Baby protection in the womb

Can bumping my pregnant belly hurt the baby? | Your Pregnancy Matters

What can we help you find?

Refine your search: Find a Doctor Search Conditions & Treatments Find a Location

Appointment New Patient Appointment
or Call214-645-8300

MedBlog

Your Pregnancy Matters

October 8, 2019

Your Pregnancy Matters

Shivani Patel, M. D. Obstetrics and Gynecology

Your baby bump will probably get bumped while you're pregnant, particularly if you have young children. It is almost always harmless. But if you suffer abdominal trauma, such as getting in a car accident, call your doctor.

Patients experiencing their first pregnancies often wonder (and worry) about common questions, such as:

Am I supposed to feel the baby kicking yet?
Why can’t I sleep?
Will having an occasional glass of wine hurt the baby?

Often, talking with a doctor or another mom can relieve these concerns. But one question tends to linger for new and experienced patients alike: Will bumping my belly hurt the baby?

The answer is almost always no. Some abdominal contact is inevitable and typically harmless during pregnancy, from doing daily tasks at work to managing rambunctious toddlers and pets. The rare exceptions usually involve abdominal trauma, such as getting in a car accident.

We’ve put together a run-through of common concerns patients raise, including activities that are generally safe, tips to avoid abdominal trauma, and when to see the doctor.

How protected is the baby in the womb?

In general, women’s bodies are not fragile. Historically, women have worked hard on farms and in factories throughout their pregnancies. Many still do today.

The uterus is a muscular organ that protects the baby from the jostling and bouncing of mom’s day-to-day. When combined with the shock absorbers of the amniotic fluid and the weight you gain during pregnancy, your baby is padded from the effects of most daily abdominal contact.

Abdominal trauma is different. Vehicle accidents, falls, and overzealous lifting can be forceful enough to harm the baby. However, you can take precautions to reduce the risk of abdominal trauma, which we’ll outline below.

Abdominal contact: Safe activities

The following activities are generally safe for women whose pregnancies are not high risk.

Big hugs from toddlers

Not much can beat the feeling of a toddler running to you for a big hug. And, for most patients, the force of a 20- to 40-pound child bumping your belly is not enough to harm the baby. That said, toddlers can be unpredictable, and a hug could quickly turn into flailing arms and legs, which might cause abdominal injury or a fall.

Consider explaining a safer way to hug you. You might say, “Mommy loves when you hug me! But while my tummy is big, please walk to me so I don’t get hurt.”

Extra love from pets

Dogs and cats might jump up on you or plop on your lap when you least expect it. While pets under 40 pounds are unlikely to hurt your baby with pawing or bouncing, they can be a tripping hazard. Make sure you get a visual on your pet when you enter a room to avoid falling.

Pets over 40 pounds can jump or land with enough force to hurt you or potentially harm the baby. Teach the pet not to jump or ask someone to kennel the pet when you are present.

Related reading: Is your pet ready for you to have a baby?

House and yard work

It’s generally safe to mow your lawn, garden, wash the car, and conduct other household chores during pregnancy (sorry to blow your cover!).

That said, listen to your body. If you feel fatigued or sore, take a break. Avoid climbing ladders or working on uneven or slick surfaces to reduce the risk of falling. Also, stay hydrated and avoid heavy lifting.

Abdominal trauma: When to use extra caution

In the following scenarios, consider the suggested precautions to protect your growing baby.

Heavy lifting

While not necessarily related to bumping the belly, patients often ask whether it’s safe to lift babies, groceries, and objects at work during pregnancy.

Heavy lifting and repetitive lifting motions have been associated with pregnancy loss, preterm birth, and maternal injury such as a pulled muscle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that women in certain professions are at increased risk, including: childcare providers; health care workers; law enforcement officers; service workers; and teachers.

You don’t have to avoid all lifting, but you should follow the guidelines recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Most non-high-risk patients can occasionally lift people or objects up to 36 lbs through approximately the 20th week of pregnancy. From week 21 on, occasional lifting should be capped at 26 lbs. If your job requires you to lift more than the recommended limits, talk your Ob/Gyn.

Women who lift routinely (every day or several times a week) can lift people or objects up to 18 lbs through 20 weeks gestation and up to 13 lbs from 21 weeks to delivery. If you care for a child or adult who exceeds these weight limits and requires lifting, talk with your doctor. In-home resources are available to alleviate lifting duties during pregnancy.

After delivery, during the post-partum period, follow the 21-week-plus guidelines until your provider clears you to resume regular activities.

Driving or riding in vehicles

Car accidents are the No. 1 reason pregnant patients call our office with concerns about abdominal trauma. Often, they’ve hit their belly on the steering wheel or strained against the seatbelt hard enough to leave marks.

For a safer ride or drive, wear your seat belt properly. Adjust the belt low on your lap, below your belly. Position the shoulder strap between your breasts, which will naturally move it to the side and away from your stomach. To avoid serious injury, ACOG recommends never putting the shoulder strap under your arm or behind your back.

When driving, you might need to adjust your seat back as your belly grows to keep a comfortable length from the steering wheel.

If you are in any vehicle accident, no matter how small, visit your doctor as soon as you can. Injuries that affect the baby or your internal organs might not cause immediate symptoms, and it’s best to find issues early.

Nesting

Nesting, or the urge to get everything ready for the baby’s arrival, can make you feel energized and strong. But don’t give in to the urge to move furniture yourself or haul heavy totes out of storage. Ask for help to move and unload the baby’s things. You can still direct the project.

Working out

It’s important to get exercise during pregnancy, though you will probably need to make some modifications as pregnancy progresses. Your balance will change as your abdomen grows, and the shift will be more noticeable during exercise than during everyday activities.

On the treadmill: Position yourself toward the middle or back of the belt so you don’t bump your belly against the console. Clip on the emergency stop pulley in case you fall or need to stop suddenly.
Lifting: Limit the amount of weight and avoid lifting with your back. Also, check your form – balance properly and protect your joints. Also consider using a spotter.
Hot yoga: Avoid this form of yoga during pregnancy. Research has shown that too much heat can be detrimental to the baby. But feel free to continue doing other types of yoga during pregnancy – it’s a safe, fun way to exercise during any trimester.

When to call the doctor

You can reach out to your doctor any time you are concerned about a belly bump. Call your provider immediately if your water breaks or you experience any of these symptoms of abdominal trauma:

Reduced or absent fetal movement
Vaginal bleeding
Contractions before 37 weeks gestation

Note: Contractions might not be painful. They might feel like cramping or abdominal tightness. If you press on your abdomen and can’t indent the uterus, you’re likely having a contraction.

Even if you don’t experience symptoms after an abdominal trauma, call your provider. The doctor might ask you to come in for an exam to monitor the baby’s movement and heart rate.

With a few modifications, your baby bump doesn’t have to radically change your day-to-day activities. Follow the guidelines and talk with your doctor if you’re unsure – it’s always better to ask than to worry!

Do you need to see an Ob/Gyn? Call 214-645-8300 or request an appointment online.

You may associate post-traumatic stress disorder with survivors of assault, war, or natural disasters. But as maternal-fetal specialist Dr. Shivani Patel will tell you, symptoms of PTSD can weigh heavy on moms who had complex pregnancies. She knows from personal experience.

How Protected is a Baby in the Womb

Does a slight jerk startle you? Or are you a habitual drug user? If you nod in affirmation, you must be worried about your baby’s safety inside the womb. The baby in the womb is naturally protected against external injuries and internal contaminants. such as toxins from the drugs you use or harmful bacteria. Let’s find out how protected a baby is inside the womb, but before that you must know how your foetus is protected inside the womb. [Read: Drugs to Avoid during Pregnancy]

The mother’s womb is a secure place for a foetus, which guards it against all external agents; be it light, sound or shock and pressure. The utero (womb) is surrounded by thick and strong bones that help it to bear the weight of a developing foetus until its birth. During pregnancy, the ligaments that attach the fundus (top portion of the uterus) to the strong pelvic bones become thicker and longer to provide more stability to the womb. The amniotic fluid, placenta and mucous plug present in the cervix form a protective layer in the womb to guard the baby.

Amniotic Fluid serves as a cushion to the unborn baby by protecting it against outside injuries, blows, sharp movements, bumps or any pressure on the mother’s tummy. Also, amniotic fluid prevents heat loss from the foetus’s body by regulating the temperature inside the womb.
Placenta serves as a barrier against internal threats, such as bacteria, drugs and toxic substances present in the mother’s bloodstream.
Mucous Plug protects the unborn baby from external contaminants, such as bacteria and viruses.

Drug use— Certain drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin may reach your foetus through the placenta and hinder the baby’s growth and development. Also, the level of drugs in your bloodstream cut the amount of oxygen that can reach to the foetus. Addiction to illicit drugs may cause preterm labour, low birth weight and foetal alcohol syndrome.

[Watch Video: Premature Birth Complications]

Running— Running is considered safe during pregnancy, however, you should consider your doctor’s advice before you start running. Vigorous running can be physically taxing for an expectant mother and dehydration caused by running may affect blood supply to your baby.

[Read: Is Running Safe during Pregnancy?]

Sports— During pregnancy, activities involving higher risk of falls, such as horse riding, waterskiing, snowboarding, etc should be put on hold. When your baby bump grows, your body’s centre of gravity changes due to which you may find it difficult to balance yourself thus, being prone to falls. Falling during pregnancy may lead to placental abruption, which may cause maternal and foetal death.

If you indulge in contact sports, such as kickboxing, judo or squash, you are at the risk of being hit on the tummy, therefore, you are not advised to be played during pregnancy.

Also abstain from indulging in water sports, such as scuba diving. When you surface while scuba diving, air bubbles may form in the bloodstream and lead to blood clots in your body. This will cut the oxygen supply to the foetus and may result in miscarriage. Amusement rides are another big no-no during pregnancy as the sudden or forceful landing of a ride may break the placenta leading to preterm labour or a halted development of the baby.

Hot tub bath and saunas are also not advised during pregnancy because prolonged stay in hot temperature has been linked to the increased risk of birth defects.

Read more articles on Pregnancy.

If the mother suddenly fell / Waiting for the baby

February

Roads get slippery during off-season. And expectant mothers should be especially careful: after all, the worst thing for them is not so much the possibility of getting hurt themselves, but rather disturbing the one who lives in the tummy.

Natural protection

“Slipped”, “hurted”, “collided with someone” - forums for expectant mothers are literally full of disturbing questions “what will happen now?” and “did I harm the baby?”. Today we will try to find out what gynecologists think about this, and how well the baby is protected in his temporary home.

Of course, a fall is a very unpleasant event during pregnancy. And the expectant mother needs to beware of situations associated with any injuries in every possible way. Indeed, in some cases, falls and injuries do lead to very sad consequences. However, in reality, it is difficult to find at least one pregnant woman who has not once collided with someone or inadvertently hit something on her stomach for all nine months. That is why the special protection of the baby in the mother's stomach is laid down by nature.

The amniotic sac, the membranes of which consist of dense connective tissue and amniotic fluid, the amount of which varies from 0.5 to 1 liter, depending on the duration of pregnancy, saves the baby from mechanical damage. In addition, the baby is protected by the elastic muscles of the uterus, the walls of the abdominal cavity, and in the early stages also the bones of the pelvis. Therefore, it is almost impossible to damage it when dropped. Only by the fifth month of pregnancy, the uterus increases so much that it goes beyond the border protected by the pelvic bones, which increases the likelihood of mechanical damage. However, this does not mean at all that the natural protection of the baby is one hundred percent, and the fall excludes the possibility of serious consequences, such as a miscarriage or the onset of premature birth. The consequences of the clumsiness of the expectant mother can be delayed in time and rather unpleasant. However, they occur only in those rare cases when a direct traumatic effect is directly on the pregnant uterus (falling directly on the stomach, car accident, accident), and the risk of adverse effects is directly proportional to the gestational age.

HOW TO DO A FALL

If you have fallen or hit your stomach hard, you should carefully listen to your well-being. You should not immediately rise to your feet: sit or lie down for a few minutes, not paying attention to the reaction of passers-by. Come to your senses and don't panic. Panic will not help in this situation.

If you experience any pain, dizziness, or vaginal discharge, water breaks, and contractions begin, call an ambulance or call for help immediately.

WHAT TO WARN OUT:

The appearance of bloody discharge from the vagina (this symptom may indicate placental abruption).

Water from the genital tract (possibly injured fetal bladder).

Feeling of sharp pain in the lower abdomen, lower back or uterine cramps.

THE DOCTOR WILL HELP

If you do not feel any changes, nothing hurts and the baby moves in its previous mode: you should not call your friends and listen to dubious “horror stories”. It is better to pay a visit to the gynecologist who is observing you and to exclude all “what if something is wrong” completely. The doctor will listen to the baby's heartbeat, if necessary, prescribe ultrasound, dopplerography and cardiotocography to make sure that everything is fine with your little one.

But first of all, it is worth treating possible abrasions on the arms or legs that may appear during a fall. Such actions will exclude the possibility of infection in your body.

Medical Consultant of Independent Laboratory INVITRO Nona Hovsepyan

Injuries, falls during pregnancy can be not only due to an accident, collision with something or someone, but also due to certain changes that occur in the body of the expectant mother. The fact is that the changed general hormonal background during pregnancy affects the redistribution of blood flow, when part of the blood flow is directed to nourish the unborn baby and the growing uterus. This condition can lead to a decrease in blood pressure, which in turn is often accompanied by hypoxia (lack of oxygen). This explains the frequent fainting in pregnant women. Particularly careful should be those women who, even before pregnancy, had low blood pressure and had frequent fainting.

Weakness, fatigue, frequent dizziness, leading to falls, can occur with anemia (decreased hemoglobin level), this is one of the common pathological conditions of pregnancy.

Therefore, the elimination of somatic (organic) causes of falling during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of various injuries, bruises during pregnancy.

9 tips for a future mother

1. Going for a walk, always take your husband or girlfriend with you, do not go for a walk alone.
2. On stairs and escalators, hold on to the handrails. If you are afraid of turnstiles in the subway - enter through the "luggage" passage.
3. Climbing up and down the stairs, hold on to the railing and put your foot on the whole foot.
4. Refuse to wear shoes with heels and high wedges.
5. When walking, do not keep your hands in your pockets.
6. Choose bags with long shoulder straps so that your hands are always free.
7. On a questionable and slippery surface, move in small steps on slightly bent legs.
8. Learn to group: press your head to your chest and try to fall sideways, on your hip.
9. If you still fell, do not jump up sharply, it is better to recover for a few seconds and only then gradually rise. And don't be afraid to ask for help from those around you.

FIRST AID

The place of injury and (or) damage to the skin (wounds or abrasions) should be washed with running water and treated with hydrogen peroxide or brilliant green. It should be remembered that it is impossible to treat the wound itself with iodine, as it has a cauterizing effect, as a result of which healing is slower. After applying a weak bandage, something cold can be applied to the site of injury. It is better, of course, if it is ice, but you can use a piece of meat from the freezer or a plastic bottle with cold water.

In severe pain, you can take an anesthetic - of course, if the pain is not localized in the lower abdomen, but in the area of damage. As an anesthetic drug, you can use a baralgin tablet.

In addition to the physical consequences of falls and bruises, the expectant mother may be worried about stress. And stress, as you know, is accompanied by the release of adrenaline into the blood, which affects all organs and systems of the body: the number of heartbeats increases, blood vessels narrow, centralization of blood flow occurs, i. e. blood rushes to vital organs - the heart and brain. In this case, the uterus and the fetus are in relatively unfavorable conditions. Therefore, if you feel that trembling and palpitations do not subside for a long time, take a mild herbal sedative preparation, such as valerian (1-2 tablets) or motherwort (1 tablet or 1 teaspoon, depending on which form of the drug is available in stock).

Lilia Egorova

Are we taking care of the tummy? Moms, don't be afraid, the baby is under protection

Quite often, mothers ask obstetricians how dangerous it is to sleep on their stomach, hit their tummy, or get elbowed by fellow citizens in public transport. Will it hurt the baby? Doctors are trying to reassure: the baby is under reliable protection. This does not mean that you do not need to protect the tummy at all, but you should not panic too much and be afraid that the slightest impact can harm the baby. The baby is in the amniotic fluid, which reliably absorb all shocks. So, most of the anxiety is a psychological factor. Any mother instinctively covers her tummy, as if protecting the baby.

Have a good sleep

Quite often expectant mothers worry about what position to sleep in so as not to harm the baby. Don't worry and trust your feelings. At the very beginning of pregnancy, the uterus does not increase much in size, your baby is still a baby-with-a-nail, so sleeping on your stomach does not interfere or harm either mom or baby. As the uterus grows in size, you yourself will feel that lying on your stomach becomes uncomfortable and will begin to avoid this position. Someone else sleeps on their back for several months, someone immediately rolls over on their side. The position "on the back" also quickly becomes uncomfortable, because in the later stages the inferior vena cava is clamped, and you will feel discomfort.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, as a rule, the mother intuitively comes to the conclusion that it is uncomfortable to sleep even on her side. Many begin to put a roller from a blanket under the tummy - and this is completely normal. For some it is convenient to lay a roller between the legs - listen to yourself and sleep in a comfortable position. All the same, in a dream, a person changes position involuntarily, so it is very naive to think about the “correct” position for sleeping. Remember that the mattress should not be hard, otherwise it will give you torment. The ideal option is anatomical mattresses that take the shape of the body, but they are quite expensive. Refuse for a while from hard orthopedic beds, even if they helped you to relax before. Sleep on softer.

Accident

Many mothers are afraid of bumps and falls, which happen quite often, because the tummy protrudes in the later stages. There are myths among the people that an abortion or placental abruption can occur during a fall, and popular television series inform us about this, in which the heroines lose a child from one accidental fainting. In fact, it's not like that at all. Placental abruption occurs with gestosis, abortion can occur from mechanical trauma only if the mother had a threat of interruption in a severe form, in which hospitalization is usually carried out. In general, even in severe car accidents, pregnancy can often be saved.

However, mother's worries are quite understandable. Therefore, if you are worried, talk to your doctor, describe your symptoms, if he deems it necessary, do an extraordinary ultrasound.

Clothes for the belly

No less myths about how important it is to dress properly. Many mothers, undressing and seeing a trace of an elastic band from panties on their stomach, are already afraid that they have harmed the baby. Yes, indeed, in position it is better to dress in loose clothing. During the day, swelling can occur, and you just feel more useful and comfortable without extra rubber bands. However, it is hardly possible to harm the baby with a belt in the place where the waist used to be.