HealthPartners - Your guide to pregnancy

As your pregnancy progresses, you may experience a wide variety of physical and emotional changes. To make it easier for you to find information about specific changes, we’ve listed them in alphabetical order in this section.

HOW YOUR BODY CHANGES

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BELLY (ROUND LIGAMENT) PAIN During the second half of your pregnancy, you may feel sharp or dull

pain on one or both sides of your lower belly. This round ligament pain happens when the ligaments supporting your uterus start to stretch or have spasms. You may notice pain when you’re walking or if you quickly roll over in bed. Round ligament stretching early in your pregnancy may feel like menstrual cramps. If the pain is especially strong and does not go away, call your health care provider. Helpful tip: Resting and putting a warm compress or heating pad on the area can help reduce pain.

BACKACHE There are many pregnancy-related causes of back pain. Pregnancy hormones can relax the ligaments that hold your pelvic and weight-bearing bones together to

help you prepare for birth. As your uterus grows larger, your belly sticks out further. This can weaken your abdominal and back muscles and cause low back pain. Your enlarged uterus may also push on the sciatic nerve, causing back pain and/or weakness or numbness in your legs. This condition is called sciatica and usually goes away after pregnancy.

Helpful tips • Wear low-heel, flat-heel, or supportive shoes (no high heels) • Take breaks during the day and rest as much as you can • Exercise to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles • A heating pad may help reduce pain; never use it on bare skin • Avoid lifting anything too heavy while you’re pregnant • Never sit straight up after lying on your back — roll sideways first

18 Your Guide to A Healthy Pregnancy