Why is my Pregnant Belly Soft at the Bottom?
The baby bump is different among pregnant women. So if you are wondering why is your pregnant belly soft at the bottom or soft stomach at late pregnancy compared to your pregnant friend, then keep reading.
The way you feel or your body changes during pregnancy varies among women. However, even when you go through multiple pregnancies, you will see a difference in how you feel and your body changes.
This is also true of the way your baby bump feels. As you go through each trimester, your bump will feel different.
For most pregnant women, their belly bump looks and feels hard and firm-rounded, especially during late pregnancy. But if your pregnant belly feels soft at the bottom, it can certainly worry you if you are a first-time pregnant woman.
There is a number of factors that could make your pregnant belly soft at the bottom. Your pre-pregnancy body, the position of your uterus and the baby, the specific trimester you are in, Braxton Hicks, and even weight gain could determine the hardness or softness of your pregnant belly. This is a normal phenome; you should not worry if your pregnant belly feels soft at the bottom or if you have a soft stomach during late pregnancy. However, it never hurts to talk to your Ob/GYN if you are still concerned.
This article will guide you to address your questions and concerns about having a pregnant belly soft at the bottom. Now, let us dive into details about the different factors causing it.
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How does my Pregnant belly/Stomach feel when Pregnant? Hard or Soft?
Every pregnancy is different, and the way your body changes and feel is also different among different women and with multiple pregnancies.
Some women feel morning sickness during the first trimester while others do not. In addition, some women start showing their baby bump right at the start of the second trimester, while others hide it until the third trimester.
The shape of the pregnant belly is perfectly rounded during the third trimester. And the hardness and softness of pregnancy bellies vary among pregnant women.
Some women’s stomach feels firm and hard in the third trimester, while others feel their pregnant belly soft at the bottom during late pregnancy. Some women wonder about their flabby bottom and hard-top pregnant belly.
How your pregnant belly feels during pregnancy depends on various factors, largely on your pre-pregnancy body type. And if you are worried that your pregnancy belly feeling soft at the bottom during late pregnancy, you should not. Again, it is a normal phenomenon and depends on several factors.
Let’s look at the factors contributing to a pregnant belly feeling soft at the bottom 37 weeks, 38 weeks or 39 weeks or during late pregnancy.
Why is my Pregnant belly Soft at the bottom during late Pregnancy?
Here are several factors that could make your Pregnant belly soft at the bottom during pregnancy.
Your Pre-Pregnancy body
To better know why you have a pregnant belly soft at the bottom during late pregnancy, let us talk about why your pre-pregnancy body is relevant so that you can better understand why it is normal to have one.
Know that we all have bodies different from each other. For example, every woman has their body type, and the same goes for having her baby bump – it is unique!
While research says that maternal physiology undergoes continual adaptation, it is important to know that your body type from your pre-pregnancy years can also affect the shape, weight, and even texture of your baby bump.
It is observed that women with large stomachs or existing fat during their pre-pregnancy may experience having a pregnant belly soft at the bottom during late pregnancy. One of the reasons behind this is that there is more room for your uterus to grow and stretch.
When you have existing body fat during pregnancy, the fat is distributed as your belly grows during the second trimester. But the fat at the bottom of your belly may not tighten as firmly as on top of your pregnant belly.
So, existing fats and weight gain in your pre-pregnancy body can lead to a pregnant belly soft at the bottom and hard at the top during late pregnancy. However, when more layers of fat are in the body, your pregnant will belly will feel softer or pregnant belly will feel softer when you lay down.
Conversely, women with less fat during their pre-pregnancy years will likely have firmer baby bellies. It just goes to show that the physical characteristics you had during your pre-pregnancy years will have a say in you having a pregnant soft belly at the bottom during late pregnancy or when you are 37, 38, or 39 weeks
Trimesters matters
This does not come as a surprise at all.
Where you are in your pregnancy is also an essential factor in the equation. As you progress in your pregnancy, your baby bump starts to grow.
During the first trimester, you won’t see any changes in your pregnant belly as your baby is in the early developmental stage, and the baby’s size is 1–1.5 inchesduring your early first trimester.
Most women experience morning sickness, tiredness, exhaustion, bloating, gas, and food aversion during the first trimester.
Bloating and gas due to hormonal changes during the first trimester can cause your pregnant belly to feel hard or firm.
During the second trimester, depending on your body type, you will start showing your belly pump as your baby grows and the uterus expands. It is when your morning sickness is almost gone; your body has adapted to the changes pregnancy brings, so you start enjoying food again.
Depending on your body type, your growing pregnant belly will be soft or firm during the second trimester. If you have existing fat from your pre-pregnancy body, your pregnancy belly will feel soft at the bottom.
But it is not until late pregnancy or the third-trimester pregnant belly firms and gets its rounded shape.
During the third trimester, as your baby grows and the uterus expands, you will see the difference in how your pregnant belly feels.
Also, the baby’s position during late pregnancy can cause your pregnant belly to feel soft at the bottom and hard at the top. As the baby gets ready for labor, their head drops right into the pelvis with its head facing your spine. This may cause your pregnant belly to feel hard at the top and soft or flabby at the bottom during pregnancy.
But largely, your existing fat from the pre-pregnancy state is mainly responsible for flabby bottom during late pregnancy.
Your uterus’ position
Certain women’s uterus is tipped backward or located further back in their body, which can cause a baby bump to be visible later in their second trimester. So, your pregnancy belly may feel soft at the bottom during the late second trimester.
The position of your baby
You have now learned that the position of your uterus can also be a factor in why you have a pregnant soft belly. So the next thing you need to be aware of is that your baby’s position can also determine the softness or hardness of your pregnant belly.
Know that your baby is moving inside your womb throughout your pregnancy. You might not begin to notice it in your early phases, but the subtle movements of your baby make also affect your baby bump.
When your little one is positioned in a specific way, your pregnant belly may begin to feel soft or tightened. If you are worried about this, you should not be because it is normal for the baby to be in various positions.
In relation to this, having a pregnant belly soft at the bottom could mean that your baby is in a certain position causing your pregnant belly to feel soft at the bottom
In late pregnancy, you will start to feel your baby’s movement, and you will even be able to feel their body part moving inside your pregnant belly.
Braxton-Hicks Contractions
Braxton-Hicks Contractions are specific sporadic contractions and relaxation of the uterine muscle. They are also commonly known to be false labor pains.
Pregnant women start feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions as they enter into their third trimester to late pregnancy. When Braxton-Hicks contractions occur, the pregnant belly tightens; once contractions are gone pregnant belly relaxes or softens.
You may feel these muscle contractions like menstrual cramping. However, they are sometimes known to be painless.
It has been observed that if you notice that your pregnant belly becomes hard at one point and then becomes soft later on, there is a possible chance that you may be having some Braxton-Hicks contractions.
Braxton Hicks contractions are false labor pain, preparing your body for actual labor. They are known to come and go, irregular in duration and intensity, occurs infrequently, and are unpredictable and non-rhythmic in contrast to actual labor pain
FAQs
Does a Pregnant belly get softer before Labor?
Softness and firmness of pregnancy depend on various factors, as mentioned above. During the late trimester, your body is getting ready for labor which means your baby’s position changes. In normal circumstances, the baby gets it to the anterior position, meaning that it drops into your pelvis.
As the baby moves down into your pelvic region, the top of your pregnant belly may feel softer as there is more room on the top.
Does your Pregnant Belly get Harder before Labor?
During the late third trimester, the body gets ready for labor. There are several subtle signs of labor as you get close to 40 weeks. Pregnant belly hardening could be a sign of impending labor for some women.
When does the stomach begin to harden?
The most direct answer to this is that it really varies from one pregnant woman to another. Generally, the stomach begins to harden as you progress from the second to the third trimester and during late pregnancy.
This is because during earlier phases, your fetus is still in its early development stages, where it is small, and your muscles around the stomach do not need to tighten or harden.
However, there are also exceptions to the general rule. For example, your pregnant soft belly at the bottom can start to feel firmer even during the early phases of your pregnancy.
Why is my pregnant belly sometimes hard and sometimes soft?
If you have notice your pregnant belly may feel sometime hard and sometime soft. Why? Especially in the second and third trimesters, when Braxton-Hicks contractions occur, it causes periodic tightening of your pregnant belly and once it relaxes you will feel softness in your belly.
One of the well-known reasons your pregnant belly is sometimes hard and sometimes soft is that the muscles in your stomach or abdomen keep slowly stretching throughout the day.
This may also be a contributing factor as to why a pregnant belly looks smaller some days. Especially when pregnant, the muscles in your tummy are in motion because of carrying your little one.
When your abdominal muscles stretch, your baby bump becomes and feels tighter and firmer. Otherwise, you will begin to notice that you have a pregnant soft belly. Positions of your uterus and your baby’s position can also cause your pregnant belly to feel sometimes hard and sometimes soft. Know that your baby moves around inside your womb; these small movements can affect your pregnant belly.
Moreover, when your baby starts growing throughout your pregnancy, your uterus will also begin to take up more space in your tummy.
When this happens, your pregnant soft belly will begin to feel heavier, firmer, and tightened, which is a very normal finding.
4 months pregnant belly feels soft?
Whether your pregnant belly feels soft in 3, 4, or 6 months, it comes down to the different factors for every woman. For example, some women do not show their belly bumps until they are in their third trimester. This is true for pregnant women who have body fat from the pre-pregnancy state, and their pregnant belly will feel soft as they have a layer of fat on their stomach.
If your uterus is located further back in their back in their body, which can cause a baby bump to be visible later in the second trimester. So, if your pregnant belly feels soft at 4 months, it is because it is still not showing.
Usually, your pregnant belly only becomes firmer during the late stages of your pregnancy period. So, it is normal to have a pregnant belly soft at 4 months of pregnancy.
Conclusion – Why is my pregnant belly soft at the bottom?
The hardness or softness of a pregnant belly depends on varying factors. Your pre-pregnancy body type, the trimester you are in, the position of your uterus and your baby, or Braxton-Hicks contraction can cause your pregnant belly to feel soft at the bottom.
There is no need to worry if your pregnant belly is soft at the bottom. Likewise, you do not need to compare yourself with other pregnant ladies out there because it is on a case-to-case basis.
However, there is no harm in being over-cautious about it. If you are still worried about how your pregnant belly feels, talk to your OB/GYN for reassurance.
For other pregnancy-related articles, check out the Pregnancy Care section.
