The Ayurveda Experience Blog
During pregnancy body aches are one of the most common difficulties. There are many possible causes.
In the second trimester the most common pain will be low back pain and pelvic discomfort. This is just a sign that your body is preparing for pregnancy. Another common complaint is nighttime leg cramps during early pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the body needs extra power to meet the added energy demands. Along with the heart, kidney and lungs, the body muscles, especially the leg muscles need extra energy to bear the increasing body weight of both the pregnant woman and the fetus. When there is a slight imbalance between energy demand and supply, leg cramps set in.
Calcium deficiency may also cause on and off pain in different parts of the body. Since it is necessary to sleep on one side (preferably your left side) during pregnancy, thigh and calf pain is expected at night.
Many women can’t escape leg cramps during pregnancy, commonly called charley horses. Diet and exercise are the two main factors that can help you out.
Simple Dietary And Lifestyle Changes For Pregnancy Body Aches
- Include dairy products and a calcium supplement in your diet.
- Eat potassium-rich bananas and dried apricots.
- Dehydration worsens swelling and pain, so have plenty of fluids.
- Try stretching the legs and rotating the ankle whenever you remember to do so.
- Regular oil massage helps relax the muscles and keeps leg cramps at bay.
- Just before going to bed, apply a few drops of massage oil and gently massage the calf muscle area for 2–3 minutes.
If you find yourself in the middle of the night with leg cramps, try to ease the pain with a hot water pack or flex your foot to stretch the calf. In addition to these dietary changes, take a 15 – 20 minute walk or do gentle yoga daily.
Gentle Yoga For Pain Relief
The following things might help you to get rid of the pains and aches.
- Seated meditation with gentle music.
- The yogic fundamentals for dealing with most pain: move slow, breathe deep and pay attention to your body.
- Cow Face/ Gomughasana – It stretches ankle, thigh, shoulder, hip, thorax, axilla and biceps.
- Reclining eagle twist.
- Squat, supporting the neck with both hands.
- Reclined butterfly spine opener.
Sit in each posture for 10 to 20 long breaths.
Be sure to get approval from your doctor before doing any Yogic poses. Avoid over stretching and twisting poses. Stay hydrated and focus on strength.
More Great Tips…
Elevate your feet as often as you can. Improve the circulation in your ankles with rotation exercises. Don’t wait for pain to occur to start your exercises. If you are in your second trimester and you don’t have any aches and pains it’s well and good. But even still, practicing these simple recommendations above will definitely help to prevent the occurrence of pain.
Some types of pain need immediate medical attention. If the pain is due to a physical trauma which might affect the baby as well or if the pain is associated with numbness or fever seek medical attention immediately.
