Restless Leg Syndrome During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
I have had Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) on and off for years. In my early twenties a doctor prescribed me a tranquilizer and I was able to sleep through the night. However, as I became aware of holistic living I cut out the drugs and realized I could control RLS with a Calcium-Magnesium supplement along with some liquid trace minerals. Apparently my RLS was triggered by a magnesium/trace mineral deficiency. By taking these supplements before bed I returned to long, restful nights of sleep. (Where have those been since I became a mom??? But that’s another can of worms . . .)
NOTE: Because taking too much magnesium can deplete calcium levels in the body, it’s best to take them together at a ratio of 2:1. In other words, take twice as much calcium as magnesium.Also, calcium citrate is more easily absorbed by the body than calcium carbonate.
Where was I? Oh yes, restful nights of sleep. Until pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Katie it got REALLY BAD. Cry my eyes out and bang my head on the floor bad. I used to exercise in the middle of the night just to calm the sensations down! It was an absolutely miserable experience. It continued after pregnancy until I found the third magical ingredient that solved the issue for me: iron.
The formula may be different for other RLS sufferers, but I strongly recommend that pregnant women with RLS symptoms give these three supplements a try. The body needs a lot calcium/magnesium, iron and trace minerals to grow a healthy baby and it’s easy to become deficient. Hope this helps someone!
Melodie
This is fantastic information. I am curious though – do you know if you tested as anemic before you found out what helped? I have had RLS for my whole life (not as bad as yours mind you, but annoying enough to bother the people around me). I’m vegetarian but throughout the years have never tested as low in iron. So I’m wondering if anemia and RLS go hand in hand or would it be different for each person? Thanks for this post.
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Heather
Melodie, I do tend to be borderline anemic, so as a nutritional deficiency it is one of my greatest vulnerabilities. What I’ve learned in talking this through with other wholistic-minded people is that RLS seems to result from SOME kind of deficiency.It is probably different for each person, but minerals do seem to resolve the problem in many cases. Vitamin D has also been mentioned as a possible culprit.
Marie
Hey Heather. Wondering, what kind of symptoms does RLS present with? Sometimes my legs ache at night and I have to get up and do stretches or jump up&down or walk around to get rid of the numbness in my feet & the tingling in my legs. I jokingly said I have RLS. I’m also a contstant leg mover during the day. I say it’s “my motor running” when I constantly move my legs during the day. It’s annoying to some people, but it’s an uncontrollable urge that I do unconsciously.
Heather
Marie – RLS is generally described as “an uncomfortable creeping, crawling, tingling, pulling, twitching, tearing, aching, throbbing, prickling or grabbing sensation.” It can occur in the calves (for me it is slightly higher in the knee area)and is most commonly experienced when sitting or lying down.The sensation causes an uncontrollable urge move the legs in order to find relief (momentarily, at least). Does that help?
Definition source: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=16440
Daniel (Daddypotamus)
It’s important to note that you had actual knee damage as well. You might not be the baseline for normal RLS. You tore your MCL or ACL, right?
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Heather
Actually, I don’t think the my partial ACL tear is significant in relation to my RLS symptoms. I’ve had RLS since I was about ten and it affects both legs. The ACL tear happened when I was 26 and didn’t affect my RLS symptoms either way. Thanks for reminding me about that, though. Since I have no residual pain I had totally forgotten about it. The body has an amazing capacity to heal and/or compensate for injuries!
tmgirl
This will sound bizarre, but what do you have to lose?
Put a bar of soap under your sheet. Or more than one. I put a few pieces of “soap scraps” (the almost used-up bars). I don’t know why it works, but it really does make the Restless Leg stuff go away!
Heather
Thanks, TM Girl. I’d forgotten about this idea. Tried it years ago and it didn’t work for me, but I’ve heard it has for many others.
My only concern about this remedy is that I think RLS usually comes from a deficiency of some kind. Sometimes just having a substance nearby is enough to help the body calm down, but ultimately that doesn’t resolve the possible deficiency issue.
Traditionally, Ivory soap and similar brands contained magnesium, which is a muscle relaxant. Check out more info here: http://earthclinic.com/CURES/restless_legs.html
Angela
I have a 3 week old and have been suffering from this especially badly at night when she is nursing. I am sending my husband out for supplements on his way home today! Thanks so much for the insight!
Angela
How do you spell relief? I’ll give you a hint; it’s not R-O-L-A-I-D-S. Wow. This totally worked in one dose. I am sooooooo grateful for the information! Your blog is fantastic. I’ve been clicking all over and totally agree with you on everything I’ve read so far. Yay for solid Christ-centered natural-health teaching!
Heather
Angela – I am SO GLAD the supplements helped. I can’t describe the feeling of relief I had when I realized I could control this without medication. Yay for sleep! You deserve all you can get. I know that’s not much when you have a 3 week-old so it’s even more important!