Throughout the forty week (give or take) duration of your pregnancy you will most likely experience cramping for one reason or another. I am going to do my best to explain many of the reasons why you could be experiencing these cramps during your pregnancy. It is suggested that you contact your obstetrician as soon as possible if you feel that the cramping you are experiencing is of a serious nature. You know your body better then anyone else, so always trust your instincts when it comes to cramping or any other unusual symptoms you might experience during your pregnancy.
Leg cramps are a very common problem during pregnancy for many moms to be. Many pregnant woman experience leg cramps towards the end of their pregnancy and usually at night. For some pregnant women, though, the leg cramps start during their second trimester and will last until they give birth. At first the leg cramps can be just a minor discomfort, but as time goes on and your uterus gets bigger, the leg cramps may become more severe. Although no one can say for sure why pregnant women get these leg cramps, it is thought to have something to do with the fact that your growing uterus is pushing on the arteries that supply your legs with blood and oxygen. Sometimes the leg cramps also seem to be related to the position that your child is laying in or moving into. Doing some basic leg stretches and massaging your legs before you go to bed and as soon as you wake up is a good way to help ease the pain associated with leg cramps.
Some pregnant women experience cramping caused by the stretching ligaments and pulled muscles that support their growing uterus and baby. This type of cramping is usually felt throughout the abdominal and pelvic region of the pregnant woman’s body. As each pregnant woman is different, this type of cramping is felt in different ways. For some pregnant women the cramping is a very dull pain, for others it is a sharp stabbing pain. Each type of cramping can last anywhere from a couple seconds to several hours. The best way to get through this type of abdominal cramping is to put your feet up and try to relax in a comfortable position if possible. Please make sure you tell your obstetrician if you experience any bleeding or other unusual symptoms along with the cramping.
Abdominal cramping both during and after an orgasm is a common and sometimes scary side affect of having intercourse while pregnant. Let me assure you that as long as you are going through a normal and low risk pregnancy, neither the cramping nor the intercourse is causing your unborn baby any harm or discomfort. If the cramping bothers you then ask your spouse or partner to give you a nice lower back massage to help relieve the cramping. It is again suggested that you contact your obstetrician if the cramping becomes severe or is accompanied by vaginal bleeding.
Braxton Hicks contractions during pregnancy tend to feel like abdominal cramping and usually occur during the last few weeks or months of your pregnancy, though there are a few pregnant women who will start having Braxton Hicks contractions at the very beginning of their pregnancy. You may feel your uterus tighten and your abdomen cramp up then release several times throughout the day and night, usually followed by a series of kicks and punches from your unborn baby. As labor sets in you will feel these abdominal cramps become stronger and more frequent this is when I would label them as a contraction. When you start to have severe abdominal cramps or contractions that are coming in regular intervals of only a few minutes apart contact your obstetrician and head to the hospital because you are going to have a baby.
Unfortunately sometimes cramping can mean that there is something wrong with the pregnancy. If you are experiencing any bleeding with cramping or pain in the middle or on just one side of your lower abdomen contact your obstetrician immediately. You could quite possibly be experiencing a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy which requires immediate medical attention.
In most cases a cramp is just that a cramp, but if you are ever in doubt call your obstetrician because that is what they are there for: to take care of you and your baby.
