35 weeks pregnant and dreadful leg pains

[Monkeyfish]

Im 35 weeks pregnant with my second child. For the past week or so i have been getting achy legs at night. At first it would wake me up once or twice but i could sleep through it but now im awake every half hour to an hour through the night with dreadful hip pains (almost like cramp) and a heavy aching in my legs. Its impossible to sleep. The only thing i find to help is to get up and walk around downstairs for a while however i am now exhausted. I have tried using pillows of various designs (which worked really well with my first pregnancy) but i find they make me more uncomfortable. My legs have also started aching all through the day now as well when walking around or stood up.

Does anyone have any other suggestions i could try? Apart from a pregnancy bump i'm not overweight at all. I dont want to take paracetamol because, although safe, i would be popping it all day and all night!

[marinapol]

I've heard magnesium helps with cramps in pregnancy!try it..I am taking it as supplement.good luck!

[Tigress]

Speak to your midwife.

I get heavy legs and hip pain and I have two theories-one is that it is circulatory hence why movement helps. Therefore I watch how i'm sitting and keep my leg raised. I also try to avoid standing for long periods. There are times when my leg throbs rather than aches.

Alternatively, I have had sciatica (nerve pains from my back) for years and this can mean I overcompensate with my hip and it passes down my legs, thus affecting both hip and legs. Now carrying extra weight at the front is throwing me off balance so it could be that without realising it my posture is awful and straining everything even more! Best thing for this would be a physio referral so they can give you some basic exercises/ show you how to sit/ stand etc properly.

As a quick fix eat a bag of ready salted crisps. If ever I get 'basic' (for want of a better word!) cramp this works wonders.

Good luck

[sandrine47]

Hi , I too suffer from achy legs and pain in hip when sleeping. I am 28 weeks and heavier that I should be, but the pain can waken me too. Craving salty foods so will try magnesiium supplements, thankyou marinipol!!

[Monkeyfish]

Thanks for your replies. I saw the midwife yesterday and she thinks i have SPD as am also getting pelvic pain when walking so is going to refer me to the physio. This will be a good thing as baby is also lying back to back so i need to be sitting/moving in a way to get him to turn but its all so uncomfortable. Feel like an 80 year old!!!