Pregnancy pillows & sleeping positions to reduce leg cramps

Afflicted with leg cramps? They’re a common problem for many expectant mums in Singapore, especially when nighttime comes and you're trying to get some quality sleep!

Leg cramps during pregnancy can make it harder for you to rest at night, only adding to the fatigue most mothers experience at this time. Fortunately, there are some ways to minimise the discomfort they cause. 

In this article, we explore why leg cramps during pregnancy happen, how you can reduce them, as well as the best sleeping positions to try and avoid them. This way, you can get the rest you deserve!

Why leg cramps occur during pregnancy

The exact cause of leg cramps during pregnancy isn’t known yet, but we do know they tend to happen during the second or third trimester. 

Some experts think the physiological changes in the mother at this time are responsible for this, specifically when the blood vessels have increased pressure due to the uterus growing. 

Added weight starts to put stress on the muscles. And hormone levels are changing as well. Dehydration or low potassium, magnesium, or calcium levels may contribute to this too.

Best sleeping positions to help with leg cramps

Your sleeping position can make leg cramps better or worse. Luckily, it appears that adjusting your posture can help you improve your situation. 

To begin with, experts advise that expecting mums sleep on their left side. Doctors and organisations like the Sleep Foundation and National Institutes of Health support this approach.

The idea behind it is to improve circulation and help blood flow more freely all around the body. This also reduces pressure on the main vein (vena cava) returning blood from your lower body.

It’s also advised not to sleep flat on your back, especially towards the third trimester. This is when the uterus is large enough to compress major blood vessels and nerves with its weight.

That compression may be capable of triggering cramps and even reducing oxygen flow to both mum and baby.

How pregnancy pillows can help

Pregnancy pillows provide targeted support for expecting mums’ posture. These pillows are shaped to reduce night-time cramps and the overall discomfort pregnant women may feel.

There are several types of pregnancy pillows available, but generally, they work by helping mums maintain spinal alignment or relieving pressure on the joints and muscles.

Full-body pillows

You can usually find these pillows in either U-shaped or C-shaped versions. These are typically full-body types, designed to cradle the mum’s entire body.

By doing so, they offer support for the head, neck, belly, back, and legs. This provides a superb option if you’re the type to toss and turn in your sleep. That’s because these pillows reduce the need to shift positions.

Wedge pillows

If you want something smaller, however, you can opt for the wedge-type pregnancy pillows instead. These are more compact and are designed to go under the belly or behind the back.

For these, the aim is to improve alignment. They’re especially useful for mums who want more minimal pillows – perhaps even ones they can pack to take with them easily.

Knee or leg-support pillows

Another option for mums is to get knee cushions or leg-support pillows. These raise the lower legs to improve circulation and prevent blood from pooling in the lower extremities.

That pooling of blood in the legs can trigger cramps. Paired with techniques like left-side sleeping, these pillows can reduce the occurrence of leg cramps. 

Other tips to prevent night-time leg cramps

There are several other things you can try to bring down the odds of getting those pesky leg cramps. Adjusting your sleeping posture and using pregnancy pillows can do a lot, but it never hurts to supplement them with other tactics!

• Stretch before bed. Do gentle stretches for 5-10 minutes before going to bed at night. Focus on lightly stretching your calves and thighs.

• Try compression socks. Consult with your doctor first, but if approved, these may help with your circulation.

• Make sure you’re hydrated. Drinking enough water to stay hydrated can help you avoid dehydration-related cramps.

• Take a warm bath before bed. Warm baths can soothe tired muscles, just like gentle stretching. 

• Put a hot water bottle on your calves. Doing this before bed can ease the muscles before you lie down.

• See your doctor if all else fails. There are cases when the cramps are caused by an underlying issue. If all of the other techniques have failed, you should consult your doctor to see if there’s a condition that must be addressed.

Make your life as an expectant mum easier

While leg cramps during pregnancy can be tiresome, there are some ways that can help you avoid them. The strategies we provided here should help most mums reduce the occurrence of these cramps and get more of the sleep they sorely need.

Remember that each woman’s body is unique, as is every pregnancy! What works for one woman – or even one pregnancy – may not work for another. That’s why you have to try multiple things sometimes to see which one addresses your problem.

If you want to get more help from other mums or experts, join our community of mums online. We regularly exchange knowledge with other mums and even provide free baby gear to review sometimes. And don’t forget to check out other articles on the blog for more tips!