Why is the belly hard in the eighth month of pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a big happy event in a family. It is a very happy thing for married women to give birth to a beloved baby, but everything should be paid attention to during pregnancy. If a pregnant woman has a hard belly in the eighth month, she must pay close attention to her abdominal movements and keep track of whether the fetal movements are normal. If the belly continues to be hard, it may be uterine contractions. So, does a hard belly in the eighth month of pregnancy mean that uterine contractions have already begun? Here is some knowledge about uterine contractions:

The difference between false labor and true labor

In the weeks before delivery, the uterine muscles are more sensitive and irregular uterine contractions will occur, lasting for a short time, being weak, or limited to the lower part of the uterus. It stops after several hours and cannot cause the cervix to open, so it is not labor and is called false labor. The contractions of the uterus during labor are regular. Initially, the interval is about 10 minutes, and pregnant women feel abdominal pain, and then the duration of the pain gradually increases to 40 seconds to 60 seconds. The severity increases and the interval shortens to about 3 to 5 minutes. When the uterus contracts and abdominal pain occurs, the lower abdomen may feel hard.

What should I pay attention to when I have frequent uterine contractions?

About a month before delivery, contractions begin. Some people don’t feel anything at the beginning. Only when they touch their belly with their hands will they feel the contractions, and pregnant mothers will feel that the frequency of contractions is getting higher and higher. Generally, when calculating uterine contractions, if the number of contractions per hour is around 10, it is considered relatively frequent. You should go to the hospital in time and take some drugs to inhibit uterine contractions under the guidance of a doctor to prevent premature birth. If the contractions are not very frequent and there is no abdominal pain, just rest. It should be noted that you should not take medicine on your own, and taking medicine generally cannot relieve the symptoms. At this time, pregnant mothers should pay attention to rest, especially avoid stimulating the abdomen. If uterine contractions are accompanied by severe abdominal pain, for example, pain that makes you restless and affects your work and life, you need to go to the hospital for treatment.

What to do when contractions occur

First, lie flat, close your eyes, and breathe deeply through your nose.

Second, breathe deeply through your mouth to relax your abdomen.

Third, after inhaling through your nose, hold your breath, and then exhale long.

Uterine contractions and uterine pain

I often hear the word "uterine contraction" during pregnancy, but I have never understood what it is. From the meaning of the word, I understand that it must be able to feel the contraction. But it was not until after giving birth that I realized that the most intuitive description of this word should be that when you feel your stomach tightening and hardening in waves during pregnancy, it is called uterine contraction. In this case, I have occasionally had this feeling since the third month. When I was walking, I felt my stomach tightening and painful. The relief method I used was to stop immediately and bend over slightly. It would be fine after a while. The main problem was to rest! Uterine contractions are directly related to the amount of activity of the pregnant woman. As the pregnancy progresses and the fetus grows larger, the pregnant woman's body burden becomes heavier, the uterus becomes more sensitive than usual, and a slight stimulation will cause the abdomen to harden. Most uterine contractions are physiological phenomena. If the frequency is within the normal range, there is no problem. However, if the frequency is too high and there is no relief after more than an hour, you should go to the hospital for examination.

To prevent uterine contractions, pay attention to the following.

First, don’t walk too much or lift too much heavy objects. If you walk too much, the weight of the fetus alone will be a huge burden on the mother. In addition, carrying heavy objects will cause abdominal force, which can easily cause uterine contractions. Second, lying down and resting and keeping quiet when you are tired will be very effective. Third, don’t accumulate stress. Mental fatigue, like physical fatigue, can lead to various problems. The accumulated stress can also easily cause the abdomen to become hard. It is best to relax both physically and mentally. Fourth, prevent catching cold. Air conditioning makes the lower limbs and waist too cold, which can easily cause uterine contractions. It is also important to wear socks and cover yourself with a blanket to prevent catching a cold. You can also try using breathing techniques when contractions occur. First, lie flat, close your eyes, and take a deep breath through your nose. Second, take a deep breath through your mouth and relax your abdomen. Third, after inhaling through your nose, hold your breath, and then exhale deeply.

How can a husband help an expectant mother get through the pain of contractions?

1. Distracting from pain

Every expectant mother experiences contractions. Uterine contractions are uncomfortable and everyone feels pain. When you first start having contractions, each one is shorter and the intervals between them are longer. Then, the contractions will become longer, the time between them will become shorter, and the pain will become more intense. This pain will last for a long time. At this point, the husband telling jokes to his wife would have no effect because she simply couldn't laugh.

Homework: If a husband wants to know what a pregnant woman most wants the people around her to do when she is in pain, he might as well ask his mother and his wife's mother. Their personal experiences will definitely inspire you.

2. Relax your wife's body

It is normal for a wife's abdominal muscles to tense during contractions. At this time, she should try to relax other parts of her body, and this requires her husband's help. Intermittent contractions may last for 8-10 hours. When the contractions just started, my wife didn't need to be hospitalized yet; the home environment could make her feel better. When she sits or lies down, her body needs some support, such as a pillow or a backrest. The husband should make sure his wife's elbows, legs, lower back and neck are supported, and check whether all parts of her body are completely relaxed. The wife may not be able to take care of these, or even be too lazy to speak, so the husband should take the initiative to help. Once at the hospital, the husband should always check whether his wife is lying (sitting) comfortably.

If the wife feels very tense because of the pain, the husband can guide her in deep breathing and give her some tips on how to stay relaxed. Husbands can also massage their wives to relieve their tension and discomfort during labor. Preparation: Learn to understand whether different parts of your wife's body are tense or relaxed. Practice massage. The wife can give the husband a massage first. Only after the husband has received a massage will he know what kind of massage is most comfortable and effective. Next, the husband can try to massage his wife. Both parties can exchange ideas about massage, so that the husband’s massage skills can gradually improve. For example, if the pain is so severe that you cannot sit still and your work and life are affected, you need to go to the hospital for treatment.

It is common for pregnant women to have a hard stomach in the eighth month. It is generally considered to be a normal phenomenon due to the fetal position. However, pregnant women should understand their own condition. If in addition to a hard stomach, there are abnormal phenomena such as spotting, then they need to see a doctor. At this time, pregnant women must reduce going out, try to avoid long-distance travel, and must be accompanied by family members when traveling if it is unavoidable. If conditions permit, it is recommended to be admitted to the hospital for observation. If the hardness of the abdomen becomes more and more obvious, it is considered to be premature birth, and appropriate measures should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.