Why is cramping a sign of pregnancy

Cramping that is relatively minor and happens every now and then is probably nothing to be worried about.

Some additional causes of normal cramping in pregnancy include:. If you experience minor cramping during pregnancy, there are a couple of things you can do for prevention and self-care:. While cramping can be common, there are some serious causes of abdominal pain during pregnancy:. If you experience the following types of cramping, you should contact your doctor right away:. Pregnancy Cramps. What Causes Cramps During Pregnancy?

If you experience minor cramping during pregnancy, there are a couple of things you can do for prevention and self-care: Try to sit, lie down or change positions.

Soak in a warm bath. Try doing relaxation exercises. Place a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel on the ache. As your uterus starts growing and stretching to house that growing baby, a bit of early pregnancy cramping may become par for the course.

Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can sometimes cause your muscles to cramp. Your body uses a lot of water during pregnancy—in early pregnany, water plays a big role in the healthy development of the placenta.

Get those ounces in however you can adding lemon for flavor helps. A sign: the cramps are intense and on one side of the abdomen. Miscarriage: Cramping in early pregnancy is sometimes due to miscarriage—a spontaneous loss of pregnancy. Usually with miscarriage, the cramps are accompanied by bleeding. UTI: A urinary tract infection a. The pain of a UTI is usually felt in the lower abdomen.

Your nipples may become larger and darker as your pregnancy progresses. Changes in nipples should be examined as part of your regular check against breast cancer, follow these easy steps to checking your breasts for peace of mind. Your breasts may be sensitive, causing you a bit of pain, plus feeling nauseous and tired could reduce your sexual appetite. There are lots of other reasons why you have gone off sex , from exhaustion to stress.

Some women get a tingling feeling in their nipples as one of the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy. The surge in hormones in your body causes an increased blood supply to your breasts, which causes the tingling sensation.

In early stages of pregnancy, an increase of progesterone in your body causes you to breathe more often, which can feel like shortness of breath. Chest infections, common colds, allergies and anxiety disorders can also contribute to a shortness of breath.

Pregnancy tests check for the presence of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotrophin HCG , in your urine, which the body produces after you conceive.

Blood tests can tell if you are pregnant about six to eight days after you ovulate. According to the NHS, home pregnancy tests are reliable as long as you follow the instructions correctly. Most pregnancy tests can be taken after the first missed period, with any tests taken before this time running the risk of being inaccurate. Professionals also recommend avoiding drinking too much fluid ahead of doing a test, as it can dilute the level of HGC.

But keep in mind that this is in no way accurate, and pregnancy tests are the best way to confirm your pregnancy. It takes minutes and they can give you advice on whether or not to use one of their tests. You also know your own body better than anyone, so you might identify significant changes to your mood, physical changes to your body especially around the stomach.

If you are expecting or trying for a baby, you might want to buy some pregnancy books to help you prepare for motherhood. Written by health journalist and mum-of-three Lucy Atkins, this honest book gives real insight into what you should expect as a first time parent. She provides practical advice and level-headed reassurance, addressing the needs of both baby and mother during the first year.

This includes surviving the first few days, adapting to your new routine, why your baby is crying, sleep advice, and so much more. Her guide also includes information on single parenting, and on adopted, multiple and special needs babies. View at Amazon. It features practical advice from midwife and positive birth expert, Tracy Donegan, to help you to understand your body, relish your pregnancy, and bond with your growing baby throughout each trimester and beyond.

Senior Midwife Marie Louise created this book to share up-to-date findings and expert insights into pregnancy, and this book is suitable for any women. Written by a fellow Dad, it packs in all the need-to-knows and essentials of how to support your partner through pregnancy, right up to all the clinical birthing information.

The book has been given a whole host of five star reviews on Amazon with new Mums raving that it gave them a fantastic chance to record the special time and have something to look back on after the baby was born.

Unlike some other pregnancy books that throw you in right at the deep end, The Bump Class takes you through the stages of pregnancy in little chunks and offers real-world, unpatronising advice on everything from birth to breastfeeding. Early symptoms of pregnancy. Your breasts feel different. Food aversions. Other symptoms of pregnancy. Next steps. Share on Pinterest.

Parenthood Pregnancy Getting Pregnant. PMS Symptoms vs. Pregnancy Symptoms. Read this next. Early Pregnancy Symptoms. Medically reviewed by Nancy Carteron, M. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Premenstrual Breast Swelling and Tenderness. Medically reviewed by Fernando Mariz, MD.