Pulling in the stomach during pregnancy - why and what to do?

Physiological course of pregnancy

The most difficult stages of bearing a child are the 1st and 3rd trimesters. In the first months of pregnancy, a woman’s body is actively restructuring to create conditions for the normal development of the fetus.

This is most noticeable in the first weeks and even days after conception. In the early stages, the ligaments of the uterus begin to stretch, the blood vessels dilate, which causes nagging pain in the lower abdomen. If they do not constantly bother you and are not accompanied by symptoms of inflammation (brown discharge, high fever, severe weakness), then there is no reason to worry.

In the 2nd trimester, a feeling of a “heavy” abdomen appears due to the growth of the fetus: neighboring organs are compressed, and the load on the spine increases.

Week 37 is the threshold period after which the baby is considered full-term, so nagging pain can be a “harbinger” of labor. To ensure delivery goes smoothly, you need to see a doctor.

Pulling in the lower back during pregnancy - what you can do on your own

Considering the seriousness of lower back pain, a trip to the gynecologist should be your first priority. Fortunately, more often the pain turns out to be physiological and the woman goes home with a calm soul.

But what if constant pain worsens the quality of life and prevents you from sleeping fully, moving around and simply enjoying your pregnancy? In this situation, there is only one way out - to create comfortable conditions for your back so that the pain subsides. Light exercise for pregnant women, massage, properly selected clothes, shoes and even a bed will help improve your condition.

Getting rid of lower back pain during pregnancy - changing your lifestyle

To relieve lower back pain, first of all, you need to change your daily rhythm, habits and conditions for rest. Experts give the following recommendations to pregnant women:

Women who work most of the day in a sedentary position need to do a light warm-up every hour or just walk around the office. A comfortable chair with adjustable height and backrest tilt would also be helpful. If possible, you should periodically take a horizontal position throughout the day so that your spine can relax. When sleeping, you need to be on your side so that your back can fully rest. To do this, it is best to buy a pillow for pregnant women. After the 14th gestational week, it is worth purchasing a bandage for abdominal and lower back pain during pregnancy. A device in the form of a wide belt allows you to evenly distribute the load

In addition, it fixes the tummy well and makes it much easier for a woman to move. It is important to avoid heels and wear clothes that are the appropriate size. This will facilitate body movements and will not create unnecessary stress. The diet of pregnant women plays an important role in the prevention of low back pain.

The menu should include plenty of dairy products and other sources of calcium. And in order for this element to be absorbed, a woman needs to walk often to get enough vitamin D.

Relieving lower back pain during pregnancy - physical activity

Sports training during gestation needs to be rationed, because their main task is not to pump up muscles and break records, but to delicately help the body prepare for childbirth.

To prevent pain, you can perform any complex for pregnant women, but when problems have already begun, it is better to resort to sports where there is absolutely no load on the lower back in an upright position. Therefore, it is better to choose one of the following options:

• Yoga mom. This is a special complex of relaxing asanas, selected for pregnant women. The exercises are aimed at stretching different parts of the back and are performed in the form of twisting, bending, and proper breathing.
• Swimming. In water, the spine is completely unloaded and different muscle groups begin to work one by one. During swimming, the body becomes lighter and the woman actively engages in sports without overstraining any part of the back.
• Water aerobics. Exercises in water with an instructor allow you to strengthen your muscle corset, improve the functioning of your cardiovascular system and fully prepare for the upcoming birth. After several group sessions, most women forget about the pain.

Carefully monitor your condition, and if you have pain in the abdomen that regularly radiates to the lower back during pregnancy, do not neglect a visit to your obstetrician-gynecologist. Even if this symptom turns out to be just a false alarm, you will be sure that everything is fine with you and the baby.

Pathological pain

The reason why a woman has a tight lower abdomen during pregnancy is often a hidden or chronic pathology. If the fetus is formed or positioned incorrectly, the presence of diseases of the pelvic organs, or hormonal imbalance, the threat of miscarriage develops.

Nagging pain usually occurs suddenly and is accompanied by a deterioration in general well-being. Such symptoms indicate a rapid progression of the pathological process, so immediate medical attention is required.

There are several signs that help to accurately recognize a critical condition:

• acute attacks similar to contractions;
• the appearance of discharge (dark, greenish, with blood clots);
• disruption of bowel and bladder function;
• blood pressure surges;
• ineffectiveness of painkillers.

If a pregnant woman’s condition is alarming, then it is impossible to “suppress” the symptoms with an increased dose of medication. It is wiser to contact your doctor to get specific recommendations on how to save your baby.

What self-help methods are there?

If there are no abnormalities identified during a medical examination, but the pain continues, it is recommended to try to analyze it, and, if necessary, also change your lifestyle. Here are some useful tips:

• A pregnant woman will benefit from including fresh vegetables and fruits in the menu. Prunes and dried apricots are necessary to prevent constipation. It is also worth observing the drinking regime. You shouldn't eat too much;
• Place yourself in as calm an environment as possible. The sooner a pregnant woman goes on maternity leave, the better;
• walk in the fresh air more often. Pregnancy allows you to exercise moderately, and constantly lying in bed, even in this state, can cause no less harm than excessive physical activity;

Even if no pathologies are found, a pregnant woman needs to carefully monitor her health: take more walks and get proper rest.

• get full sleep: at least nine hours a day. Daytime naps are also beneficial for a pregnant woman;
• If you have pain, do not rush to take medications unless prescribed by a doctor. This article describes only the main causes of pain, but the problem can only be accurately diagnosed through examination directly by a specialist. Health is not something to joke about, especially when it comes to an unborn child;
• Baths will help, and the water should not be hotter than 37 degrees. You need to take them for 5-10 minutes;
• you can relax and relieve pain with the help of gymnastics designed for pregnant women.

Gymnastics for the first trimester of pregnancy

Possible causes of pathological pain

Nagging pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy can be caused not only by STIs, chronic diseases of the pelvic organs, vascular system, but also by so-called obstetric pathologies.

Let's look at why they occur and how to recognize a condition that is dangerous to the health of the child and mother:

Any of the obstetric pathologies is dangerous not only for the viability of the fetus, but also for the health of the mother. If during an ectopic pregnancy it is impossible to preserve the fetus, then in other cases, with timely consultation with a doctor, it is possible to stabilize the condition of the expectant mother and child.

Alternative medicine tips

It is worth remembering that any medications, no matter what their effect, always carry a certain risk. Therefore, during the gestation period, if the lower back is not too tight, it is better to endure it. Drug treatment is prescribed in certain cases when there is a threat to the life and health of the baby or mother.

There are other methods of pain relief:

• aromatherapy,
• manual therapy,
• reflexology,
• homeopathy,
• acupuncture.

But it is worth remembering that any treatment method requires consultation with a specialist, since the body of each expectant mother requires an individual approach.

Expert comments in this video:

Accompanying illnesses

Often, discomfort is not associated with pregnancy, but is a consequence of an exacerbation of a number of diseases. The most common causes of nagging pain in the lower abdomen:

• cystitis, genital infections;
• intestinal dysfunction;
• appendicitis.

Even sexual intercourse can provoke nagging pain, but the discomfort quickly passes. To avoid a “repetition of the scenario,” partners simply need to be more delicate. If the problem remains, it is recommended to undergo examination for sexually transmitted infections: trichomonas, chlamydia.

Latently developing STIs cause inflammation, which increases the risk of miscarriage. Untreated syphilis and gonorrhea lead to the birth of a child with mental and physical disabilities.

In what situations is back pain in the first trimester normal?

If back pain is not accompanied by any additional symptoms, then most likely the causes of its occurrence are:

1. Pressure of the uterus on the spinal column, tension in the muscular corset of the back. Back pain usually begins in the second or third trimester, but some women experience this symptom as early as 2-3 months of pregnancy.
2. Relaxin and progesterone are hormones that are responsible for relaxing the muscles of the uterus and preventing miscarriage. However, along with the uterus, other muscle fibers also relax, in particular, the muscular corset of the back. Therefore, the degree of support for the spinal column decreases and pain occurs.
3. Hard or soft non-orthopedic mattress. Or incorrect posture during sleep, staying in one position for a long time while resting.
4. Also, the back may hurt after exertion, sitting for a long time at the computer, standing on your feet, an active work day spent in high-heeled shoes.

One unfavorable factor can cause discomfort in the back, then the pain is usually not severe, but tolerable. And sometimes several factors act simultaneously, and the pain intensifies significantly.

When you need to see a doctor urgently

Here are a few symptoms that should not be ignored:

• pulling the stomach on one side (acute pain on the right or left) for up to 4 weeks as a sign of ectopic pregnancy;
• constant discomfort spreading to the lower back and back;
• bleeding or discharge with blood clots in the later stages;
• nausea, vomiting in combination with an increase in body temperature, the appearance of dark “spots” in the eyes.

By week 38, the fetus is fully formed and the woman’s body is ready for childbirth. If a nagging pain appears at this time, do not panic! The baby is in a hurry to be born, so feel free to go to the maternity hospital.

In order not to overshadow the waiting time for your child with vain fears, sign up for an ultrasound and examination with a gynecologist at our center.

What to do if you constantly have back pain in the first trimester

Treatment of back pain in the first trimester mainly consists of normalizing lifestyle, improving living conditions, and using safe methods of therapy. As a last resort, the doctor may prescribe mild painkillers approved for pregnant women.

What to do to alleviate your condition yourself:

1. Do simple gymnastics and yoga for pregnant women. It is advisable that classes take place in the presence of an instructor. You can practice individually or in a group with other pregnant women.
2. Rest more, go for walks in the fresh air.
3. Eat properly and fully. It is better to switch to a diet that includes foods rich in calcium. This includes dairy and fermented milk, nuts, fish and meat, and greens. The main thing is to ensure that food allergies are not added to back pain, so it is better to exclude exotic foods.
4. Take a pharmacological vitamin-mineral complex or fortified herbal medicines prescribed by your doctor.
5. Choose the right orthopedic mattress (medium hardness, elastic, made from natural materials).
6. Consult your doctor about the best sleeping position. Experts usually recommend sleeping on your left side, with pillows under your head and between your knees. As the uterus grows, a pillow is also placed under the abdomen.
7. To support your back, you can wear an individual bandage that does not put pressure on the abdominal area.
8. Put off all shoes and high-heeled boots until next year. Preference should be given to lightweight flat-soled shoes.
9. Start visiting the pool.
10. Before going to bed, it is useful to take a relaxing warm bath, which can be combined with aromatherapy.
11. Some women find that a gentle back massage using a gentle stream of warm water in the shower helps.
12. The sore spot can be treated with topical preparations (ointments, creams). The main thing is that these products are approved for use during pregnancy.

The best advice a pregnant woman can get for back pain is the advice of a doctor. After all, specialists know everything about pregnancy and can suggest unexpected solutions to alleviate the condition of the expectant mother.