Morning sickness. Itching skin. Back pain. These are telltale signs of a pregnancy.
Another common annoyance when you're expecting will hit you when you're least expecting it.
As you enter the second and third trimesters, charley horses can kick you out of nowhere, causing short spasms in your legs.
These brief bothersome bursts can be more frequent or more intense if you're pregnant with twins, thanks to the increased pressure on nerves and blood vessels, extra nutritional demand and accompanying weight gain, and additional strain that comes with carrying two babies at once.
Luckily, you don't have to live with these little cramps; there are easy steps you can take to ease the discomfort that comes with carrying dual babies at once.
What causes these cramps?
Charley horses can be caused by a few different factors, one of which includes mineral deficiencies.
Making prenatal vitamins a part of your daily routine can help ensure you're getting the essential building blocks that you and both of your babies need.
Even so, you may be deficient in a few areas, so it's worth asking your doctor about if you're dealing with intense leg cramps during your twin pregnancy.
If you're not getting enough magnesium or calcium in your diet, you can experience these irritating leg cramps.
Cramps can also be brought on by having an abundance of phosphorus in your diet.
Note, if the leg cramps you're experiencing are accompanied by swelling, redness, or pain that doesn't go away, bring this to the attention of your healthcare provider right away, as these symptoms could be signs of a blood clot.
Ask about increasing your magnesium intake
Since a shortage of magnesium could be the culprit, you might want to consider adding magnesium-rich foods, like bananas, avocados, spinach, beans (black or edamame), and dark chocolate, to your diet.
If you're concerned your dietary intake is insufficient, ask your doctor for guidance about magnesium or calcium supplements to help with the cramps. It's also worth asking them about taking magnesium at nighttime, as it can also help you get a better and more restorative sleep.
Magnesium supplements are available in different forms; magnesium glycinate is an easily absorbed form of magnesium that's bound to glycine, which makes it gentle on the stomach, and it promotes better sleep. Magnesium malate is also easily absorbed and it's bound to malic acid, which can boost energy production and support muscle recovery.
Another option for increasing your magnesium levels is taking an epsom salt bath, which can also help relax your muscles and reduce inflammation. If you give this one a go, run the idea past your doctor and make sure the water temperature isn't too hot, as that's not safe for the babies you've got on board.
On the flip side, if you've got too much phosphorus in your diet, cutting back a bit on phosphorus-rich items, like milk, cheese, yogurt, beef, poultry, pork, salmon, nuts, or seeds, might reduce the frequency or intensity of those pesky spasms.
Other ways to ease leg cramp discomfort
Beyond adding more magnesium or calcium to your diet, there are other things you can try to help ease the discomfort that comes with charley horses caused by carrying multiple babies simultaneously.
First and foremost, make sure you're keeping yourself properly hydrated. Not only is this important for proper muscle function (and for avoiding involuntary muscle contractions), it's also crucial for supporting your increased blood volume during pregnancy, forming amniotic fluid, and transporting nutrients to your babies, which means it's integral to the development of your little ones.
If you aren't sure how much water you should be drinking or if you find it hard to remember how much water you drink on any given day, try this trick to track your intake.
It's also important to make sure you're moving regularly throughout the day. It doesn't have to be anything too intense (follow your doctor's orders on how active you should be during your pregnancy), but make sure you're not sitting or standing for long periods of time, and if a cramp comes on while you're sitting, try standing up to see if it helps the spasm subside.
Incorporating some gentle stretching in the evening can also help reduce the severity of cramps that might crop up overnight. Try calf muscle stretches before cramps come on—stand facing the wall, lean into your palms, and keep your feet flat on the floor until you feel a soft stretch in your calves.
Alternatively, if you catch a cramp in the act, straighten your leg and softly flex your foot, bringing your toes closer to your shin and stretching the muscles to send that cramp a-packin'.
Say goodbye to spasms
Charley horses can be a pain in the butt (well, in the leg, if we're splittle hairs). They can surprise you again and again during the second and third trimesters of your twin pregnancy, and these cramps can be more frequent and painful if you're pregnant with twins (the more the merrier, right?).
If leg cramps are cramping your style, be sure to talk to your doctor about things you can try to find relief from the intense pain that can accompany charley horses. There are easy ways to dial down the discomfort, so you can say goodbye (or at least say far fewer hellos) to these pesky spasms.
Did you realize you'd go through so many diapers with your multiples? It's shocking, isn't it? Let us know in the Comments section below or connect with us on Instagram to share your thoughts!
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