While waiting for the baby to be born, the future mother listens to the smallest changes in her condition. The closer the estimated date of birth, the more questions a pregnant woman has. One of the urgent problems is the prolapse of the abdomen.
In obstetric practice, this process is called prolapse of the uterus or the formation of the fetus. The period for which the stomach falls before childbirth is individual for each girl. The characteristics of the course of pregnancy, age, physiology, etc. are important.
What does a lowered stomach look like before birth? Why is he going down? How long does the water flow? You can find answers to these and many other questions in this article.
The period for which the stomach falls
If the expectant mother feels well, pathologies are not diagnosed during gestation, then the first signs of a change in the shape of the abdomen appear 2-4 weeks before delivery. However, in modern obstetric practice, this process can begin much sooner or later.
The determining factors are the constitution of the body and the weight of the woman in labor, the degree of training of the muscles of the abdominal cavity. For example, if they are weak, the child can go down to the pelvis in the second trimester and be there until the moment of birth.
By standard, the abdomen before childbirth falls in the period from the 36th to the 37th week. Tolerance is considered 14 days in one direction or another. It is believed that the onset of uterine prolapse is a harbinger of labor within two weeks.
Parameters of abdominal prolapse in primiparous
With a normal pregnancy and the absence of pathologies in a woman carrying her first child, the abdomen begins to undergo changes at the 36th week. Reminiscent of a large ball previously pressed to the chest, it will now look like an oval with a region pointed at the navel.
When the abdomen falls before the birth for the first-born several weeks before the deadline, do not worry, the child will not leave the maternal womb for 10 days or more. Therefore, a modification of the abdomen is not a direct sign of impending contractions. If there are no additional harbingers of the baby's soon birth (for example, the passage of the mucous plug), it is too early to assemble in the hospital.
One thing is certain for sure - from this moment the girl should listen to her health with special zeal.
When the abdomen falls before childbirth in multiparous
If a woman has previously felt the joy of motherhood, prolapse of the abdomen can occur several days or even hours before labor.
What is the reason? During the first pregnancy and childbirth, the muscles of the peritoneum weakened and stretched. They are no longer able to provide rigid fixation of the uterus with the baby growing in it. And if the omission still happened, this indicates the normal condition of the muscles and the approaching rapid birth.
Signs of prolapse of the abdomen during pregnancy
When a child prepares to go out into the world and the abdomen falls before childbirth, a woman feels a number of signs characteristic of this phenomenon. Changes have both internal and external reflection. Read more about the feelings of the future mother and other manifestations of the oncoming birth.
Internal signs of abdominal prolapse
The lowered uterus begins to put strong pressure on the bladder, because of this, urination becomes more frequent, and temporary incontinence is possible. It is enough for a woman to drink a glass of juice, as she immediately feels the desire to go to the toilet "in a little way." Frequent urge to bowel movement is also possible.
Heartburn disappears. The unpleasant burning sensation that has prevailed over the esophagus over the past few months disappears completely. The thing is that the uterus shifts below its previous position, does not exert pressure on the stomach, and all organs of the gastrointestinal tract restore normal functionality.
Shortness of breath disappears, finally, you can inhale the air with full breasts - and this is another way to help understand that the stomach fell before childbirth.
Discharges from the genitals of a transparent white color. The reason for their appearance is an increase in the tone of the uterus, as evidence of its preparation for labor. If the color of the discharge is brown or red - this is an occasion to visit a gynecologist.
The fetus becomes less active. The kid is growing rapidly, he no longer has enough space for sharp coups and kicks. He occupies a comfortable position and behaves more calmly.
Discomfort while walking and sitting. The fetus not only reached large sizes, but also increased in weight, so it puts pressure on the pelvic bones. Dull pain can be felt in the perineum, lower back, sacrum and legs - the result of pressure exerted on the nerve endings.
External signs of abdominal prolapse
When the tummy takes a new form, changes are noticed not only by the expectant mother, but also by the people around her. It moves from a position high under the chest to a level below the navel for how many days before giving birth.
Belly goes down, but how will you make sure of this? A woman carrying a baby should place her hand horizontally between her stomach and chest. If the hand fits easily, then you should once again check the bags collected in the hospital, probably they will be needed soon.
The gait of a pregnant woman undergoes changes. The fetus changes position, the uterus goes deeper into the small pelvis, which significantly complicates the movement. The steps become clumsy, the gait resembles a duck.
In some cases, the abdomen before childbirth drops imperceptibly for the pregnant woman and her loved ones. The figure does not change in a certain category of women:
- with underdeveloped abdominal muscles;
- narrow pelvis;
- who are diagnosed with low presentation of the fetus in the early stages - he has nowhere else to move down.
We proceed to discuss the next question.
Abdominal prolapse - anatomical aspect
Changing the shape of the abdomen involves stretching it forward. It was repeatedly noted that in a woman pregnant with a boy, he acquires a pointed shape, while in mothers of girls it stretches to the sides.
The lowered abdomen begins to droop more, located a few centimeters below the pelvic bones and exerting an additional load on the spine. At this stage, it is recommended to wear a prenatal bandage belt.
The abdomen area hardens noticeably, stretch marks may appear on the skin.
The distance between the chest and the stomach increases every day, the waist becomes noticeable.
The omission of the abdomen may have negative sides.
It would seem that the stomach went down, so a trip to the hospital is just around the corner and soon a long-awaited meeting with the baby will take place. However, it is not for nothing that it is believed that the last weeks of pregnancy are especially difficult for women to tolerate.
This is a dull, almost continuous pain in the abdomen. As a rule, its focus is localized in the lower part. The reason for the discomfort is that the uterus is thus preparing for the birth process. If a pulling and crushing feeling develops into an unbearable pain, it is necessary to consult a doctor or call an ambulance.
The next unpleasant moment is an increase in the load on the spine. This causes pain in the lumbar, it is difficult for a pregnant woman to find a comfortable position for sitting and lying down.
The chair is broken. Pressure on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract leads to causeless diarrhea or constipation. And also problems with urination are not excluded.
A change in the location of the fetus leads to the fact that the expectant mother experiences inconvenience when performing everyday activities. So, putting on shoes, especially winter ones, is practically impossible without assistance. It is difficult to climb a stool, quickly go down the stairs, drive a car - you can endlessly list the activities that a pregnant girl in the late stages is almost inaccessible.
When there are no changes
We are excitedly wondering how much the abdomen falls before childbirth, and in some cases this does not happen at all. Obstetrician-gynecologists say that the absence of visual changes in the shape of the abdomen is a variant of the norm.
The abdomen may take a new position already at the 32nd week or not go down to the start of prenatal contractions. If you do not notice changes in yourself, then there is no reason for concern. There are a lot of reasons: structural features of the mother's body, large fetus, narrow pelvis, and much more.
About the normal course of pregnancy in the third trimester, doctors judge the entry of the baby's head into the pelvic area. This indicates the healthy state of both the woman and the baby, as well as the upcoming natural birth. The fetus slowly moves down, occupying the correct convenient position in which it will remain immediately before the onset of vigorous labor.