Enjoy Healthy Pregnancy

If you are pregnant and having cramping, you are probably concerned. Whether the cramps during your pregnancy are mild or quite severe, you wonder whether they are normal and when to be concerned.

What Causes The Cramping?

The cramping during your pregnancy can be caused by several different things. Some are nothing to worry about, others signal a serious condition that your primary care physician or midwife should be aware of.

First of all, when you are newly pregnant the egg implants on the wall of the uterus. This is usually 8-10 days after ovulation, and often occurs before you even know you are pregnant. There is often cramping accompanying the implantation.

There are several things pregnant women worry about – mostly whether their experience is “normal.” What is a normal weight gain during pregnancy? What about cramping? Is it common to have some spotting during pregnancy?

Cramping and spotting are normal during pregnancy. About 20-30% of women experience some spotting during pregnancy, it is not usual. But what causes it? And how can you know whether you need to contact your doctor or midwife?

Why Would I Bleed? And Is This During Pregnancy Spotting Dangerous Or Not?

When you are pregnant, you may have heard of the idea of “eating for two” and think it means you can eat twice as much – It is not true! Even though you have a little person inside of you, you can’t just eat whatever you want. Junk food will not be the best food for you or your baby.

It is important for the pregnant woman to be careful about her weight gain during her pregnancy. While it is not good to gain too much weight, it is also not good to not gain enough weight during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, your body goes through so many changes – physically, emotionally and hormonally – so it is important to recognize when something does not seem right to you. Pain during pregnancy is somewhat common but it is important to know what a “normal” pain is as opposed to one that may be life-threatening to you, the baby or both.

Normal Occurrences

Nausea and vomiting often rear its ugly head during pregnancy and is often called morning sickness regardless of what time it occurs during the day. Some swelling in the hands and feet are normal as women do retain some water during pregnancy. Because women are eating for two (or more), there may be some occasional dizziness or shortness of breath, especially when enough calories are not consumed to provide enough energy for both the baby and mom.

Every woman will experience some pain during pregnancy and most of the time, it is quite normal. However, there are times when pain can signal a more serious complication which could endanger not only you but also the life of your unborn child. Therefore, it is important to recognize what would be considered abnormal pain during pregnancy so that you can seek proper medical treatment quickly.

What is Normal?

Minor back pain during pregnancy is quite normal and is often the result of the progesterone hormone and the discs and ligaments softening in anticipation of the extra weight you will be carrying. In addition, as the baby grows in the womb, this will put some pressure on the spine because your center of gravity is changing to accommodate the new life.

Bleeding during pregnancy is not always a precursor for potential problems with your health or that of your baby’s. In fact, at least 30-40% of women experience some bleeding or spotting during their pregnancy and have no major problems and carry their babies to full term. However, it would be prudent for you to be able to identify the cause for your bleeding during pregnancy if and quickly as possible.

Non-Life Threatening Reasons for Bleeding

Bleeding early in the pregnancy is quite common and is usually not cause for concern, especially if it is not consistent. Up to several weeks after conception, you may experience bleeding during pregnancy as the fertilized egg tries to implant itself. The bleeding may only occur for a day or two or you may have light spotting for several days before it dissipates.