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Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy

Restless legs syndrome can be maddening. Unfortunately, up to 34 percent of women experience RLS at some point in pregnancy.

legs of a person laying down in bed
Photo credit: © Jodie Johnson Photography / Stocksy United

What is restless legs syndrome?

If you feel an uncontrollable urge to move your legs to relieve crawling, tingling, or burning sensations, you probably have restless legs syndrome (RLS). It's also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease (WED). Symptoms can be mild or severe enough to keep you from getting the rest you need.

You're not alone. In addition to affecting a good number of pregnant women, RLS affects men, children, and women who aren't pregnant. Women experience RLS twice as often as men, and 20 percent of women experience it at some point in pregnancy.

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Symptoms usually get worse when you're at rest, especially right before you fall asleep or when you've been sitting still for long periods, such as at the movies or during a long car ride. Most of the time, you'll feel the symptoms of RLS in your lower legs, but some women feel it in their feet, thighs, arms, or hands, too.

Moving your limbs brings immediate relief, but the sensations return when you stop moving. Needless to say, this can be very uncomfortable and frustrating, especially when you're trying to sleep.

Is RLS bad for my pregnancy?

Restless legs syndrome can certainly keep you from getting the sleep you need, leaving you seriously fatigued and less able to function well during the day. But no, you don't need to worry about RLS harming your pregnancy or your baby.

What causes restless legs syndrome?

No single cause has been identified, but research is ongoing. RLS seems to run in families. For women who already have RLS, it usually gets worse during pregnancy.

No one knows why women who've never had RLS develop it during pregnancy, but there are a number of theories, including iron deficiency, folate deficiency, hormonal changes (specifically a rise in estrogen), and circulatory changes.

What to avoid if you have restless legs syndrome

Some lifestyle changes may help ease the symptoms of RLS:

  • Even a small amount of caffeine can make RLS symptoms worse. If RLS symptoms are bothering you, try eliminating caffeine from your diet completely, if you haven't already.
  • Smoking isn't good for you or your baby, and it can also trigger RLS.
  • Some medications, such as the antihistamines in cold and allergy remedies, can make RLS symptoms worse. (So while Benadryl tends to make people sleepy, for example, it may actually intensify your RLS symptoms and make it harder for you to sleep.)
  • Get in bed only when you're actually ready to sleep. Lying in bed before you go to sleep can make things worse. The longer you lie still, the more likely RLS will occur.
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When will RLS go away?

Fortunately for women who develop RLS during pregnancy, it's temporary. The symptoms typically peak during the third trimester and disappear altogether by the time you deliver your baby or a month or so afterward. Some women experience symptoms for longer, though.

Does anything help RLS in pregnancy?

Most medications used to treat RLS aren't recommended during pregnancy. But many BabyCenter moms-to-be have been in this boat. Here are their best tips for getting relief from the discomfort of RLS.

Exercise and muscle work

  • Regular exercise helps me. I got RLS even before I was pregnant. For me it usually means I have too much pent-up energy and I need to get outside and go on a run or a walk.
  • The only thing that's been working for me is getting out of bed and either walking around for a bit or just doing squats right by the bed.
  • One thing that helps is strengthening exercises or "tensing up" the area of muscles that suffer from the problem. For example, my RLS is in my hips. If I'm in bed and feel the RLS coming on, I contract & hold that muscle group for about ten seconds, then relax, and then repeat four or five times. Don't forget to breathe while you're doing it.

Stretching and yoga

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  • The only thing I've found that helps is to do some yoga at night. It's the stretching that really helps. I don't need to do the whole half-hour video. Just ten to 20 minutes and it drastically reduces my RLS. Otherwise I lie in bed all night shaking my leg trying to fall asleep.
  • The only relief is if I get up and do some yoga stretches, stretching my entire leg from hip to toe.
  • I'm 32 weeks pregnant and get RLS symptoms about every other night. It's very annoying, and my legs can tingle and then twitch on their own. If I get up out of bed and do some deep leg stretches using the major muscle groups (thighs, calves, etc.) for about five or so minutes, I can alleviate the issue long enough to get to sleep. Yoga positions seem to help.
  • The only thing that helps me sleep is stretching my legs really well before bed. If I don't spend five to ten minutes stretching them out, I can't get to sleep at all.

Relaxation techniques

  • Once I do fall asleep, it doesn't come back. So I try my hardest to get into the mindset of not thinking about it. I try thinking of something peaceful, and before I know it I fall asleep. I also noticed the later I go to sleep, the worse it is.
  • I've dealt with RLS all of my life, but it gets worse during pregnancy. I found a relaxation technique and it's a miracle worker! I swear by this:

     

    Step 1: Starting with your toes, flex them as hard as you can while you breathe in. Hold for five to ten seconds, then relax as you exhale. Move through every section of your body (careful not to forget anything), all the way up to your face.

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    Step 2: After your flex routine, close your eyes and count down from ten. Tell yourself (your partner can help) that with every number you'll feel yourself sink deeper into the bed and your body will feel more and more relaxed. Repeat as many times as needed. With practice you'll fall asleep on the first try.

Massage

  • I had RLS with my last pregnancy, and massages helped me. Mainly my feet and legs but also hips. I went every other week from the time I was I was 6 months pregnant and that was great. I couldn't have done without it.
  • Massage, massage, massage! That's the only thing that helps me. My hubby even sits up in the middle of the night when he notices me twitching and kicking and rubs my legs until either he falls asleep or they stop moving. What a guy!
  • I've found that massage helps. I was a massage therapist and had pregnant clients who would come in once or twice a month and said it was really effective. I've gotten massages since I started getting RLS with my pregnancy, and it has helped.

Heat

  • The one and only thing that seems to help me is taking a hot bath while rubbing my legs. (Just make sure the water isn't too hot.)
  • I'm 34 weeks along and find that heat helps my restless legs. I put a heated microwavable pillow just above my knees when I'm trying to get to sleep.
  • I've tried everything, and the only thing that even remotely helps is hot showers. My skin is getting dried out (so I'm relying on lotion more and more these days), but a long, hot shower right before I head to bed often helps calm my legs enough to get me to sleep.
  • I got RLS very badly with my first pregnancy. What helped me get to sleep more than anything else was a plug-in heating pad. Plug it in, set it between your calves or ankles, and turn up the heat. That's the only thing that consistently worked for me besides foot massages
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Cold

  • When I'm having an episode, I soak my feet in the bathtub with the coldest water possible. This seems to be very effective!
  • What really helps is to cool my feet down. I put an ice pack against the bottom of my feet for a few minutes, and it seems to relieve my symptoms enough to where I can fall asleep.
  • I'm 28 weeks pregnant in my second pregnancy, and RLS has been a problem for me, as it was in my first pregnancy. If I settle into bed and it starts (usually with a sudden rush of heat to my feet), I put my feet in very cold water for a couple of minutes. Then I put a bit of Bengay on my legs. It's the menthol-only kind that makes your skin feel cool instead of hot. It sounds funny, but it really works for me!
  • A shower before bed with a blast of cold water on my head right at the end is the only thing that works reliably.

Old wives' tales

  • My mom told me about this old wives' tale remedy she uses for her RLS. Two hours before bed, soak your feet in hot water and Epsom salts for a good 30 minutes. Make sure you have a towel handy. As soon as you dry off your feet, put a light coating of Vicks VapoRub all over your feet, in between your toes, on the balls of your feet, and around your ankles, then sit for 15 minutes with your feet up. I swear by this – it works! No more RLS for me.
  • 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!
  • Everyone will think I am crazy after they read this, but it worked. Take a bar of soap and put it under the sheet at the foot of the bed where you sleep. It works! My grandmother told me about it.

Orgasm

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  • I'm 8 months along and I have RLS, and the only thing that helps me to relax enough to get to sleep is having an orgasm. I've tried a lot of things but for some reason that specific release is enough to calm my body down to fall asleep.
  • Only one thing has worked for me: having sex or at least having an orgasm.

Bananas

  • Bananas are amazing for this! Almost since day one of this pregnancy (I'm now 35 weeks), I've eaten half a banana every morning and another half a banana before I go upstairs to get ready for bed. It's the only thing that has helped at all.
  • I hate bananas but was getting desperate, so I tried it. I eat a banana every night, and it has been working. Now I can actually fall asleep and have a good night's rest.
  • I was getting desperate. So about three weeks ago, I started eating two bananas every night before I go to bed. It works! I stopped having RLS completely. I can't believe I suffered through my previous pregnancies and it could have been avoided by eating bananas.

Editor's note: Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, which plays an important role in sending nerve impulses and helping your muscles contract. If you don't like bananas, there are plenty of other potassium-rich foods to try. Plus, they're good for you even if they don't calm your restless legs.

Vitamin supplements

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  • My doctor put me on calcium and magnesium. It has all but completely taken RLS away. I still get that feeling like it's coming on, but it doesn't actually start and I'm able to fall asleep.
  • Calcium-magnesium supplement helped, but I really got rid of the problem by taking iron supplements. I'm on my second pregnancy now and have been using iron supplements since the beginning. No sign of restless legs (yet!).

Editor's note: Some studies have shown iron supplements provide relief from RLS in those who are iron-deficient. Ask your doctor or midwife about trying supplements such as magnesium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, or folate. Depending on the quantities in your prenatal vitamin, your practitioner may or may not want you to take more. Consult your doctor before taking any supplements while pregnant.

RLS is one problem that can make it nearly impossible to sleep. Nausea, leg cramps, and heartburn or indigestion are other culprits. Read our tips for getting comfortable in bed when you're pregnant.

Learn more:

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BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

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Mother-to-Baby. 2018. A not-so-silent night: Restless legs syndrome and pregnancy. https://mothertobaby.org/baby-blog/a-not-so-silent-night-restless-legs-syndrome-and-pregnancy/Opens a new window [Accessed July 2023]

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Karen Miles
Karen Miles is a writer and an expert on pregnancy and parenting who has contributed to BabyCenter for more than 20 years. She's passionate about bringing up-to-date, useful information to parents so they can make good decisions for their families. Her favorite gig of all is being "Mama Karen" to four grown children and "Nana" to nine grandkids.
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