Pregnancy & Restless Leg Syndrome

Apparently developing restless leg syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy is not uncommon (about 15% of women may develop it during pregnancy).  Generally it's an annoying feeling in your legs - some describe it as a sort of tingling crawling feeling deep inside your muscles, and you get this urge to move your leg.  If RLS only started during pregnancy it means that it'll most likely disappear within about a month after baby's born.  Or you may be stuck with it for good if you're unlucky, but the symptoms should be less severe after baby's born.

I've had RLS for years but I've definitely noticed lately that it's become a lot worse - I didn't get it very often, but now it's almost every night if not every night.  So I thought I'd google it and see what cooks and whether this is yet one more fun pregnancy thing that you never see in the common pregnancy symptoms lists . . . and guess what?  It IS!  For me it feels like an annoying sensation in my calves and I have to move the calf muscles to get rid of the feeling - I just do this by stretching the calf muscles (and I can only stretch them a certain way otherwise I get a cramp) and it goes away for a few seconds, but comes back again and so it carries on.  For some people, RLS affects their feet or upper legs too, and even their arms.

What's even more annoying about this condition is that it tends to show up after you get into bed and want to snooze.  This is when I get it.  Apparently some people get it any time they sit or lie down for a while, ie when the muscles are relaxed.  Fortunately mine seems to disappear a short while after getting into bed, as I don't recall ever waking up in the middle of the night and still having RLS.

Let me tell you, this is SOOOOOOO annoying.  Women who already had RLS before pregnancy may tend to have it worsen during the last trimester of pregnancy.  I think this is me.

They don't seem to know exactly what causes it, but it has been suggested that it could be because of some nutrient deficiency.  And if other family members have it, you seem to have an increased chance of getting it too.

Here are some things that are said to help relieve this condition:

• try taking supplements, such as iron, magnesium, vit B12 or folate (or a good B multi-vitamin is even better), but first check with your doc if you're pregnant before taking extra supplements.  Or you could just improve your diet and eat healthier.
• some meds, such as antihistamines, may worsen the condition
• caffeine may make symptoms worse too, as does smoking and alcohol
• try stretching the affected muscles before bed  
• light exercise earlier in the day may also help relieve symptoms, but too much exercise could worsen them too.  They think that having a sedentary lifestyle may make you more predisposed to developing RLS.
• try massaging the muscles
• take a warm bath
• using hot / cold compresses may relieve symptoms
• make sure you get enough rest at bed time - not only is this generally good for your health, but it helps to reduce RLS
• stay well hydrated
• if you're stressed, find a way to reduce your stress levels

Anyway, if you're healthy in all other respects, RLS isn't a serious condition (although it's seriously annoying) and is generally not something to worry about health-wise.