped up.

Wear compression leggings

If you want to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy in a scientific way, wearing maternal compression leggings is a good idea. Invest in Best Maternity Compression Leggings as soon as you step into the second trimester because that is when your legs have to bear increasing pressure due to weight gain. The garment keeps the blood circulation in the calf area going and eliminates the risk of blood clots, which can be a major concern during pregnancy. Besides being effective for cramping and swelling of the legs, it lowers the risk of serious problems like varicose veins.

Load on magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that strengthens your muscles and prevents cramping. A diet that is low in magnesium hampers the ability of the muscles to relax. Therefore, it is vital to load on magnesium with dietary elements including spinach, bananas, walnuts and dark chocolate. If you seem not to be getting enough for your pregnant body through dietary sources, ask your doctor to write a magnesium supplement for an extra dose of the mineral.

Stay active

Staying active during pregnancy has a lot of benefits and keeping cramps away is one of them. Invest in a physical activity that you are comfortable with. Besides physical activity, massage, deep breathing, prenatal yoga, and meditation keep you de-stressed, which is equally important to keep your muscles relaxed. At the same time, make sure that you get plenty of rest and good sleep to rejuvenate and energize your body.

Focusing on holistic health is the best way to stay fit and comfortable through your pregnancy. By doing so, you can keep all the problems away and muscle cramps are no exception. So just go ahead and embrace these healthy changes if you want to have a happy and healthy pregnancy!