Tingling In The Belly During Pregnancy

When we are pregnant our bodies go through some expected changes such as weight gain, food cravings, and breakouts. But there are also some unusual ones too that are not commonly spoken about like restless legs, heart rate changes, and itchy skin. However, is tingling in the belly during pregnancy normal or should I be worried?

Tingling In The Belly During Pregnancy – Should I Be Worried?

Upper stomach numbness during pregnancy is more common than we are led to believe. It is one of those pregnancy side effects that nobody mentions until you are in a blind panic thinking that you are becoming paralyzed! Only to find out that many of your girlfriends have also suffered with it. Keep reading to find out other crazy preganncy symptoms that no one mentions.

Numbness in Abdomen During Pregnancy

Numbness in your abdomen during pregnancy is actually one of those symptoms that non one actually mentions until you mentionit in conversation. But what we must remember is that our bodies go through tremendous changes while we are pregnant. It can change the size of our stomach, face, hands, and even our feet.

These changes can often result in swelling and this is due to the fact that nerves are being compressed by our ever increasing waistline and so restricts blood flow.

If you are in your third trimester and starting to experience numbness and tingling it is more than likely due tothe fact that your entire body is being squeezed and squashed by your little body invader!

Common Causes of Tingling in Tummy During Pregnancy

1. Weight Gain

We all put weight on during pregnancy and this is perfectly natural and normal. But this sudden increased weight can cause our skin to stretch more than it would with normal gradual weight gain.

When your skin is stretched to its limit it can cause numbness, tingling, and even itchy skin.

2. Hormones

Guess what its those pesky hormones again causing problems – no surprise there, right? As your pregnancy progresses your body produces more relaxin which allows your ligaments to extend further than they would normally. The purpose is for your body to prepare for labor.

As your center of gravity changes this can sometimes pinch your nerves which can result in tingling, numbness, and shooting pains.

3. Sleeping Position

As your pregnancy progresses especially in the third trimester you may find that you are having difficulty getting comfortable while sleeping. This can lead to you adopting some unusual sleeping positions that can restrict blood flow and cause numbness and tingling in not just your belly but also in your hands, feet, and legs.

When Should I Be Worried About Tingly Stomach During Pregnancy?

For most women tingling in the belly during pregnancy or numbness is normal and very common. But it is always advisable to discuss any changes or new symptoms with your healthcare provider.

However, if you experience numbness along with vaginal bleeding, contractions, severe headaches, severe abdominal pain, blurry vision, or severe swelling you should contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Although most cases are normal and nothing to worry about. It can sometimes be an indicator of a serious udrlying condition.

Anemia

Anemia during pregnancy is where your body has an iron deficiency and this can cause other symptoms. These can include restless legs, tingling or a feeling that your skin is crawling in your legs.

Numbness and tingling can also be caused by a B12 deficiency which can lead to nerve damage. It can also cause memory loss, trouble walking, muscle weakness, and mental health concerns.

Gestational Diabetes

Numbness and tingling can be a symptom caused by gestational diabetes. If you have already been diagnosed in your pregnancy this may be an indicator that it is not being managed correctly.

It is worth mentioning these symptoms to your healthcare provider, they may be nothing but they could also be relevant to other conditions.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a very serious pregnancy condition that causes severe swelling leading to potential numbness and tingling. If the numbness is a symptom alongside things such as severe headaches, visual disturbances, vomiting, nausea, or seizures you need to get in touch with your doctor immediately.

Surprising Pregnancy Symptoms No One Talks About

Now every pregnant woman knows about common symptoms such as morning sickness, backache, weight gain, and tiredness. But what about the common symptoms that no one tells you about such as tingling in upper abdomen during pregnancy. But what others are there?

Dry Itchy Skin

The skin on your abdomen is being stretched to its limit the further alog in your pregnancy that you get and this can often cause your skin to become dry and itchy.

The best way to help manage this symptom is to moisturize your skin regularly and try your best not to scratch.

However, if your dry itchy skin is also accompanied by a rash you may be suffering from PUPPP (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy). This is not harmful to your baby or you but it will require treatment from your doctor.

Uncontrolled Hunger

Insatiable pregnancy hunger is a real thing and is difficult to understand if you have never experienced it. This is mostly seen during the second trimester when your babys growth and your increased blood volume mean that you are burning more calories during the day which can make you feel hungrier.

Of course those pesky hormones are back playing their part as well. Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone are believed to increase your appetite as well.

You could try eating smaller meals more regularly as this will prevent your blood sugar from dropping dramatically between meals.

Spotting in Early Pregnancy

Any type of bleeding during pregnancy is a cause for concern and should be discussed with your doctor. But spotting in early pregnancy is very common and doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong.

Around 1 in 5 women report spotting during their first trimester and the majority have gone on to have healthy full term pregnancies.

Restless Legs

Restless leg syndrome is annoying especially when you are trying to get some much needed rest adn relaxation time. But it does affect around 30% of pregnant women and yet there is no scientific reason behind its cause.

There is research that has pointed to a few possible causes such as

Dopamine imbalance.
Low iron levels
Genetic Predisposition

Heart Rate Changes

Your blood volume increases by between 30-50% during pregnancy, meaning your heart has to work harder. This can then result in some women having a higher resting heart rate and can mean some experience heart palpitations (fast beating all of a sudden or fluttering).

It is definitely not a nice feeling and can often be a little scary but for the most part it is not harmful to you or your baby. You could try some relaxation techniques to help with the heart palpitations.

Body Hair Changes

As if pregnancy was not sexy enough then comes the added joy of body hair changes. Now this is down to the levels of estrogen which are quite high and this is what is responsible for incredible thick and luscious locks during pregnancy.

But when it comes to body hair many women report that their body hair actually becomes thinner and softer. However, remember that our hormones are fickle and each person has a different experience.

Crotch Lightening

This is not a technical term so you may get some funny looks if you mention this to your doctor. But it is a very real sensation that many women experience during pregnancy.

It is described as a sudden, shooting pain that feels a little like an electric shock in your vagina, pelvic region or rectum. As you can imagine this can take you a little by surprise as you would expect a lightening bolt to your lady parts would…

Leaking Breast Before Birth

Don’t be surprised if you start leaking milk well actually its colostrum, well before your expected due date. This is due to the hormone prolactin. Colostrum leaking is more common in the third trimester as before this your body work on a delicate hormone balance to prevent milk leakage.

Linea Nigra

Linea nigra is a dark line that runs down the center of your abdomen from the belly button to your pubic area. Around 80-90% of women experience this during their pregnancy.

What may be surprising is that you have always had this line but as estrogen adn progesterone levels rise during pregnancy they stimulate cells to produce melanin which is a pigment that changes the color of skin.

Wrapping Up

So is tingling in the belly during pregnancy normal – yes it is. It may not be one of the most commonly talked about symptoms but it happens to more women that you would think and for most it is nothing to worry about.

However, if you are experiencing other symptoms such as vaginal bleeding, severe stomach cramps, or swelling then you should get in touch with your doctor immediately.

Tingling In The Belly During Pregnancy – The Surprising Reasons