Hard belly in pregnancy, what can help?

Normally, pregnancy involves a range of enchanting situations for the mother-to-be, considerable changes to the body, as well as great excitement for the birth.

This includes the much anticipated results of the ultrasound, the clarification of the gender assignment of the child, as well as its noticeable, developing motor function.

However, in the course of pregnancy can also occur a variety of not comfortable concomitants. This includes, among other things, a hardened or hard belly throughout the 9 months.

What all about the causes of the hardened belly, the treatment and when urgently a doctor should be consulted, will now be a topic. Here is an excerpt of what to look for in a hard belly in pregnancy.

Hard belly in pregnancy – possible causes

Usually, a hardened abdomen during pregnancy is related to excessive exercise, constipation, stress, muscle shortening,the growing of the baby, exercise contractions and labor pains.

Due to the high hormone release during pregnancy, muscles, tendons, ligaments and the muscles of the pelvic floor are softened and thus increasingly stretched in order to best prepare the abdomen for birth.

Unfortunately, hormones such as estrogen and relaxin also cause the activity of the bowels to slow down, which in turn can cause constipation. The feces contain less water and the regularity of bowel movements decreases. Nevertheless, the baby can draw more nutritious substances from the mother’s food due to a slower bowel.

A hardened abdomen can also occur if too much physical activity has taken place, which tightens the muscles of the uterus and gives excessive stimuli, so it contracts.

This contraction can also be caused by the movements and growth of the child, as the uterus expands with the growth of the child.

From the 25. or 26. week of pregnancy the first exercise contractions occur. Unlike labor pains, these contractions do not cause pain, they merely harden the abdomen. They may appear several times a day, but they do not last long.

With the pre-last or 4 weeks before the onset of labor, the descending contractions occur, the baby slides deeper into the pelvis and subsequently the uterus contracts more. Depending on the woman, the contractions may be slightly painful or cause pain in the back, this is very individual.

Actual labor pains are much more intense than contractions and recur in regular episodes for a longer period of time. Always the uterus contracts and relaxes again during this type of contractions, a cycle of this process follows.

Hard belly during pregnancy – Treatment options

It is not possible to eliminate all the causes of the hard belly. They are usually treated with magnesium prescribed by a gynecologist to strengthen the muscles and processes in the uterus.

In addition, every mother can ensure that she consumes enough mild liquid of 2 liters, so that the body is significantly less stressed.

A diet rich in fiber is also important (a few non-sulphured prunes, apricots, figs, whole grains and dairy products) to boost digestion.

In addition to the magnesium preparation, it is also advisable to take in magnesium through food. Helpful for this are fruits like bananas and raspberries, vegetables like peas or broccoli and cereals like oatmeal.

According to the German Society for Nutrition, an adult person should not consume more than 300 to 400 mg of magnesium per day. However, this value varies in pregnant women.

In addition, it is important to rub the belly as little as possible, even if it is a beautiful experience. Sufficient exercise in the form of pregnancy-appropriate sports such as swimming, Pilates, pregnancy gymnastics, Nordic walking, walks and yoga are beneficial.

Just as significant is enough rest, relaxation exercises, meditation and warm, extensive baths, antispasmodic teas, hot water bottles, massages.

Tight clothing is also rather not advisable, otherwise it comes to contracting the abdomen. Useful, however, are special panties for pregnant women, which help to support the abdomen and thus take pressure off the back and ligaments.

Similarly, self-medication is not advisable, as side effects can quickly occur, causing harm to the child. It is better to be in close contact with the gynecologist and the midwife in charge and seek advice from them accordingly.

When to consult the doctor?

Basically, a hardened belly during pregnancy is not a cause for concern. But there should be a long hardening under the observation of the gynecologist.

Likewise, as soon as in addition to the hardened abdomen also occurs together with vomiting, a feeling of nausea, problems with circulation, abdominal pain and discharge of blood or in brown, it is important to immediately take a trip to the gynecologist.

In this case, there is a high probability of early labor and birth can begin.

If the date for the delivery is on time, everything is in order and the hospital can be visited without worries.

But if the contractions occur much too early or the child was in the breech presentation, there may be complications and here too the hospital should be visited immediately.