Pregnancy Woes

Have you heard of Restless Legs Syndrome?

Description: If you've started feeling an uncontrollable urge to move around in bed to relieve crawling, tingling, or burning sensations deep inside your legs, you most likely have restless legs syndrome (RLS). Some researchers estimate that up to 20 percent of pregnant women develop this problem during the last few months of pregnancy, though others believe it's much less common than that.

You'll usually notice symptoms when you're at rest, especially right before you fall asleep or when sitting still for long periods, such as at the movies or during long car rides. Most of the time, you'll feel it in your legs, but some women experience it in their arms as well.

Moving your limbs brings immediate relief, but unfortunately, it's only temporary. As soon as you sit or lie down, the sensations return. Your restless legs may even be waking you up once you're asleep.


Well, it's back again for me.

Although my pregnancies aren't that easy, I feel bad complaining when I hear of ladies who are violently sick for the entire 9 months. Or the poor ladies on bed rest. Or the poor ladies who have infertility problems.

So, first off, I am very grateful to be pregnant and for having the opportunity to have kids. With that aside, I don't like being sick for the majority of the 9 months (yes, that's still going on) and I absolutely HATE having Restless Legs Syndrome.

Scene: Exhausted after a day with the little naughty bunny, Jamison. (He's not really that naughty, but some days he can be very trying.) Get in bed, am almost asleep, when BAM!, it hits. Feel the need to move my legs or they start twitching and burning like crazy. Switch positions. This works until my body completely relaxes and then BAM! it hits again. Roll over again, which is becoming difficult now. Throw covers off. Now have a shivering body, with red hot legs. Try putting covers over top part of body and sticking legs over side of bed. Doesn't work. Try getting out of bed and walking around. Doesn't work.

Nothing works! I did this for 2.5 hours last night. I think I finally just fell asleep out of pure exhaustion and frustration. Then I wake up at 6am with the same thing. Ah, misery.

I have no clue how I got through this with the last pregnancy, or how I'm going to get through this with this pregnancy. But, I am glad that it only lasts during the pregnancy. And at least it will help prepare my body for the exhaustion of getting up with a newborn every 3 hours at night. I guess that is the one plus of this situation!