Hi Parents!
For the past five nights, my body and legs have been restless to the point where I'm tossing and turning and can't get relaxed enough to fall asleep. I'm 23 wks pregnant too and exhausted. Benadryl doesn't help. Is there something that I can do that will help? My hubby massages me, but that doesn't seem to do the trick either. Not in the last five nights that is.
Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I had a much better sleep last night! Thanks to you all for such wonderful advice! :-) To those of you who don't know, Benadryl is safe during pregnancy. I got permission to use this when needed at night from my OB/GYN, and confirmation that it is safe from a few Pharmacists. It is a class 2 med, which means that it is safe during pregnancy. :-) Just thought I'd let ya'll know.
Stretching last night really helped me a lot. I haven't done a lot of exercise since being pregnant, and I know I need to get busy on that part. LOL
Thanks again to everyone here! Have a great week!
PS: I'm not an 'every day user' of the benadryl. I only take it if I feel I need it, and that's may be once or twice in a month period. :-)
Try putting a pillow between legs and elevate the legs by putting another pillow under both legs. Try heating packs on legs. I have not had this condition, but those are the things that come to mind. Naybe a weekly massage with a professional?
HI there,
I like so many others have restless leg syndrome too and all the suggestions made here really help. Here is another one. I have found great success by drinking a small glass of green juice. The stretching, the walking, the calcium and magnesium really help and I was told that part of the problem is lack of green veggies. I'm not a huge veggie fan so I drink Very Green Juice Blend from Trader Joe's. Whole Foods has a version too. It tastes like apple juice and as long as I drink it every night with everything else I'm doing the symptoms seem to diminish a lot.
Good luck.
Benadryl would not help at all. Should you be taking that since you are preg.??? Could be the pressure of the baby, but if you can ask the Dr. if you can take over the counter magnesium 200mg in capaules & potassium. This in addition to you're Calcium you should already be taken. I've had this problem on & off, this is the only thing that has helped me. Sometimes you are just missing those minerals in your body. Also try putting a pillow in between your legs, can make it a little more comfortable. I pray that works for you...
I had restless leg with both my pregnancies and the only thing that worked was calcium and magnesium. The liquid kind. I would take just a little more than what the reccomended amount would say on the bottle and that would get me through the night. There were on some occations that I would have to get up in the middle of the night and take a second dose though. I would just take it about a 1/2 hour before you go to bed at night. This really was the only thing that helped me. And of course right after I had the baby my restless leg went away. Good luck
Congrats on your baby :)
I can relate to what you are dealing with (7 pregnancies!)and wish someone could have given me this information at the time!
1 - drink tonic water at night
2 - be sure you are getting a good source of calcium/magnesium
3 - Not sure what your husband uses for massaging....but I have a Lavender Massage oil that is WONDERFUL to massage in to help relax the body. You can find it at www.southwestlifestyle.com in the Body Care section (menu on the left)(https://www.southwestlifestyle.com/massageoil.aspx)
Just stop using it about the last 3 weeks...Lavender oil can decrease the milk supply.
If you have questions...don't hesitate to give me a call or contact me in here.
I've had this problem for years and finally figured out that it was due to muscle tightness in my lower back/butt.
I found that by stretching the muscles it relieves the symptoms. I discussed this with my doctor and was told that most cases of "Restless Leg Syndrome" could be resolved with yoga and stretching. The easiest stretch is to sit near the edge of a film surface, like a chair and cross one leg over the other (ankle on knee), it kinda looks like a "4" then lean forward from the waste. Being pregnant is makes it a little trickier, but I did it all the way through both pregnancies. Don't forget to twitch to the other side. Also, have your DH rub the muscles in your butt while you lay on side with your legs bent at the hip and knee. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees also helps. As will getting a pregnancy massage and doing yoga for pregnant women.
I hope this helps. Remember to check with your OB doctor first.
I have had this on a few occasions and it occured at least twice with each pregnancy. I was going to suggest the same thing that Pat did. Stretching helps a lot and a warm compress on my lower back helped as well. I can't remember if you are allowed to put a warm compress on your back during pregnancy, so check with your doctor first. I just know that the heating pad worked wonders the last time I had this problem. Congratulations on your pregnancy:)
You have lots of good advice already. One other thing that has really helped me-exercise! Whatever it is, walking fast, yoga...getting the blood flowing really has helped my restless legs. Good luck-I know how infuriating this can be.
Hello G.!
Congrats on being pregnant with your 2nd child!
Yes, just as the other Mommas out there have stated...No Benadryl...It can actually cause the 'restless legs' problem and/or cause it to be worse!
Calcium/Magnesium suggestion is a good one! Did not know it came in a liquid form. I would look into that, most definately.
The best to you & yours!
~D.
When I was pregnant, rubbing in some Aveno Stress Relief lotion right before bed always helped me sleep better. It has lavender, ylang-ylang and chamomile, which are natural relaxants. It helps with the dry skin too! Congrats on your upcoming addition!
No benadryl, that would not help restless legs.... it might make you drowsy and that's not good considering you are prego. I have read the other womens' responses and they all gave you great advice, same thing I would have said so need to repeat it.
I hope you feel better soon! :)
Hi G....BANANA'S for their potasium. If you have it really bad, try Magnesium oxate (something like that). That's what my mom takes and it works wonders for her. Good luck to you!!!!
Your pregnancy could be cutting off circulation to your legs during the day, then they dance at night because of the sudden circulation. I think that they make some kind of lifting "girdle" to help take the pressure off during the day? And, if you massage your legs, do it like they do when you get a pedicure. GOod luck!
I can relate. I have had this off and on for about 3 years. What I have done is go to a homeopathist for help. The Southwest School of naturopathy is is right here in Scottsdale and is pretty inexpensive because it is a school. They were able to help me with a lot of things, including restless legs, but the legs haven't completely gone away. I was treated with Ignacia, which can be found at Whole Foods but very person is different. I like the idea of natural healing, especially if you are pregnant. Good Luck, I am interested in what the others have to say.
Hi G.,
I recommend avoiding any medications while pregnant. If you were farther along, I would say that the baby may be sitting on a nerve; but 23 weeks is not that far along. It still could be a possibility, though. If this is the case, chiropractic may help.
However, if this is not the case, then you may have some inflammation. You can reduce inflammation by avoiding inflammatory foods and "night shades" (like tomatoes and potatoes).
Best of luck to you!
G. Van Luven, H.C.
Healthy Habits Wellness Center, LLC
www.HealthyHabitsWellnessCenter.com
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I think it might be your calcium/magnesium intake as pp have mentioned. Many women, especially during pregnancy, up their dairy intake (cow's dairy has a higher ratio of calcium to magnesium for our bodies human to digest the calcium properly). Try taking a magnesium supplement at night like Natural Calm or one by Floradix for a couple of nights to see if that helps. In addition, if you are taking a calcium supplement, make sure that it has magnesium & vitamin D to help make the calcium more bioavailable.
You may be low on calcium and magnesium. May not be getting enough in your prenatal vitamins.
Hi, G.!
Try eating a banana before bed. Also, cut soda out of your diet completely, and any foods that you might be allergic to.
Blessings,
K. G
