It’s 2 a.m., and you’re on your way — for the fourth time — down that well-worn path in the hall to you-know-where. But on this trip, you are waylaid by a cramp in your calf so crippling that you think you’re trapped in some monster nightmare. You try rubbing the muscle, but it feels as tight as a steel cable.

You count to 10, or 20. And that works — sort of.
Pregnant women endure a great many discomforts. In addition to having our bladders pressed on and our legs wrenched with cramps, we get backaches, shortness of breath and swollen ankles. We also have trouble sleeping. For many women, simple, frequent stretching may be the answer. While little hard data exist on the effect of stretching on the baby-bearing body, there is plenty of firsthand testament to its merits.

Fit Pregnancy