Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Soap, it isn't just for showering these days.

I really hate to go on and on about this whole pregnancy business but it does seem to take up a lot of my time and thoughts. Another reason I can't seem to forget, which I'm not saying I want to, is that the baby and all the ailments of pregnancy won't let me forget and move on and discuss far more interesting topics, like is Jon Gosselin really cheating on his mean and miserable wife and does anyone even care?

I have been becoming increasingly tired and I am having a rather difficult time finishing 'Brave New World'. Every night I get into the bath, read four pages and fall asleep risking both drowning in the six inches of water and the drowning of that miserable book (OK, it isn't that bad but it's more effective than any Tylenol P.M. I've ever taken).

Of course, then I have to get out, dry off, put on my PJ's, for which I am having a harder and harder time at doing as 'maternity' pajamas just seem a little out of the budget, at which point I am wide awake again. Fortunately, another three pages of Aldous Huxley and I'm out again.

Here's the part that is really irritating. Several hours later I awake to the most awful leg cramps. When I was pregnant with Bailey and Cooper the awful leg cramps started at 18 weeks, I remember clearly because I was a HUGE baby about it, crying and whining and all that nonsense. My husband thought I was being bludgeoned to death and rolled over when he found out what was ailing me. At that point in my last pregnancy I was still under the assumption I couldn't take a bath at all so I 'tried' to walk it off and then ran hot water over the calf muscle. The cramps continued pretty regularly throughout the rest of the pregnancy no matter how many bananas I ate with some of them causing me to limp around for most of the following day.

When I'd made it to the halfway point a few weeks ago without any leg cramps I thought I had possibly escaped this pregnancy without them. I know, foolish. So last Friday I had a leg cramp before I even made it to bed. And the last two nights I have awoken to them, and boy they are mean and nasty.

I have tried stretching...that can sometimes even bring them on so I try and avoid stretching. I have tried the banana thing, that doesn't seem to help either. I have, and did last night, drink a lot of water before bed. This only resulted in having to pee a dozen times in addition to leg cramps. This morning however, I may have found the solution. The same website that advised me on how to mix my urine with Draino is now saying I should sleep with Zest.

That's right, sleeping with a bar of soap between your sheets may ward off leg cramps, who knew? I am at the point that sleeping with a bar of soap doesn't sound all that crazy. So has anyone else tried this or heard about this? Is there any truth to it? I think I will try it regardless. I mean if nothing else, I can always use it to hit Todd when he snores and that may result in at least a little more sleep.

8 comments:

Cheryle said...

I've read that a bar of bath soap under the sheet really does ward off leg cramps. It was in the newspaper (the medical column) so it must be true, right?

I've also heard a teaspoon of mustard (no info as to whether plain yellow, Gulden's or Grey Poupon) will help. Otherwise, it sounds as if you've tried the usual - bananas, water - so the soap certainly can't hurt!

TheAtticGirl said...

Hi there! Following from MBC.

Anonymous said...

I heard it's caused from calcium defeciency? Following from MBC

MediMonsters said...

Never heard of that...but it can't hurt to try. LOL

Came over from MBC under 100 club. I've already made it to 100 but still out there helping others get there! ;)

Come visit me some time!

www.smalltownlouisianagirl.com

Unknown said...

Hi!
I came over from the MBC under 100 followers.

I have to say I never heard of Zest being used for warding off leg cramps. But I sure wish I tried something that worked when I was pregnant with my kids. I just took the pain as part of pregnancy!

I started writing my blog to keep my sanity too, I'm surprised I'm not in a rubber room yet the way my kiddies run me crazy! LOL!

Keep writing!
Vanessa
www.militarywifemayhem.com

Charmaine said...

Luckily I didn't get very bad leg cramps, just in the morning every once in awhile. And usually if I stretched before I got out of bed I would be fine. Once though, it was bad enough that it dropped me to the ground. I couldn't move because I was in so much pain! That sucked! Anyhow, I'm visiting (and following) from the Under 100 Followers Club - can't wait to read more!

Sarah said...

Hey, Following from MBC.

I so totally remember the leg cramps. Nothing helped. NO-THING. Except, of course, delivery & time. So see? It won't go on forever. I swear. It won't!

Good Luck!

The Mama said...

I'm dealing with the same thing, and nothing I've done helps. Thought hitting the husband awake improves my mood some ;) Following from MBC