If youve experiencedpregnancy pains, youre not alone.
Whether youre in yourfirst trimesteror getting close to your due date,pregnancydoes wild things to your body.
Thats no surprise since youre growing an entirely new person inside of you!
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This throws off your center of gravity and stretches out your abdominal muscles.
Whats normal and whats not?
And how can you tell the difference?
Thats because the pregnancy hormone progesterone causes the smooth muscles in both the esophagus and bowel to relax.
Normally, bowels contract to push waste along and out.
And it can get pretty damn painful.
If youre experiencing gas or constipation pain, a stool softener can also help.
you’ve got the option to think of them as growing pains.
There are a few things you might make a run at get rid of these contractions.
If youve been standing, try sitting or lying down.
If youve been sitting, get up and walk around, theACOGrecommends.
You might also consider whether or not youre hydrated.
Often, drinking a few glasses of water and resting might alleviate your pain, theACOGsays.
The pain may be sudden and may be sharp or dull and achy, says Dr. Clark.
It is typically associated with fever, inability to eat, nausea, and vomiting.
See your doctor right away if youre in pain and suspect something is wrong.
From there, they might determine whether surgery is the best option.
Slowed-down digestion also slows the emptying of thegallbladder, which can lead to gallstones.
Gallstones are often associated with pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, theMayo Clinicexplains.
In some cases, the gallstone can cause cholecystitis, which is inflammation of the gallbladder, theMayo Clinicsays.
The symptoms of cholecystitis include fever and increased pain that wont go away.
In this case, surgery may be necessary.
There are multiple potential reasons why you might experience this combination of symptoms.
They could be a sign of an ectopic or tubal pregnancy, according to theMayo Clinic.
Its possible to have an ectopic pregnancy before or after missing a period, theMayo Clinicsays.
Sharp, dull, or cramping abdominal or lower back pain paired with bleeding is a red flag.
There are a few things it’s possible for you to do to minimize pregnancy pains.
Dr. Jones recommendsstaying hydratedand eating a well-balanced diet to support your overall health during pregnancy.
(Just check that to clear it with your doctor first.)
Early detection is also key.
