Abdominal Cramping or Tightness During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, you may experience a variety of sensations, including aches and pains in your abdomen. One such feeling is a feeling of tightness in the stomach.

Stomach cramps can occasionally accompany abdominal stiffness. Even regular abdominal tightening can feel like uterine contractions.

Why is the stomach tight during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your uterus grows in size to accommodate the growing baby in your womb. This can cause your stomach to become tight. While you may have this feeling for normal reasons, in some cases, it can also be due to complicated problems like miscarriage or premature birth.

The causes of abdominal tightness at different stages of pregnancy are-

In the first trimester

Uterine muscle stretching or tension:

During the first three months of pregnancy, your growing baby pushes around the enlarged uterus. Therefore, the stomach may feel tight. You may also experience sudden, sharp pains in your abdomen as the uterine muscles stretch and lengthen.

Constipation and Gas:

Constipation is a known problem during pregnancy. As a result of pregnancy, the level of certain hormones increases significantly. Under the influence of these hormones, the muscles involved in food digestion become somewhat relaxed, and the speed of digestion decreases.

This increases the chances of gas in your stomach and bloating. Constipation also occurs under the influence of this hormone in many cases.

Due to miscarriage:

A miscarriage is the death of a fetus before the 28th week of pregnancy. If you also have abdominal pain along with abdominal tightness, it could be a sign of miscarriage.

Miscarriage is usually followed by one or more of the following symptoms, in addition to your stomach feeling tight:

Vaginal spotting or heavy bleeding
Abdominal pain or cramping, like menstrual cramps
Sudden vaginal discharge without pain or bleeding
Discharge of any kind of tissue-like substance or lump-like part in the vagina.

Also, you may be at risk of miscarriage if you have the following factors during pregnancy:

Uncontrolled diabetes
Infection
Thyroid problems
Cigarette smoking habits
Any defect in the structure or function of the uterus
Hereditary causes

Seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the above symptoms or risk factors, along with abdominal pain and stiffness.

In the second trimester of pregnancy

During the second trimester, your body begins to adjust to the changes of pregnancy. Even then, your stomach may feel tight for various reasons.

For example, during the second trimester, the round ligament from your uterus to your groin also stretches along with the uterus. This can cause your uterus and groin area to feel tight.

Braxton-Hicks contractions

Braxton-Hicks contractions during pregnancy can also cause your stomach to feel tight. Braxton-Hicks contractions are the normal contractions in preparation for labor. It is also called ‘false labour pain’.

These contractions are usually not felt before the second or third trimester of pregnancy. These preparatory Braxton-Hicks contractions can begin many weeks before the actual labour begins.

Braxton-Hicks contractions start at the top of your uterus and come down. Such contractions are irregular, lasting from 15 seconds to 30 seconds. Sometimes it can be longer than that.

You may be having Braxton-Hicks contractions for several reasons. For example-

If you do a lot of work during pregnancy,
If the bladder is full or if there is urinary urgency,
During or after intercourse
If the body lacks water or becomes dehydrated.

If you are pregnant for the first time, you may confuse Braxton-Hicks contractions with labor pains.

Following are the differences between Braxton Hicks’s contractions and labor pains-

Braxton Hicks Contractions

Real Labor Pains

Braxton-Hicks contractions start suddenly. These contractions are usually irregular, with no definite rhythm.

Actual labor pains usually occur regularly over some time. These contractions, or pains, have a definite rhythm or pattern.

The duration and intensity of pain usually do not increase.

The pain gradually increases in duration and intensity. Frequent pains occur at regular intervals over time.

Walking or resting may relieve this pain or contraction. A change in position can also stop these contractions.

Actual labor pain is usually not relieved by rest, walking, or changing positions.

This type of pain is usually felt in the front of the abdomen.

Actual labour pains usually start at the back of the waist and then move towards the front of the abdomen.

In the third trimester of pregnancy

Abdominal tightness in the third trimester of pregnancy can be a sign of labor. In this case, there is a mild sensation in the beginning that becomes intense with time.

If you have more than four contractions per hour, especially before 37 weeks of pregnancy, it could be a sign of labor. At this time, a doctor should be consulted immediately.

The following symptoms are also seen due to childbirth: Seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms—

Abdominal tightness along with lower abdominal pain
The vaginal discharge of clear fluid is called Water Breaking.
Bloody discharge or blood coming out of the vagina

What to do if the stomach is tight during pregnancy

If your abdominal cramping is mild and irregular, you can get relief by following these home remedies:

1. Drink enough water:

Dehydration from a lack of water in the body can lead to a feeling of bloating in the stomach. So try to drink enough water during pregnancy.

A healthy pregnant woman needs to drink an average of 2–3 liters of water per day. In terms of cups or glasses, you should drink a total of 8–12 glasses of water throughout the day. But if the doctor has given any special advice in this regard, then follow it.

2. Be careful with food intake:

If your stomach is tight due to constipation, eat small meals several times throughout the day. Increase your fibre intake. Avoid fried foods and soft drinks (e.g., Coke, Fanta, and Pepsi).

Caution: Avoid foods or beverages containing more than 200 mg of caffeine per day during pregnancy. Usually, 2 cups of coffee or 2-3 cups of tea can contain this amount of caffeine.

Exercise regularly:

Regular exercise during pregnancy can help with digestion. Apart from this, exercise can also help reduce various complications of pregnancy. Studies have shown that regular exercise during pregnancy is safe and effective. This helps increase the chances of a normal delivery.

It also helps reduce the chances of premature delivery and low-birth-weight babies. Not only that, but women recover faster after childbirth if they exercise during pregnancy.

So, you can do regular light work or any exercise of your choice during pregnancy unless your doctor prohibits it.

Change location:

If you realize you are having Braxton-Hicks contractions, change your position. For example, if you are standing, lie down.

This can happen in any uncomfortable posture, so try changing your position.

This can also happen with a quick change of location. Get up slowly without rushing. Create a comfortable position by using pillows or cushions as needed when sitting or lying down.

Get Enough Rest

Try to get enough rest every day during pregnancy. Generally, 7-9 hours of sleep per day is considered ideal for an adult. Getting less sleep than this can be dangerous for you and your unborn baby and can cause pregnancy complications. So try to get regular sleep and rest during pregnancy.

Get warm compresses or massages. Muscle aches can benefit from a light massage. So you can cook something warm and take a bath in warm water. But avoid too much heat.

Emergency Cases:

Seek immediate medical attention if your discomfort does not subside with home remedies or if any of the following symptoms occur:.

If your pregnancy duration is less than 36 weeks and you have other signs of preterm labor,
Vaginal bleeding
If any kind of liquid comes out of the vagina,
If pressure is felt in the lower abdomen or vagina,
If you feel strong abdominal contractions every 5 minutes or at regular intervals, and the contractions last about 30 seconds to 60 seconds and continue to be strong,.
If you can’t feel your baby’s movements or if the movements are less than normal,

Why is the stomach hard after the cesarean?

Caesarean is a type of operation. In this, the stomach is cut and the baby is taken out. During a tummy tuck, several layers of skin, fat, and muscle are cut from the outside to the inside of the abdomen.

After a cesarean, scar tissue or a wound forms in these cut layers. These scar tissues harden over time. As a result, after a cesarean, many people experience abdominal tightness or a feeling of tightness around the cesarean section.