The symphysis pubis is the front part of your hip bone, and, as the name might suggest, it can be felt beneath where the pubic hair grows. These bones are connected by ligaments — ligaments that can loosen quite noticeably during pregnancy, due to the effects of the hormone relaxin. The purpose of this is to allow your hips to open just a bit as the baby moves through the birth canal. Even a few extra millimeters of space can make a difference to his progress! (See also: Why do your feet get bigger during pregnancy?)
The down side is that the loosening can be painful, particularly when moving from lying down to a sitting or standing position, or when going from sitting to standing. The pain is often more pronounced in a second or subsequent pregnancy.
The best way to manage this aching joint is to exercise care when moving your hips in order to avoid strain. For example, be careful getting in and out of bed (try turning on your side, then move your legs off the bed) and try not to twist or flex your hips too much. Use pillows to help you get into comfortable sleeping position that won’t over-extend your joints.
For relief from the discomfort you can engage in a couple activities that take the weight and pressure off the area. Floating or swimming in a pool or deep tub can feel positively blissful. You may also find it comfortable to relax on an exercise ball.
The pubic bone can also make its presence known after birth — especially after delivering a particularly big baby, or one with a huge head. When it manifests at this time, walking can be near impossible for a day or two because of the sharp pains that occur every time you put weight on the joint. Take it easy for a little while, and you’ll be just fine.
We know you want it… just one frosty brewski to go with your pizza or to have after work. Your mom may have told you that she drank through her whole pregnancy — and look, you’re fine, right?
Be that as it may, most major health organizations (see below) say to nix the alcohol — be that beer, wine or any other liquored beverage.
While there is no hard and fast evidence that one drink — or even two over the course of pregnancy — will harm your baby, there’s nothing to say that it definitely won’t. We’re talking about a little imbibing on your part that may affect your baby’s life for the worse. Is that worth the risk? Not to lecture you or anything, but we here at P&B say no way. There will be plenty of time to booze it up after pregnancy, if you must.
Here’s what five major pregnancy- or government-related associations and agencies had to say:
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The vast majority of babies born are healthy, and there is not often a need for concern. However, some parents — and some caregivers — want to eliminate the worry of, various possible birth defects, such as chromosomal defects, birth defects from infection (including HIV and rubella) as well as defects caused by conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome (aka FAS).
Many defects can be discovered during pregnancy via one or more prenatal tests. But how much you want to know is up to you. Some women feel routine testing is unnecessary in their cases, since the risk of serious defects for the majority of healthy and conscientious women is extremely small. They may also believe that a serious defect is likely to be discovered even without the test and don’t want to spend their pregnancy worrying too much about those that aren’t serious.
Some women say, “I would never terminate my pregnancy, regardless of the outcome of the testing, so I don’t want to do it.” And some fear an ambiguous result that may cause needless worry or the need for making frightening choices they feel are best left in the hands of a higher power.
Other parents feel better ruling out certain defects, especially those for which their baby is at higher risk; or perhaps they want advance notice of any issues, so they can prepare on both emotional and practical levels. For example, babies with certain defects may need to be delivered very carefully (sometimes via cesarean section, as a vaginal birth may be too traumatic) or may require special resuscitation equipment to be on hand at the time of birth.
If the birth defect is a very serious or potentially fatal one, knowing in advance may also help you, as a parent, to prepare emotionally for the situation your child faces. Having some time to know what to expect — and to accept — can allow the family of a child with a fatal defect to make the most of every moment.
Many women experience an uncomplicated miscarriage before they can even schedule a trip to the doctor. The bleeding stops, she feels better, and never arranges for a checkup. But for the Rh negative woman, this type of self-care may present a problem in her future.
About 85% of the population in the United States has Rh positive blood, meaning that certain protein molecules are present on the surface of their blood cells. Your blood type (groups A, B, AB and O), as well as this “Rh factor,” is determined genetically. As Rh positive blood is a dominant trait, the majority of Rh negative women carry children with Rh positive blood. During birth and, occasionally, at other times, some of the baby’s blood may enter the mothers’ circulation. In order to prevent your body from producing antibodies to combat baby’s blood — identified by the Rh positive factors and seen as foreign material — an injection of Rh immune serum (such as RhoGam) should be given within 72 hours.
Most Rh negative women routinely receive a dose of the serum as a prophylactic measure at 28 weeks of pregnancy, and then again shortly after delivery. The serum is also necessary after amniocentesis or if any hemorrhaging occurs at any time during pregnancy, or following a miscarriage or abortion. (Even at only a few weeks gestation, when the embryo is still tiny, the placenta may contain enough of the baby’s blood to trigger the reaction.)
With adequate prenatal care, Rh sensitization has become rare. Without treatment, your first baby typically will not be adversely affected, but future pregnancies will be at risk — and the risk increases with each subsequent pregnancy. Prevention is the best cure, as the treatments available after sensitization are not always 100% effective. These may include the need for intrauterine blood transfusions, labor to be induced before term — and, in severe cases, may result in birth defects, miscarriage or stillbirth.
If you suspect you might be miscarrying, be sure to contact your caregiver immediately. In addition: If you don’t know your blood type — or your blood is Rhesus negative (Rh-) — if you get pregnant, you should be aware of this. All of your future babies’ health may depend on it.
So, you think you’ve scored with a private room with en suite bathroom and are ready to settle in for a couple days of well-deserved R&R. Not to burst your bubble, but you might want to know now vs getting a rude surprise later: A hospital stay — even after a completely normal, healthy delivery — isn’t much like staying at the Ritz. (Or even Motel 6, for that matter.)
First off, your newborn will probably be with you the whole time. Gone are the days when moms shuffled off the kids to the nursery so they could conk out with a valium. Really, though, this is overall a really good thing.
The interruptions cause most hospital visits to get a little sketchy — and we’re not talking the baby’s needs. The nurses will frequently wake you at seemingly random intervals to poke, prod and otherwise check you (especially ensuring your uterus is clamping down and that you’re not bleeding too much — and often massaging your uterus), give you medications, take blood, etc. You will also be asked a barrage of questions regarding how often you’re nursing (or feeding), how often you’ve used the bathroom, and so forth. The hospital staff will also probably weigh the baby again, and watch to be sure your little one is wetting enough diapers and his or her color looks good (not too jaundiced).
And then there’s the matter of hospital food…
Now you know why going home within 24 hours of birth (if you and baby are both healthy and ready to go) could start to sound like a pretty nice idea.
There’s no hard and fast rule that your body is guaranteed to abide by, but in general, these things are true:
1) It’s going to look rather nasty — and probably quite scary — the first time you see the wound. Think Frankenstein-meets-Nip-Tuck. Remember, they probably used either surgical staples or dark-colored sutures (stitches) to close you up, and those things just aren’t pretty.
2) The incision site will gradually fade, but count on it being red and raised for at least six — and more likely 12-plus — months.
3) You will always have a visible scar. Sorry. It may be covered by pubic hair or your underwear (or your bikini — you go, girl!) but it will forever be a reminder that you brought a fabulous little person into the world.
It’s also good not to forget that it’s more than the outside that needs to heal: there’s the uterus, other layers of muscle (not to mention some fat, blood vessels and connective tissue) and then the skin. You’re one big parfait of healing power.
If the incision itches, don’t scratch. (Some moms swear by a hot shower — and depending on how you’re healing, that may be helpful to you, too.) But if the wound weeps a lot (a poetic way of saying “to exude matter; to ooze”), starts to bleed, smells bad, begins to open or otherwise freaks you out, call your caregiver ASAP. Don’t mess around with waiting in the case of a possible infection.
Find out more about cesarean section (aka Caesarean section or c-section) here!
You have so much to do, right? There’s the nursery to prepare, laundry to be done, beds to change, envelopes to address, dinners to make…
But chill, mama. Your number 1 priority? You. Get as much rest as possible! Take naps. Sleep in. (Did you know that researchers found that women who have less sleep or severely disrupted sleep in late pregnancy are significantly more likely to have longer labors — and are more likely to have cesarean births? Click here for the full story.) Trust us — you’re not going to sleep through labor.
So don’t worry about cleaning the house or doing last-minute stuff for the your little one’s room — the baby will not care for a few years. And you? You’ll be otherwise engaged for at least a few days. Enjoy.
Whether you would consider it good news or something that’s totally stressful, almost every pregnant woman wonders, “Is it twins?”
So how will you know if you’re carrying twins or higher-order multiples? Well, many expectant parents — assuming they didn’t have fertility treatments — learn at an ultrasound exam, usually at or before 20 weeks. (Women who have had treatments such as IVF will be monitored closely by their physician to see if the pregnancy “took.”)
But if you don’t want to wait, some possible indicators that you could be carrying more than one baby include:
- Measuring large for dates (size of the uterus)
- Excess weight gain
- Amplified pregnancy symptoms, such as severe morning sickness, excessive fatigue or a strong metallic taste in your mouth
- An AFP blood test result inconsistent with a singleton pregnancy
- More than one heartbeat heard via Doppler
None of these symptoms, however, is a 100% reliable indicator of a multiple pregnancy — and, as you have probably learned by now, any expectant mama can experience any or all of them. Likewise, a woman carrying twins or more may not experience any particularly unusual symptoms at all!
Measuring large for dates (based on uterine size/fundal height) could instead indicate an error in remembering or calculating your due date, extra amniotic fluid, the presence of fibroids, or because you’re carrying twins or more. It could be just a variation of a normal and there’s only one baby inside.
Unless your healthcare provider has told you to avoid orgasm or oral sex, gettin’ a little like that should be just fine. There are a few caveats, however:
Don’t blow this job: While we have yet to hear someone admit to this being part of their foreplay, we’ll pass along the most common piece of “oral sex during pregnancy” advice: Don’t let your partner blow air into your vagina. (Yeah, we know you wanted to be puffed up like a balloon down there.) While not likely to be a problem, such an action could possibly cause an air embolism to enter your bloodstream, blocking off a blood vessel and putting you and the baby in a potentially life-threatening situation.
Cold sore? Keep away: If your partner has a cold sore on the mouth or lips, oral sex is a no-no. A cold sore is caused by the herpes simplex virus, and it can be passed on to you during cunnilingus, giving you genital herpes. Not only is that incurable and no fun at all, it can cause complications during birth. (It’s also possible to become infected up to as many as 10 days after any sores/blisters have healed from an outbreak.)
Not too late: If your water has broken, or your caregiver has told you to avoid baths, swimming and/or regular sex because your cervix is dilating (or for any other reason), you may be more vulnerable to infection. Be sure to get the oral okay from your healthcare provider first.
Don’t back down: When on the receiving end of oral sex, try not to lie flat on your back — especially after about the 20th week of pregnancy. In that position, your heavy uterus can press down on the vena cava (a major vein), causing abnormally low blood pressure, restricting the amount of oxygen getting to the baby, and possibly causing you to become lightheaded. (It’s also pretty not very fun to feel like you have a big weight pressing down on you.) So if lying on your back is usually your position of choice, try propping yourself up on the bed instead, or try the sofa or an easy chair. C’mon — get creative!
Why, a hemorrhoid is a swollen vein in the rectum, of course. 
Essentially, the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed — and some might even protrude out of the anus.
Some of the many not-so-fun symptoms of hemorrhoids include itching, mild burning and bleeding from the anus; swelling and pain during bowel movements; painful lumps around the anus ranging in size from a pea to — in severe cases — about the size of a walnut.
As totally disgusting as it sounds, you’re not alone in having problems with them. Hemorrhoids (aka hemmies — much easier to spell and lots nicer to say) are common among pregnant women. …
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Typically, yes, in true labor, “longer, stronger and closer together” is the pattern. But in the earlier stages of labor, in particular, it may not be 100% true — you could experience contractions of varying intensity, and they might come irregularly. It’s the kind of thing that can leave even “experienced” moms wondering if it’s labor or not. For example, this is what a woman expecting baby number four had to say:
Early Saturday morning, around 3am, I started feeling some irregular, but strong, contractions. I tried to time them, but they were all over the place — anywhere from five to 30 minutes apart! When my husband and I got up in the morning, I told him about the contractions… and then they stopped. Around 1 or 2pm, the contractions returned, but were again totally irregular. Around 3pm, I noticed that they drastically increased with activity — and were getting painful.
Her baby, a boy, was born five hours later.
Your caregiver will tell you what signs of labor to look out for. A childbirth educator says…
A general rule of thumb is to call when your contractions are five minutes apart, lasting for one minute or longer, and this has been happening for one hour. This is called 5-1-1. Other healthcare providers go by the rule of 3s. Contractions are three minutes apart, lasting 30 seconds or longer and this has been happening for 30 minutes.
Here’s the bottom line: No matter how long your contractions last or how often they’re coming, if your contractions are so painful that you’re crying or can hardly talk, call your caregiver! Don’t tell yourself that you’re just being alarmist. To take care of you and to answer your questions — that’s what your doctor or midwife is there for.
Find out more about what contractions feel like here.
It’s probably true! Sometimes women have so much swelling down there that the nurses fashion an ice pack out of a diaper. They cut open one end, put in some ice, and then nestle it against your nether regions to provide some relief.
If you think about it, it’s really very practical: Not only will the diaper absorb the water as it melts, it’s also there to catch the blood/lochia your body is expelling at the same time.
Don’t worry about your friends all knowing you are wearing one of your baby’s Huggies — it’s not like you were going to show off your big hospital-grade maxi pad (which you’ll be sporting next) anyhow.
The diaper thing can just be our little secret.
After your baby’s born, you will get “afterpains” — like bad cramps — every time you nurse for the first week or so. (And to some extent, even if you’re not nursing.) This is all part of your body’s recovery process, as your uterus gets back to its old size and shape while also closing off the blood vessels that were supporting the baby and placenta.
In second and later pregnancies, the afterpains can be really strong — like early labor all over again! So do whatever got you through labor in the first place, and don’t forget to breathe.
So, how many little people are in there?! It’s a question on the mind of every mom-to-be at some point.
Doppler (the audio ultrasound device used at most prenatal checkups after week 10 or so) may also be able to pick up more than one heartbeat. That is, however, not always a reliable indicator. Sometimes it’s hard to pick up one heartbeat, let alone two — and then there’s also the fact that the sound waves can sometimes bounce off the baby in such a way that it sounds like a double, but is really just an echo. Try to count the heartbeats — if there are two, there will be a slight difference in the rate. (Your heartbeat, meanwhile, should be markedly slower.)
If you slip twins or more past the doppler — as many moms do — the AFP (alpha fetoprotein) test, a prenatal test done at about 17 weeks of pregnancy, will catch approximately 65% of twin pregnancies.
When a multiple birth is suspected, you will be scheduled for an ultrasound. In an ultrasound exam, the baby– or babies — can be seen. All of this assumes, of course, that you didn’t have an early ultrasound to confirm or check the pregnancy, which usually (but not always — depends on timing) will show you if you’re expecting one baby, two babies or even more.
Bigger, different colors, different shapes… Your breasts will continue to change throughout pregnancy, growing larger as the milk ducts within multiply and mature. You may also notice bluish veins close to the skin, and may even have stretch marks. Your nipples will also enlarge, as will the areola, the pink area around the nipples. The areola will also darken, which is thought to serve to help your baby home in on the food source.
You may also start to see little “pimples” on your areolas/(areolae), which are enlarged oil glands known as “Montgomery’s tubercles.”
And then, even as early as the first part of the second trimester, you might notice your boobs are occasionally leaking a small amount of clear or slightly milky fluid, which is usually somewhat sticky. This is colostrum, which will serve as your baby’s first food in the days after birth before your milk comes in.
Why so early? Your body’s just checking that all systems are go a little ahead of time.
Nearly all pregnant women experience back pain at some point during pregnancy, according to our poll results:
What has been the most difficult symptom of pregnancy?
Back pain or joint pain: 42%
Morning sickness: 35%
Heartburn: 23%
So what makes your back hurt so much during pregnancy? Well, first and foremost, you’re carrying a lot of extra weight, concentrated in your front. Especially during pregnancy, women have a tendency to arch their backs in order to compensate for their shifting center of gravity. Most women are not conscious of their posture all the time. Poor positioning stresses the muscles in your back.
As pregnancy progresses, your body produces more and more of the hormone relaxin, which (not surprisingly) relaxes your ligaments — this allows your pelvis to expand to make more room for your uterus. The body is a work of art, but it’s not perfect: Ligament “loosening” isn’t just limited to the pelvic region; it happens all over your body. So your knees feel weak sometimes, your feet grow too big for your shoes, and, yes — your back aches.
Find out what you can do about back pain during pregnancy here.
As your uterus gets heavier with its cargo of baby, placenta and amniotic fluid, it’s not uncommon for you to have a few growing pains! This can start at about week 20 or so, and will last you through delivery.
The most common culprit is the round ligament — the fibrous tissue holding the uterus in place. When these ligaments stretch too far for comfort, you will feel sharp pains to either side of the abdomen, which feel a lot like a muscle spasm or a ‘Charley horse.’ They usually go away after a few minutes. The best way to get through them is to take some deep breaths and lie down if you can, in order to take as much strain off your belly as possible.
These harmless pains will come and go, and can be triggered by moving around during the course of everyday activities or even just getting out of bed. Sometimes women think that these might be contractions — but as almost any mom who has been through labor and delivery can testify: Round ligament pain does not feel anything like true labor contractions.
Of course, if you are not sure this is what you are experiencing, or are concerned about any abdominal pain, please talk to your caregiver.
That depends on how you look at it, really.
According to most dating methods, pregnancy lasts approximately 280 days. Lunar months are considered to be roughly 28 days (4 weeks) — and 280 divided by 28 breaks into 10 approximate lunar months. (If you reallywant to get technical: A sidereal month is 27.32 days, a synodic month is 29.53 days, and an anomalistic month is 27.55 days. See why they decided to round?)
Even with “normal” counting methods (”30 days hath September and all that”), every month would need to have 31.111 days for pregnancy to end at precisely 9 months completed. That means, you usually go into the 10th month — but don’t complete it — during the course of your average, everyday, garden-variety pregnancy.
And if you really want to muddy the waters… If you’re basing your due date on a 28-day menstrual cycle, 14 of those days cover the time from your last period up to conception — so you’re not actually not pregnant at all. That brings the day count of actual gestation down to 266 days.
See also: How long is each trimester of pregnancy?
Guys can’t get pregnant — right? While that’s true, sometimes they might feel pregnant. Strange as it may seem, some fathers-to-be experience pregnancy symptoms like nausea, indigestion, appetite changes, weight gain, constipation, headaches and those crazy mood swings.
Called couvade or couvade syndrome (from the French word couver, meaning “to hatch”), these are essentially “sympathetic pregnancy” symptoms that can seem very real. Some studies suggest that about 20 percent of expectant fathers experience some degree of couvade — and other researchers report an even higher percentage.
What causes it? …
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Like many other aches and pains of pregnancy, that big and ever-growing uterus is once again the main culprit of your discomfort. Avoid sleeping on your back, because the weight of the growing baby on major blood vessels will slow circulation to your legs and increase the likelihood of cramps.Mineral deficiency can also contribute to the problem, so make sure you are getting plenty of calcium (milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables) and potassium (bananas are an excellent source) in your diet. Also, drink lots of water throughout the day to stay well-hydrated.
If leg cramps strike at night, ACE-certified fitness instructor Lisa Stone suggests flexing your feet (toes pointing up toward the ceiling) to stretch the calf muscles. Drawing the alphabet with your feet is another way to stretch and relax muscles. Another trick is to apply warm compresses to the cramping area; then, gently massage it with a tennis ball.
Not to sound too melodramatic, but during the first trimester, your baby is at its peak of susceptibility to serious or life-threatening birth defects. The first few weeks after conception are, in fact, called the “sensitive period.” Your baby is forming all of his systems now — everything from his brain and nervous system, to his heart and lungs, to his eyes and ears. Much of this probably began even before you realized you were pregnant!
While these vital systems — along with structures like arms and legs — are developing, the embryo is as vulnerable to illness (such as Rubella), substances (such as drugs and alcohol), and environmental factors (such as radiation and pollution) as it will ever be. For obvious reasons, your goal should be to avoid as many teratogens (substances that can cause birth defects) as possible during your pregnancy. Most caregivers agree that occasional exposure to environmental toxins are unlikely to have an impact on your baby, though some say that most birth defects are caused by a combination of both genetic and environmental factors.
So don’t freak out if you smell paint or have to get an emergency filling. Some of the most important things you should avoid are also those under your control: don’t drink, don’t smoke, and don’t take any drugs or medications except those given to you under the supervision of your caregiver (and if that caregiver is not your OB, make sure he or she knows you’re expecting).
First, don’t panic. Realize that a positive result does not necessarily mean that your baby has a neural tube defect or Down’s syndrome.
About 5% of the women screened will have a positive AFP result. Most women with a “screen positive” result will have normal healthy babies. The positive screening result simply indicates that there is an increased risk and further tests are indicated.Your caregiver will discuss your test results with you and will usually recommend an ultrasound and/or an amniocentesis, as well as a second AFP test.
Some neural tube defects can be partially corrected in utero using extremely high tech operative procedures. Other problems, however, are too severe to be compatible with life and will ultimately cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
Here’s what some moms-to-be have said about the test:
I will not terminate no matter what, so I don’t see the use. One of my friends say that they wanted to be prepared if they had a baby with defects, but I don’t understand what constitutes preparation. I mean, I wouldn’t buy a different crib or paint the walls a different color. The fact of knowing my child will have problems will devastate me now or later, so why not opt for later? I will still have the same love and care for him/her no matter what. I would go nuts worrying about a mentally retarded child now until the end of the pregnancy. I would rather save all my sanity for when I really need it — after my baby is born. - Tasha
I had the test with my first, even though nothing ran in our families and risk factors were really low, and regardless of the fact I knew I would keep my baby regardless. Thank God I did. My daughter had an abdominal wall defect called gastroschisis. I needed special doctors at a different hospital. It completely changed the course of pregnancy. We had it this time, but haven’t gotten the results back. We had an ultrasound and everything appeared fine, so I’m not worried, even if it comes back positive. - mandymay
I was really panicked when I got my AFP results. There were two levels that were ‘off’ with my blood… Nine days after we had the ultrasound done and the amniocentesis done we got news that our “little man” is just as perfect as he should be… all of his chromosomes were exactly as they should be — no extras… it was a roller coaster of emotions! - Laura
Hang in there. It’s not easy, but you will get an answer soon.
Sometimes it seems like half of our pregnancy mailbag consists of people asking if they are, indeed, pregnant. To wit:
My period usually stays on for 5 days. This month it came on for 3 days and on the third day, it was pinkish, plus it was 7 days late. Could it be a possibliity that I’m pregnant?
My period is late. A week before I was supposed to start I had some heavy discharge that lasted for a few hours. My period is now a week late. I have taken 2 urine tests and 1 blood test. All come out negative. But there is no sign of my period. All I have is some slight cramping and bloating in my lower stomach. Do you think I could be pregnant?
…
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Many women wonder about the safety of anal sex during pregnancy, and fortunately, most healthcare providers agree that — with a couple pregnancy-friendly considerations — it’s usually okay to do.
The first caveat has to do with cleanliness. Your partner needs to be sure that, whether by accident or by design, what goes in the back door doesn’t come back in the front door until it’s been thoroughly cleaned (or you have changed the condom). The bacteria from the rectum can cause bad infections if passed through to the vagina by way of the penis, putting both you and your baby at risk.
Then, you have to keep in mind your possibly delicate state with regard to constipation and hemorrhoids. If you’re bleeding from the anus already, or have just been suffering from these burning annoyances, anal sex during pregnancy may be the last thing you want to do.
If you do decide to take the plunge (har), be sure to use plenty of lubricant, relax yourself, and take all the time you need. There are enough discomforts of pregnancy without adding another to the menu!
And if anal sex is your thing in general, make sure your doctor isn’t planning an episiotomy, which has more of a chance of injuring your anus than by just letting you tear naturally. That is, your post-birth sex life could be affected by that sort of surgical cut. The April 2006 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology stated the following about episiotomies:
Additionally, there was a general underestimation of potential adverse consequences associated with the procedure, including extension to a third- or fourth-degree tear, anal sphincter dysfunction, and painful sex. Data suggest that women who have an episiotomy do not have significantly improved labor, delivery, and recovery compared with those who do not have one.
(Read more about episiotomies here.)
So go slow, go easy, and have fun!
