My legs tend to cramp a lot, so I do passive stretching by looping a belt or a nylon around my foot and pulling my leg up and out...my doctor's wife had just been on bedrest so he was able to recommend that, is its only connection to pregnancy, but it might help. Signed Thought I could Never Face Another Banana

Water, too, billytea. Dehydration can also cause leg cramps. I suffered from them with Owen. I used a body pillow to keep stuff elevated.

Does anyone have some ideas on how she might prevent/reduce/alleviate them?

She needs to make sure that she's properly hydrated as well. Dehydration can cause cramps.

to get them out of the leg/calf when they do stike, remember to *flex* the foot, as opposed to pointing the toe- stretch through the heel. the leg muscles won't want to do it, but once you do, it helps stops the spasming pretty quick.

I have made a believer out of Tom with this.

I'm trying to decide whether to go to Purim services. On the one hand, it's fun -- the services themselves are fun, and then afterwards there's the Purim spiel, which is generally a sort of satirical skit about current events. I'm sure Rahm Emanuel will be a hot topic this year. So, on the one hand, fun. On the other hand, need to change clothes and walk all the way over there and walk all the way back, and even though I can do it, I know that it's going to tire me out, and I've got so much stuff to do this week that I really don't feel like putting forth extra energy for anything.

free piece of advice. Piles of papers does not equal filing. Finding a reimbursement check stub in said piles, IMPOSSIBLE! Arrrggghhh!

(This Public Service Announcement brought to you by the IRS, who reminds you, taxation WITH representation is different than what the colonists had. So please don't revolt).

eta Found it! Woot!

remember to *flex* the foot, as opposed to pointing the toe- stretch through the heel

Pointing the toe makes my leg cramps worse. I've got to slither out of bed and force my foot down flat onto the floor to make them stop. I'm always afraid I'm tearing a muscle when I do that, but it's the only way.

I pull the toes toward my knees -- it helps quite a bit , but it hurts.

Hil, I think you need some fun. I get the not wanting to bother -- but the way things have been going you need something a little lighter and less fraught.

Sometimes I stand up, flex my foot upward, and place my toes against the wall, and press.

Pointing the toe makes my leg cramps worse. I've got to slither out of bed and force my foot down flat onto the floor to make them stop. I'm always afraid I'm tearing a muscle when I do that, but it's the only way.

Yeah, exactly.