Just Work It Out

About 5 months into the pregnancy my wife discovered that sleeping on the floor with her pregnancy pillow was more comfortable than the bed and one sleep-deprived night she started crying out. I blearily looked over and could only see her sitting up and leaning back on hands, her little face all scrunched up.

In my mind I immediately went from a dead tired sleep to she's having the baby! About a hundred different things we hadn't done yet raced through my mind as I tried to roll out of bed.
Our hospital bags aren't packed... We don't have bottles... I haven't read the baby books... What time is it? Why is she in labor now? What if something is wrong with the baby? We don't have a car seat... We can't even take the baby home from the hospital! AHHHH!!!
I was in shear panic mode for about 1.37 seconds trying to get around the bed to her.
It was a leg cramp.
The joys of pregnancy never end.

So leg cramps can be a common occurrence around the second trimester, this is good information to know. Here's some tips on how to avoid them from babycenter.com

• Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.

• Stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.

• Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.

• Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.

• Avoid getting too tired. Lie down on your left side to improve circulation to and from your legs.

• Stay hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.

• Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.