To all my former clients and most especially to my mother:
When you told me you were experiencing restless leg syndrome, I so flippantly advised you to take your cal/mag before bed. I had no idea how awful the legs of restlessness were.
I do now.
And I take cal/mag before bed.
And it didn’t prevent or cure this horrible pregnancy affliction. I am sorry for my empty and worthless advice.
I am, indeed, afflicted with pregnancy-induced rls. *Sigh* followed by much mournful drama.
I would have never thought rls would really be this bad. But it feels like the skin on my legs is crawling, my muscles are jumpy, I’m fretful. I want Scott to rub my legs–but “no, don’t do it like that!”
No one seems to know why it happens to 1 in 4 pregnant women. Maybe low iron levels, maybe hormones, maybe increased blood volume, maybe increased sensory input. I love how the article I linked suggested that one knit or engage in “intense discussion” at night to distract oneself. Maybe I’ll start surfing some message boards at night for intense discussion!
Engaging in intense discussion
So. Anyone have any miracle remedies?
Inexplicable Ways 
I didn’t take this (http://hylands.com/products/restfullegs.php) when I had RLS while pregnant since I didn’t discover it until after pregnancy but it has worked wonders on my post-pregnancy RLS.
I had that last time and it was the second worst part of the pregnancy (the puking being my least favorite). It drove me nuts because we’d eat dinner with my parents a lot and have to drive for nearly 30 minutes to get home. Sometimes I was crying by the time we got there because it got so bad at night!
Anyway, my grandma gave me the ridiculous advice to put a bar of soap under the fitted sheet of my bed. A whole, dry bar of regular soap, and just leave it down there by my legs. I don’t know why, but it actually worked! Maybe it was just in my head, but it’s worth a try because it’s free 🙂 Hope your legs feel better.
I’ve heard about the soap trick for leg cramps! Shoot, I’ll try it.
Thanks Kelley–I think Walgreen’s carries a good selection of Hylands. I know where I’ll be going today…
I hope your legs feel better soon!! I’ve heard about rls in pregnancy and cannot imagine how irritating that must be! Praying for you… and your legs…
OK…ready to hear from your Mom? My RLS began when I was pregnant with you but I did not know what it was. I initially thought it was related to a Sudafed I took because I had never taken it before and I had never had this sensation in my legs [and my arms]. It was sporatic throughout that pregnancy and I experienced it a few times later and thought that it must be related somehow to hormones. I could not stretch enough!
Today, it drives me crazy. Again, worse at times than others. I have been offered prescriptions but I really do not want to go that route.
Anyway, your apology is accepted! And I love you!
Mom
I feel for you….My last pregnancy I had rls, drove me bonkers!! I was taking my magnesium at night and as you said it didn’t really work. I’d be interested to hear whether the bar of soap worked. The only thing I noticed was the worse my diet was that day (i.e too much sugar) the worse my rls was at night…could be a coincidence though.
All the best!