Pregnant belly. How does the belly grow during pregnancy. Pain in the abdomen: where? Pregnant women need to strive for the "golden mean"

All future mothers know that their body will change significantly during pregnancy - breasts will increase, belly will grow and, of course, extra pounds will increase. Women pay the most attention to the stomach. For example, at the beginning of pregnancy, many mothers worry that their belly is not growing fast enough. How should he grow and how will his shape change during the bearing of the baby?

Let's say right away that how the belly looks and grows during pregnancy depends on many reasons: the physique of the woman, the structure of the pelvis, the condition of the muscles, the growth of the uterus and the child, the amount of amniotic fluid. Therefore, for some, the belly grows faster, for some it is slower, for some mothers it is large, for others it can be almost invisible. But still, there are some general patterns of growth and size of the abdomen during pregnancy.

belly growth rate

What does the size and shape of the pregnant belly mean?

From about the second trimester of pregnancy, during each examination, the obstetrician-gynecologist determines the height of the uterine fundus and measures the circumference of the abdomen at the level of the navel. Why is he doing this? The fact is that this is the easiest way to control the growth and development of the unborn baby.

One of the formulas for estimating the weight of the fetus according to the height of the fundus of the uterus (VVDM): the weight of the child (g) \u003d VVMI (cm) x abdominal circumference (cm) ± 150-200 g.

By the way, before the shape of the abdomen often tried to determine the sex of the child. It was believed that a round belly portends a girl, and an elongated, oblong, “sharp” one portends a boy. However, these predictions did not always come true, since the shape and size of the abdomen do not depend at all on the sex of the child.

1. In large, tall women, the belly may be small and not very noticeable until long pregnancy, and in thin, petite women (especially with a narrow pelvis or large baby), the belly seems very large.
2. The state of muscle tone of the anterior abdominal wall and uterus has a significant impact on the shape of the abdomen. During the first pregnancy and good muscle tone, the abdomen may look more "tight" than in subsequent pregnancies. In addition, with repeated pregnancies as a result of reduced muscle tone of the anterior abdominal wall, the child does not take the final position until the last month of pregnancy. Because of this, the shape of the abdomen can also be "stretched".
3. If a woman is expecting twins, her belly will be larger than with a singleton pregnancy.
4. And often the belly can be large simply because a woman ceases to limit herself in nutrition, eats “for two”.
5. If the baby grows quickly or is large, then the mother's belly can grow faster and be larger.
6. Children are located in the uterus in different ways. With some types of presentation, the stomach will be less noticeable, with others it will begin to grow earlier and will appear larger.

Why does my stomach hurt during pregnancy

The belly of the expectant mother is changing not only externally. From the 20th week of pregnancy, the mother begins to feel baby. At first, they look like light flutters, over time, the movements become more intense, because by the end of pregnancy, the mass and size of the child increase, and now it is not as spacious in the uterus as before. The number of movements gradually decreases, but their strength grows.

The movements of the crumbs, especially intense ones, can cause unpleasant sensations in a woman, especially in the right or left hypochondrium. This is explained by the fact that with head presentation (the child is located in the uterus with the head down), the blows of the baby's legs are projected into the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mother's internal organs: the liver, stomach, intestines and spleen. Such sensations and even pains are natural and do not require treatment.

And sometimes painful sensations appear in the lateral sections of the abdomen. They occur due to the fact that during pregnancy the ligaments that support the uterus and ovaries are stretched.

In addition, changes occur in the fallopian tubes (they thicken, blood circulation increases in them), in the ovaries (they increase somewhat in size, cyclic processes stop in them, and the position of the ovaries changes due to an increase in the size of the uterus).

Slight pain in the lower abdomen may occur several times during the day, but, as a rule, they quickly disappear if the woman takes a position that is comfortable for her. Sometimes periodic discomfort in the lower lateral parts of the abdomen appear with constipation, which is also common in pregnant women. During pregnancy, hormones are produced that relax the uterus, they have a similar effect on the intestines: its peristalsis is disturbed, and eventually occurs.

Pregnancy for any woman, without exception, is a step into a new life, from which many wonderful moments are expected in the company of her beloved child. One of the most obvious signs of an "interesting" position is a pregnant tummy, which is getting bigger and bigger every day. “Why does this happen, how does it grow and when does it become noticeable” - most expectant mothers are interested. Especially if this is the first desired, and even more so long-awaited, pregnancy.

Initially, the answer seems obvious - the stomach increases in size, because a child grows inside it, and this happens the same way for everyone without exception. But not everything is so simple. The pregnant tummy has many individual characteristics, according to which a specialist can tell a lot of interesting things. In addition to the fetus developing in the womb, its size is affected by an enlarged uterus, and, of course, the amount of food eaten by a woman.

As noted above, during the first pregnancy, the stomach remains unnoticed for a long time, because its muscles are still strong and have never been subjected to such a strong stretch. But it all depends on the physiological characteristics and heredity of the expectant mother herself, because there are times when the presence of a “bubbler” can be traced already at 10 weeks. On average, the belly protrudes a little already at the 12th week of the “interesting” position, and already at the 16th it is impossible. This is where the joyful exclamations of those around you begin, especially your colleagues, rejoicing that they have “declassified” your condition. During this period, the uterus is palpable in the lower abdomen quite distinctly, and over the course of weeks it rises higher and higher. When the baby is preparing for the delivery process, the uterus rushes down.

There are also such exceptions when a pregnant tummy appears on the seventh, eighth and even ninth month. Practice shows that there is a place for such an amazing case, so you should not be surprised if your late-term belly is not yet noticeable enough. This does not mean at all that something may be wrong with the child. Cases where the abdomen is not traceable until childbirth are called "hidden pregnancy".

Very often, women are worried about the strip on Immediately I want to note that this is a fairly common phenomenon, because of which you should not worry. This brown stripe, located in the center of the abdomen, will disappear without a trace after childbirth. And no intervention is required for this. The same applies to darkened belly hair.

Another feeling that often worries expectant mothers is a tight belly during pregnancy. Sometimes it becomes so hard, as if made of stone. If this happens in the last weeks of the situation, then it may indicate a close one. If, on a short time, it indicates the tone of the uterus. In this case, you need to quickly get rid of this unpleasant moment, you need to relax and lie down on your side. To prevent the recurrence of hardening of the abdomen, you need to give up bad mood, nervous work, sudden movements. If the density of the abdomen does not disappear within six hours, you need to urgently seek help from a doctor, because this indicates a threat to the fetus!

Based on the foregoing, the following conclusion can be drawn: a pregnant tummy can appear at any time, or not appear at all. However, there are some factors that help determine its visibility and timing. These are the anatomical features of the expectant mother, the type of presentation, the size of the child and its growth rate, the overall weight gain and the pregnancy count (first or not).

In any case, regardless of the size of the pregnant tummy, a woman should treat her own body with the utmost care and attention.

The most "outstanding" part of a woman's body in position is her stomach.

It gives the figure of a pregnant woman a special femininity.

During the first pregnancy, most expectant mothers want to quickly see changes in the outlines of their bodies.

Therefore, in the first months, while the stomach does not noticeably increase, many women are very interested in when this moment comes.

And when changes in the figure begin to occur, they have the following question.

What rate of abdominal enlargement during pregnancy is considered normal?

Causes of belly growth during pregnancy

The main reason for the increase in the size of the abdomen is the fetus developing in it.

By the end of pregnancy, it takes up so much space that all the organs of the abdominal cavity change their position, and the skin on the abdomen stretches until the collagen fibers break - then stretch marks, or striae, form.

However, there are other reasons for the rounding of the forms of a pregnant woman: the first is the uterus, the walls of which thicken and stretch to accommodate a growing child, the second is amniotic fluid.

Their volume increases throughout the entire period of pregnancy, and may decrease slightly only shortly before.

In addition, a certain amount of space is occupied by the placenta, which provides a link between the fetus and mother.

When does the belly start to grow during pregnancy?

Watching her stomach every day, a pregnant woman may not notice the moment when he began to grow. After all, these changes usually occur rather slowly.

In most cases, it becomes noticeable to others closer to the middle of the term (that is, by 4-5 months).

Some women manage to hide their interesting position until the last trimester, or even until the moment of childbirth (this happens quite rarely). In others, on the contrary, the stomach begins to grow very early.

How the belly grows during pregnancy: photo

How does the belly grow during pregnancy?

There are cases when the waist circumference even decreases in the first months. This happens if a pregnant woman loses weight, for example, due to severe toxicosis. But most often, the growth of the abdomen fits into a certain schedule.

When a woman is registered for pregnancy, the doctor takes measurements of some parameters of her body.

Interesting! Chorionic presentation by week of pregnancy

Data on the size of the pelvis is especially important - it will be possible to judge from them whether the child will be able to successfully pass through the birth canal.

From about 16-20 weeks, a tape measure will be needed at each scheduled examination - the doctor will measure the height of the fundus of the uterus.

This parameter shows the distance from the edge of the pubic joint (lower abdomen) to the upper part of the uterus - its bottom.

According to practice, the number of centimeters between these points normally corresponds to the number of weeks of pregnancy.

Only at 39-40 weeks, the value of the height of the fundus of the uterus does not correspond to this dynamics - it decreases due to the prolapse and reduction of the uterus due to a slight decrease in the volume of amniotic fluid before childbirth.

If we talk about the increase in the abdomen during pregnancy in numbers, their meaning will be as follows:

1 The diameter of the uterus before pregnancy is about 4 cm, the length is 6-9 cm, the weight is 60-90 g. During the gestation period, its length (height of the bottom of the uterus) is maximum at the 37th week - up to 40 cm. Weight before childbirth - up to 1500 G.

2 Amniotic fluid appears in the amniotic sac at the 8th week. By the 10th week, their volume is about 30 ml, then it increases to 1-1.5 liters.

At 37-38 weeks, before childbirth, it decreases to 800 ml.

3 During intrauterine development, the body weight of the baby increases from 1 ∙ 10-6 g (the mass of the zygote - the cell from which the future little man develops) to 2.6-5 kg ​​(the average weight of the newborn).

4 The placenta is actively formed in the uterus at 3-6 weeks and is able to fully function from the fourth month. At the end of pregnancy, her weight is usually 500-600 g.

5 The increase in the volume of the waist depends on the initial forms of the woman before pregnancy. For expectant mothers of normal build, without excessive weight gain, the waist circumference in the last weeks is 90-100 cm.

6 Normal weight gain also depends on the initial anthropometric data. The doctor calculates it in each individual case, but on average it should be 7-16 kg for the period of gestation.

7 Weight gain during pregnancy, which does not directly affect the fetus, placenta, uterus and amniotic fluid (that is, the size of the abdomen itself), is associated with an increase in blood volume, adipose tissue, tissue fluid and mammary glands.

The shape of the abdomen during pregnancy

This is another issue that worries women in position. The shape of the abdomen can really tell about the well-being of the course of pregnancy or the presence of pathologies.

Interesting! Fifth month of pregnancy

But only a doctor can draw such conclusions. A future mother without a medical education is unlikely to be able to find out anything on her own from the outlines of her body.

Usually, pregnant women try to determine the gender of the unborn child by the shape of the abdomen, but modern science refutes any connection between these concepts.

As a rule, the shape of the abdomen in a pregnant woman depends on her own physique, the structure and relative position of the pelvic bones, the condition of the muscles and ligaments of the abdominal cavity, and the height of the fundus of the uterus.

It changes during pregnancy, a flat tummy in the first trimester becomes round in the second, and during the third trimester it usually takes on an egg shape.

Abnormalities in the size and shape of the abdomen during pregnancy

The concept of "normal" regarding pregnancy is quite loose.

If a future mother, for example, has a belly growing faster than most other women, this does not necessarily mean that there are any violations.

However, if the deviations are really noticeable, they may indicate a violation in the state of health of the mother or baby.

• Too large belly sizes are the norm if the pregnancy is multiple, in other cases they can be signs of polyhydramnios, a large fetus, the presence of neoplasms in the uterus, and other pathologies.
• The stomach is less than normal at a particular time taken due to oligohydramnios, delayed fetal development and its incorrect position, and in the early stages it is a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.
• An uncharacteristic shape of the abdomen may indicate an incorrect position of the fetus or placenta previa, the presence of a narrow pelvis in a pregnant woman, or poor fitness of the abdominal muscles.

A pregnant woman who is overly worried about her unborn child may pay too much attention to observing the size and shape of her body.

Expectant mothers often make hasty conclusions about the wrong course of pregnancy if one of the parameters, in their opinion, does not correspond to the norm. This should not be done.

You just need to visit your doctor regularly - he himself will perform all the necessary measurements and will be able to competently draw a conclusion about the state of health of the mother and child.

From weeks 14 to 26, the second trimester of pregnancy lasts. According to most expectant mothers, this is the most comfortable and enjoyable period of all nine months of waiting. A woman, finally, is fully aware of her condition, subconsciously becomes a mother: psychologically balanced, intuitively feeling, wise and sentimental.

Such a psychological picture always accompanies physical changes in the female body. And there is no dilemma, which is more important: psychology or physiology, in any pregnant case, they equally present the environment with the unusual state of the expectant mother.

During this period, a pregnant woman pays special attention to changes in her stomach and who is in her stomach. It is these twelve weeks that can become almost a revelation for primiparas - after all, the intensive growth and development of the baby greatly affects the mother's body. And for whom this is the first time, she studies and analyzes new things in her condition with genuine interest and caution, and with special trepidation, mothers for the first time follow the changes in their stomach. Until the 26th week, it will round, rise and bulge forward.

What does the stomach say

In it is possible to catch the first movements of the baby, and then with full confidence we can say that the stomach really “spoke”. Another of the main changes is the fact that from the 14th week a woman's appetite noticeably increases: the baby requires more nutrients, it grows, forcing the mother's tummy to grow continuously.

The belly during pregnancy at the beginning of the second trimester is very different from the belly at the end of the trimester. Twelve weeks is a solid period of time during which the baby does a lot of things. Its main task is to actively develop and grow up fabulously (by leaps and bounds). So the roundness of the abdomen during this period is the main female joy.

Metamorphoses of the abdomen in the second trimester (by week)

. The beginning of the second trimester, no special changes are observed. The fact that the stomach has grown a little is only seen by the expectant mother herself, watching herself in the mirror. And the weight deprived has not yet gained so much.

15 week. The belly is not yet large enough to interfere with sleep, but many expectant mothers find it increasingly difficult to choose a comfortable sleeping position. And the baby at this time begins to hear sounds from the outside.

16 week. The parameters of the growing tummy can only be assessed by a loving dad, and in the mother’s gait at this time, the characteristic signs of a “duck” appear. The child starts to push.

17 week. Final week of the fourth month of pregnancy. You can already wear looser things, your tummy wants comfort and space. But even if you are dressed normally, it is more and more difficult to hide the stomach from prying eyes. Grows. Already visible.

. The stomach begins to urgently need maternal caress. During this period, the baby actively and regularly announces itself with jerks. It's time to start communicating with him with the help of voice and gentle touches on the stomach.

19 week. Weight gain does not stop. A woman noticeably enlarges her belly and expands her hips. There is a high chance of shortness of breath.

20 week. The equator of your pregnancy. The tummy has already grown so much that the navel begins to bulge and stretch marks may even appear. From now on, watch your stomach very carefully. Stretch marks can be prevented.

21 weeks. Your baby already weighs about 400 grams (the standard is 360 -380), they can already measure it from the crown of the head to the heels, and on the basis of an ultrasound scan, even tell the sex of the child.

. Only a week has passed, and the baby already weighs 430 grams. Accordingly, the parameters of the uterus, placenta and mother's abdominal cavity are adjusted to its parameters. You can't hide your joy from those around you. And why hide? Inside you - already a full-fledged person, a child, outwardly very reminiscent of a newborn, however, very miniature.

23 week. Pulls in the lower abdomen. Mom starts having Braxton Hicks contractions - false contractions. The uterus begins to prepare for childbirth. The weight of the baby is already 500 grams.

24 weeks. The baby weighs 600 grams and barely fits in the uterus, he has practically no free space left for tumbling. The navel on my mother's belly has become even more prominent, its outlines can be easily seen even through clothes. In addition to external changes in the abdomen, this week is characterized by internal discomfort: nagging pain, digestive disorders.

25 week. Many of the pregnant women complain of itching in the abdomen. The skin is so stretched that it dries out and causes discomfort to the pregnant woman. Stock up on moisturizers and try not to injure the skin on the abdomen with excessive scratching.

. The final week of the second trimester. The belly during pregnancy always and constantly grows, but this week - just by leaps and bounds. This is very noticeable both to yourself and to those around you. It becomes so voluminous and heavy that you may experience difficulty walking, pain in the pelvis and lower back. But - the time of childbirth is rapidly approaching.

The belly during pregnancy is the object of close attention of expectant mothers. Often, only after learning about an interesting situation, a pregnant woman begins to look at her still flat tummy. Some mothers are looking forward to the appearance of a rounded tummy, while others are afraid of changing their figure.

Indeed, the stomach during pregnancy changes the most and informs everyone around about the proud title of the expectant mother. Moreover, not only the size and shape of the abdomen changes, the skin also undergoes changes, pigmentation appears, and possibly stretch marks (read "").

How does the belly grow during pregnancy.

The size of the abdomen in a pregnant woman depends on many factors: physique, muscle condition, size of the child, its location and the amount of amniotic fluid. In large, tall women, the belly may visually appear smaller, while in thin women, compared to the mother's complexion, it may be large.

Naturally, with multiple pregnancy or polyhydramnios, the stomach will be larger. The shape and size of the abdomen during the first and second (third) pregnancy will also be different. Most likely, during subsequent pregnancies, the tummy will become noticeable earlier than during the bearing of the first baby.

The uterus begins to grow almost from the first days of pregnancy, at eight weeks it is already the size of a fist, at twelve it is the size of the head of a newborn baby. But the abdomen is not yet visible, because the uterus is very low and closed by the pubic bone.

Only after 12 weeks the uterus begins to leave the pelvic area, and the doctor can feel the bottom of the uterus through the anterior abdominal wall. The longer the gestation period, the higher the uterus rises.

At 16 weeks, the bottom of the uterus is in the middle between the pubis and the navel, and at 24 - at the level of the navel. The height of the fundus of the uterus up to 30 weeks increases by 0.7-1.9 centimeters per week, at 30-36 weeks - by 0.6-1.2 cm per week, after 36 weeks - by 0.1-0.4 cm per week. After 38 weeks of pregnancy, the uterus, on the contrary, may sink slightly, which is associated with the lowering of the fetal head and the early onset of labor.

Doctors of the antenatal clinic after the 16th week of pregnancy begin to control the size of the abdomen. To do this, in a horizontal position, using a centimeter tape, the circumference of the abdomen and the height of the fundus of the uterus are measured.

There are no strict norms for the circumference of the abdomen by weeks or months of pregnancy, since each woman initially has a very different physique, waist, and fat on the abdomen. With the progress of pregnancy, the circumference of the abdomen should increase and the doctor observes its change in dynamics.

There are many errors in measuring the circumference of the abdomen and the height of the uterine fundus, so these parameters are not of great practical importance. However, if the height of the uterine fundus is much less or more than normal, then some deviations can be assumed. In such cases, the doctor directs the pregnant woman for an ultrasound scan.

Stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy.

Due to hormonal changes, almost all pregnant women sooner or later develop a pigmented stripe on their abdomen. Most often, a strip on the abdomen appears in the second, less often in the third trimester, but sometimes it may appear in the early stages of pregnancy.

Usually the stripe on the abdomen starts at the very bottom of the abdomen and reaches the navel, and sometimes the chest. Our ancestors believed that if the line is light and ends at the navel, then the mother is expecting a girl, and if it is dark and stretches to the ribs, a boy. But these are just folk signs that have no confirmation.

Getting rid of the strip on the abdomen during pregnancy will not work, and it is not necessary, because this is just evidence of your situation, normal hormonal changes during pregnancy. But after childbirth, the strip will gradually turn pale and disappear, so you should not worry. In rare cases, the strip remains forever, but in any case, over time, it will become pale, almost invisible.

Hair on the abdomen during pregnancy.

All the same hormonal changes sometimes lead to the fact that a woman begins to grow hair on her stomach. In principle, hair grows all over the body, but it is light, soft and thin, however, during pregnancy, these vellus hairs can become darker and therefore become noticeable. It also lengthens the life cycle of hair, that is, they fall out less often.

Due to these side effects of pregnancy hormones, body hair can become thicker. After giving birth, within a few months, the hormonal background returns to normal and extra hairs fall out.

Of course, moms are embarrassed by the cosmetic effect, but it is contraindicated to remove abdominal hair with an epilator, hardware procedures or hot wax during pregnancy.

Body hair can be shaved, but such a procedure is fraught with skin irritation, infection, and it will have to be done often. It is better to be patient a little and everything will return to the pre-pregnancy state. Many women during pregnancy experience the appearance of hair on the abdomen, but after childbirth, this problem disappears.

A pregnant tummy is what distinguishes the expectant mother from the crowd of other women, attracts attention, causes tenderness, and some even envy. There is no need to be afraid of the changes that occur to your stomach during pregnancy, because all this is temporary and after the birth of the baby it will gradually return to its previous state.