Depending on your stage of pregnancy, your body type, and even the time of day, sometimes your belly will feel soft and other times it will feel tight and hard. The reality is, there's no normal to compare yourself with. Pregnant bellies come in all shapes, sizes, and firmness.
A hard spot on your abdomen during the early part of the second trimester is likely to be your fundus, which is the top of your uterus. The uterus is a muscular organ, shaped like an upside-down pear, and the fundus is the curved upper part that's furthest away from your cervix.
It'll likely happen on and off, and you might wonder: “Why is my pregnant belly sometimes hard and sometimes soft?” After all, it can feel pretty bizarre. Luckily, it's usually nothing to worry about—but it's good to keep in mind that there could be multiple reasons for it, depending on which trimester you're in.
You may feel brief lower abdomen pain. This is known as Mittelschmerz, a slight, one-sided ache or twinge in the pelvis caused by the release of the egg during ovulation. At two weeks pregnant, your belly won't show any signs of a bump yet, although you may feel a little more gassy or bloated than usual.
Very early signs of pregnancy include a missed period and implantation bleeding (light spotting resulting from the egg implanting in the uterus). You may notice these signs during the first month of pregnancy, and you may also notice some gas, bloating, fatigue, and moodiness.
If you're in your second or third trimester of pregnancy and you notice that sometimes your pregnant belly gets very hard, feels tight, and even causes mild discomfort, you're probably experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions.
First-time moms usually start showing sometime between 12 and 18 weeks. In a BabyCenter poll, most women expecting their first child said they started to show between 12 and 18 weeks, very closely followed by those who said that their bump emerged between 18 and 24 weeks.
On the other hand, a fat belly is softer and you'll also tend to see fat layers on the stomach rather than a protruding belly with a smooth dome as you would with a pregnant belly [1].
“Around 20 weeks, we expect the top of the uterus—the fundus—to be at the level of the belly button, which can cause the appearance of the classical bump,” says Sassin. Third trimester (weeks 28 to 40): Baby grows quickly during this time, and your bump will typically grow along with them.
Early pregnancy bloating and normal bloating feel exactly the same. Your pregnancy bloating may feel slightly more uncomfortable due to the additional symptoms and increased amounts of gas which can worsen gas pains.
In the first trimester (weeks 0 to 12) it is common to feel mild pains in the lower tummy area. These are caused by hormonal changes and by your growing womb.
Will you have a belly at one month pregnant? You may experience some bloating at the beginning of pregnancy, and your clothes might fit a little snugly, but you probably won't be showing a baby belly at one month pregnant.
Mild stomach pain in early pregnancy (during the first 12 weeks) is usually caused by your womb expanding, the ligaments stretching as your bump grows, hormones constipation or trapped wind. It may sometimes feel like a 'stitch' or mild period pain.
You may feel your body making changes before you know you're pregnant or you may not notice any symptoms at all. Symptoms of early pregnancy include a missed period, needing to pee more often, tender breasts, feeling tired and morning sickness.
In women, the exam can also give information about the uterus and ovaries. When your healthcare provider presses on your belly, they are feeling to see if any of these organs are enlarged or painful. That might be a sign of problems that need more assessment.
Don't Drink A Lot Of Water Before Taking The Test
Diluted urine tends to also have diluted hCG levels which can skew the test results. Take a test when you naturally need to pee. This way, you'll avoid diluting your hCG level and getting a false 'Not Pregnant' result.
Some women may notice symptoms as early as 5 DPO, although they won't know for certain that they are pregnant until much later. Early signs and symptoms include implantation bleeding or cramps, which can occur 5–6 days after the sperm fertilizes the egg. Other early symptoms include breast tenderness and mood changes.