Even when you thought that pregnancy takes place as in advertisements, it is necessary to know that during these 9 months a series of highly variable bodily experiences are experienced. These are in tune with the baby's development process, which grows and changes month by month. For this very reason is the pregnant belly hard or soft, depending on the moment and the situation.
Is it necessary to be alarmed if the belly gets hard? As I always tell you, information is a great ally when it comes to avoiding unnecessary scares. Knowing about pregnancy and how it develops and what you can expect throughout the three trimesters will help you to know what happens with the changes that occur in the belly.
Why does the belly get hard?
Many women who have never experienced a pregnancy wonder if is the pregnant belly hard or soft, if you feel tense or if there is no feeling different than usual. The truth is that pregnancy is a period of great changes where the sensations and symptoms go hand in hand with the development of the fetus and the hormonal changes produced with the intention of gestating life.
Thus, during the first trimester you probably won't feel any change in your belly. In this period, the discomforts are more linked to the hormonal revolution produced after fertilization. The body prepares to accommodate the baby and hormone levels increase, with associated symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, ovarian pain, digestive disorders, tiredness and lack of energy. However, the belly is as usual.
But this begins to change as time goes on. The uterus grows along with the fetus and the belly becomes more rigid but not hard. A pregnant belly must be soft enough to be able to sink the finger in the navel area and that it can descend. If you perform this test in a horizontal position and this does not happen, it is possible that the belly is too hard.
Recognize a hard belly from a soft one
It's not always easy distinguish a hard or soft pregnant belly, as it may be soft but swollen. How to discover the difference? During pregnancy it is very common to feel a swollen belly, digestion slows down and it is common to have constipation. However, a swollen belly is not the same as a hard one. When the belly is hard, even lying down it will not be possible to relax the belly. If you try to squeeze the navel area with a finger, it will not sink.
If this happens, it's best to see your obstetrician, especially if the hard belly is accompanied by a discharge of blood, fever, pain, stiffness, frequent urination, or recurrent nausea. Another aspect to consider is the time frame. As pregnancy progresses, it is common for the belly to become hard several times a day. If this occurs at irregular intervals of time, it may be more closely related to Braxton Hicks contractions than contractions that appear in the second trimester and are typical but not labor. If, on the other hand, the contractions are regular and occur every hour, it is important that you call your doctor.
There are different reasons why the belly gets hard A hard belly may simply be a disorder related to the contractile activity of the uterus. This can occur due to indigestion or constipation, during the formation of stretch marks or due to typical cramps that appear in pregnancy. It is also common for the tummy to become hard as the baby grows in the womb. This is due to the contractile activity of the uterus, which begins to exert pressure on the abdomen, tending to expand it. During pregnancy, it is common to feel some tension in the waist area if you remain standing for several hours.
The development of the fetal skeleton also causes a hardening of the belly. This happens in the second trimester and the expansion of the skeleton causes this tension.