What Does Your Stomach Feel Like In Early Pregnancy

Are Stomach Pains Normal During Pregnancy

• Severe Pain

Minor stomach pain and cramps are common during pregnancy and are rarely a sign that anything is amiss. But if you have severe pain you should seek medical help immediately as it may be due to an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, placental abruption, or other serious problems. Learn what these symptoms indicate at different stages of pregnancy and when to see your doctor.

Why Do I Have Stomach Pain In The Morning

A change in diet, loss of weight, and elevating your head during sleep can reduce GERDs morning symptoms. 2. Food Poisoning. Dumbfound? If the food you ate in the evening or at midnight is contaminated with viruses, bacteria, or parasites, it can cause stomach pain in the morning when you wake up, nausea, vomiting, or even fever.

Shortness Of Breath During Pregnancy

Shortness of breath can happen due to increased upward pressure from the uterus and changes in physiologic lung function.

Recommendations:

• When walking, slow down and rest a few moments.
• Raise your arms over your head .
• Avoid lying flat on your back, and try sleeping with your head elevated.
• If prolonged shortness of breathing continues or you experience sharp pain when inhaling, contact your health care provider. You could have a pulmonary embolism .

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Pregnant Belly Stages: Size Shape And What To Expect

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Your baby is growing, and soon youll see your pregnant belly growing too.

From a little baby bump to a basketball, all pregnant bellies come in different shapes and sizes. Dont get caught comparing bellies! Every woman is shaped differently, so pregnant bellies will look different across the board.

But even so, how do you know if your belly is too big or too small and what it can mean? In this article, Mustelas baby experts will show you what you can expect throughout the different stages of pregnancy.

Hard Stomach During Pregnancy: Is It Normal

During the early stages of pregnancy, around 7 or 8 weeks, the growth of the uterus and the development of the baby, turn the the belly harder. At this stage, it is normal for you to notice that the underside of the navel, also popularly known as the “foot of the belly,” is more swollen and harder than before becoming pregnant.

As the belly grows, it becomes rounder and harder in the lower part of the belly button and then becomes harder around the navel, and by the 5th month of gestation, the belly becomes more rounded leaving no room for doubt that you are pregnant.

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Do Stomach Pains Mean Your Pregnant

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Causes Of Ovulation Pain

There are a few theories as to what causes this pain

• Irritation caused by blood and fluid when the egg is released. The blood and fluid can irritate tissues in the abdominal lining.
• Bruising is caused during ovulation when the ovarian wall ruptures.
• Fallopian tube muscle contractions cause discomfort. The contractions gently move the egg towards the uterus.

The following images will help you understand these three causes.

The pain is referred to as Mittelschmerz, which comes from the German words for middle and pain. As this phenomenon describes a pain that occurs in the middle of the cycle, the name makes perfect sense. Contrary to popular belief, the presence of mittelschmerz in a cycle does not indicate pregnancy. It simply indicates ovulation.

However, there is one important distinction. Mittelschmerz occurs during ovulation. This is normally about 15 days before your next period, depending on your cycle and luteal phase length. If you are tracking your cycle closely, have never experienced pain or cramping during ovulation, and are certain that your cramping occurred after ovulation, it may be an indication that you are pregnant .

Mittelschmerz affects 1 in 5 women and is most common between the age of 14 and 40.

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Vulva Change In Colour

One of the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy can be a change in colour of your vulva and vagina. Your vulva and vagina are usually pink, but this changes to dark purplish-red as your pregnancy progresses. This happens because more blood is needed in that area to build the tissue, a change which midwives refer to as Chadwicks sign.

What else could it be?All of the maintenance we perform on our vaginas can contribute to a change in colour. If you have been using razors or hair removal creams you could be suffering from reddening or a rash. Also, watch out for washing products that arent sensitive to the hormone balance as this can have an effect too. Look for gentle products to prevent irritation to your vagina.

What Does Measuring The Height Of The Mothers Uterus Tell Us

The purpose of measuring the height of the mothers uterus is to determine if the baby is growing normally at each stage of the pregnancy. When you measure the uterus, you check to see where the top of the uterus is.

Healthy signs

• The height of the uterus matches the gestational age of the fetus, i.e. the number of weeks or months of pregnancy .
• The top of the uterus rises in the mothers abdomen by about two finger-widths, or 4 cm every month.

Warning signs

• The height of the uterus does not match the number of weeks or months of pregnancy.
• The top of the uterus rises more than, or less than, two finger-widths or 4 cm every month.

• Do you remember what the domed region at the top of the uterus is called?

• It is called the fundus.

When you measure how high the top of the uterus has reached in the mothers abdomen, you are measuring the fundal height. This is a much more accurate way of estimating fetal growth than weighing the mother. Measuring the fundal height will show you three things:

As the baby grows inside the uterus, you can feel the uterus grow bigger in the mothers abdomen. The top of the uterus moves about two finger-widths or 4 cm higher each month .

Box 10.1 Changes in fundal height in a normal pregnancy

At about three months , the top of the uterus is usually just above the mothers pubic bone .

At about five months , the top of the uterus is usually right at the mothers bellybutton .

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Pregnancy Nausea Or Vomiting

It’s very common — and normal — to have an upset stomach when you’re pregnant.

Chalk it up to pregnancy’s hormonal changes. It usually happens early in pregnancy, while your body is adjusting to the higher hormone levels.

Good news: Nausea usually disappears by the fourth month of pregnancy . It can happen at any time of the day but may be worse in the morning, when your stomach is empty or if you aren’t eating enough.

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Can Morning Sickness Start At 1 Week

Pregnancy symptoms in week 1

According to the Office on Womens Health, the most common first sign of pregnancy is a missed menstrual period. Other early pregnancy symptoms include: nausea with or without vomiting. breast changes including tenderness, swelling, or tingling feeling, or noticeable blue veins.

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What Other Changes Can I Expect During The First Trimester

Frequent urination. Towards the end of the first trimester, you will feel like urinating more often. This is because your growing uterus pushes on your bladder. You may even leak a little urine when you cough or sneeze.

Lightheadedness. Your body is working overtime to make extra blood to support your baby. This can cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Hunger, weakness, or stress can cause these symptoms as well.

Heartburn. The muscles that break down food become more relaxed during pregnancy. Hormone changes also slow down this process. Food also stays in your stomach longer to give your body more time to absorb nutrients. All these things can cause or worsen heartburn.

Constipation. You should be taking a daily prenatal vitamin that contains iron. The iron in the vitamin can lead to constipation. The slow process of breaking down food also can cause constipation, gas, and bloating. Your doctor may suggest taking fiber supplements or a stool softener to provide relief. Make sure you drink plenty of water . Tell your doctor if you have severe problems. They may switch you to a different prenatal vitamin.

Visible veins. Your body makes extra blood and your heart pumps faster to meet the needs of pregnancy. This can cause the blue veins in your belly, breasts, and legs to become more noticeable. You may develop spider veins on your face, neck, or arms. These are tiny blood vessels that branch out from a central area, like the legs of a spider.

When Do Pregnancy Symptoms Start

While every woman is different, here’s when you can tentatively expect breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue, frequent urination, and other signs of pregnancy.

You received a positive pregnancy test, and now youre waiting for the telltale symptoms to start. When can you expect nausea, vomiting, bloating, constipation, and fatigue?

As it turns out, every woman is different, says Marra Francis, M.D., an OB-GYN in Woodlands, Texas, and an author of the Mommy MD Guides. Some never experience the typical early signs of pregnancy, while others feel immediate changes in their body. And you cant use previous pregnancies as a guide either symptoms might appear at different points in every gestation, adds Dr. Francis.

To give you a basic guideline, we rounded up nine common early pregnancy symptoms and their typical start time. Remember to take this tentative schedule with a grain of salt, though, and ask your doctor about any concerns.

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What Are Five Common Signs Of Pregnancy

There are several signs of early pregnancy that you could experience. Not everyone will have all of these symptoms, and some women may not feel any of these things. Pregnancy symptoms throughout the entire pregnancy can vary dramatically between women. Its important not to compare your pregnancy to someone elses.

Common early pregnancy symptoms can include:

What Should Your Belly Look Like In The First Trimester

For some women, their belly doesnt change much during the first trimester. Your belly may look a little rounder, but thats most likely due to bloating more than it is a growing baby. However, by the end of the first trimester, you and your significant other may be the first ones to notice a little bump!

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Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy

Normal vaginal secretions increase during pregnancy due to greater blood supply and hormones. Normal vaginal discharge is white or clear, isn’t irritating, is odorless, and may look yellow when dry on your underwear or panty liners.

Recommendations:

• Wear low-heeled shoes.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects.
• Squat down with your knees bent when picking things up instead of bending down at the waist.
• Don’t stand on your feet for long periods. If you need to stand for long periods, place one foot on a stool or box for support.
• Sit in a chair with good back support, or place a small pillow behind your lower back. Also, place your feet on a footrest or stool.
• Check that your bed is firm. If needed, put a board between the mattress and box spring.
• Sleep on your left side with a pillow between your legs for support.
• Apply a hot water bottle or heating pad on low setting to your back, take a warm bath or shower, or try massage.
• Perform exercises, as advised by your health care provider, to make your back muscles stronger and help relieve the soreness.
• Maintain good posture. Standing up straight will ease the strain on your back.
• Contact your health care provider if you have a low backache that goes around your stomach and does not go away within one hour after you change position or rest. This might be a sign of premature labor.

Continued

How To Deal With It:

Youll probably want to invest in some different kinds of bras, which could be larger, made out of cotton, and underwire-free. Wearing a bra to bed might help ease the pain as well. Though your larger twins might look enticing to your partner, make sure you let them know that they are welcome to look, but touching should be kept to a minimum.

If you’re pregnant, your body is working hard to make another human, so you’re feeling tired for many reasons!

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Swelling In The Feet And Legs During Pregnancy

Pressure from your growing uterus on the blood vessels carrying blood from the lower body causes fluid buildup. The result is swelling in the legs and feet.

Additional weight during pregnancy can also make your feet bigger. Plus, pregnancy hormones loosen your ligaments and muscles so your pelvic joints open up to get ready for childbirth. This affects your whole body, even your feet. Call your doctor if any swelling is more than mild or if it suddenly gets worse.

Recommendations:

• Try not to stay on your feet for long periods of time. Avoid standing in one place.
• Drink plenty of fluids .
• Avoid foods high in salt .
• Elevate your legs and feet while sitting. Avoid crossing your legs.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing tight clothing can slow circulation and increase fluid retention.
• Soak your feet in cool water.
• Keep moving. Exercise your legs to keep fluid from building up.
• Don’t wear tight shoes choose supportive shoes with low, wide heels.
• Keep your diet rich in protein too little protein can cause fluid retention.
• Notify your health care provider if your hands or face swell. This may be a warning sign of preeclampsia.
• Rest on your side during the day to help increase blood flow to your kidneys.

Continued

Case & Commentarypart 1

A 34-year-old woman who was 14 weeks pregnant presented to the emergency department with 5 days of nonspecific abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. On examination, she appeared well with normal vital signs and had some mild diffuse abdominal tenderness. Her white blood cell count was 19,000 cells/L, and a urinalysis was positive for nitrates and leukocyte esterase . She was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and was discharged on antibiotic therapy. No imaging was performed at this initial visit.

The patient returned the following day with unchanged abdominal pain and more nausea and vomiting. A fetal ultrasound was performed and found normal fetal heart activity. No further testing was done, and she was discharged home with instructions to continue the antibiotics.

Abdominal pain remains the most common reason for emergency department visits, comprising more than 11% of all visits in 2008. In 2011, 54% of patients that presented to the ED were female, more than 25% were of childbearing age, and the pregnancy rate in the United States is approximately 10% at any given time. For these reasons, clinicians that evaluate patients with abdominal pain in the ED should be familiar with common causes of abdominal pain in pregnant women and appreciate when nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is abnormal.

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Diagnosing Stomach Pain During Pregnancy

Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms, check your blood pressure, and perform a physical exam. They will most likely look at the fetus with an ultrasound as well.

Additional tests will depend on what the doctor suspects may be causing the pain but may include blood tests and other imaging.

What Kind Of Abdominal Pain Should You Expectfrom The Early Phase Of Pregnancy

It is worthy of note that having pain in thelower stomach or hardness/swelling of the stomach is not an early indicator ofpregnancy. This is because the pregnancy bump is not expected to be conspicuoustill a few weeks gone.

Although this may vary for women who have had prior pregnancies, the only kind of discomfort that is expected in the early trimester include:

Slight Cramping

This should be a lot comparable to the usualmensural cramp. It should not be alarming as it is just a sign of implantation.In some cases, this is followed by spotting usually a few days before the period.

Nausea

This occurs mostly during about 8 weeks postconception and yes it can hurt sometimes.

Lower Stomach Discomfort and Bloating

While this can begin as early as two weeks postconception, it is normal. Almost every woman experiences digestive problems inthe course of pregnancy. This happens onlybecause your body just started the massive production of progesterone.

This hormone is known to slow down thedigestive activities. This will buy more time for the nutrients you ingested togain entrance into your bloodstream and get to the baby. This also results in constipation.

Frequent Urination and Bladder Irritation

Every pregnant woman experience this. For some,it comes as early as the second to third week, and it may last throughout theperiod of pregnancy.

Taste and Smell Sensitivity

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