Why is my Pregnant Belly Soft when lay down
When you are pregnant, thinking about your baby bump is normal. But, if you are thinking about why is your pregnant belly soft when lay down, keep reading.
Being pregnant is one of the most life-changing moments a woman can have. It is both a privilege and a big responsibility to bring a human life into this world. That is why having some mixed thoughts and feelings are valid.
The first thing you need to know is that when it comes to pregnant bellies, it varies for every woman. Throughout your pregnancy period, the firmness will change from time to time.
You should not compare yourself with other pregnant ladies out there. This is because baby bumps come in all different forms, shapes, and sizes!
In this article, you will learn the many features that come into play concerning pregnancy bellies.
So, why is your pregnant belly soft when you lay down? It could be because of essential factors like your baby’s position, the shape of your uterus, your pre-pregnancy body weight or Braxton-Hicks Contractions. All these factors together can affect the softness or firmness of your belly. And If you are concerned, talk to your Ob/Gyn.
This article will discuss in detail why your pregnant belly is soft when you lay down.
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Is it Normal to have a Pregnant Belly Soft when Lay Down?
The straight answer is yes. Having a pregnant belly soft when laying down is normal.
You have to understand first that the change of firmness of pregnant bellies throughout a pregnancy period is a natural occurrence.
Like other women tend to have morning sickness in their first trimester, and others do not, having a firm or pregnant belly soft is also on a case-to-case basis.
During the course of your pregnancy, there will come a time when your body will experience notable changes. Somedays, you will feel that your pregnant belly is soft when you lay down, and other days you will find it firmer.
The change in your body position can affect how your belly feels. For example, when lying down past 16 weeks of pregnancy, you might feel uncomfortable because your baby is pressing on a major blood vessel.
Experts recommend sleeping on the left side during pregnancy. It helps improve circulation and ensures your baby gets nutrient-packed blood from the heart to the placenta. Sleeping on the left side also prevents your growing belly from pushing down too hard on the liver.
Having a soft pregnant belly when you lay down means that you are normal and not having Braxton hick contractions which cause your belly to tighten.
Factors That Make Your Pregnant Belly Soft when you lay down
Now that it is clear that shape, firmness, and size are unique to every pregnant woman. It is also vital to get to know the certain factors that contribute to having such variance among women.
Being knowledgeable and aware of them will help you better understand why having a pregnant belly soft is normal and, ideally, lessen the worries of every soon-to-be-mom.
Let us look into the reasons that make them so in the first place.
The Size and Shape of the Uterus
Without a doubt, the body of a pregnant woman will adapt to a number of changes that will be crucial throughout the pregnancy period.
One of these significant changes has to do with your uterus. As you progress in your pregnancy, the lining of your uterus will get thicker, and the blood vessels will also change their sizes to nourish your fetus.
The shape of your uterus directly affects whether or not you will have a pregnant belly soft or not. Notably, during your second trimester, your uterus will start to get higher to make room for your baby.
As your pregnancy progresses, your uterus will continue to change shape by expanding to accommodate your growing baby.
By then, you will most likely begin to feel a firmer pregnant belly. This hardening of your pregnant belly will occur as your tummy grows upwards.
This is also one of the reasons some women experience having a pregnant belly soft at the bottom. Such a scenario is just one of the results of a natural scenario during pregnancy.
During the second trimester, the size and shape of the uterus enlarge, and most women get to have noticeable baby bumps.
In the case that you are carrying twins, all the stretching and growing will actually happen sooner.
Position of the Baby
The baby’s position also affects the softness or firmness of your pregnant belly.
Remember that during your pregnancy, the baby will be moving from time to time. When the baby is in a certain position, your pregnant belly may begin to feel soft or tightened.
This may not be noticeable during the early phases. However, you will most likely feel your baby move around 16 to 24 weeks.
When such a situation does occur, there is nothing to worry about. This is because it is normal for the baby to be in different positions during your pregnancy. Such a scenario is also known as fetal positioning.
Fetal positioning may also be why sometimes, in the morning, your pregnant belly is hard, but during the evening, you will have a pregnant belly soft.
Aside from being normal, research suggests that frequent movement is important because it allows the baby’s bones, joints, and muscles to develop properly.
When you lay down and feel that you have a pregnant belly soft, this could just mean that your baby is in a specific position.
Later in your pregnancy, your baby’s subtle movements will turn into apparent moments when you feel your baby and their body parts start moving inside your pregnant belly.
Your Body Type
For some women, this might come as a surprise. The pre-pregnancy body type can affect the firmness and softness of your pregnant belly when you lay down.
You will better understand why having a pregnant belly soft is normal even if others do not have it in a certain period. This is because each woman has a different body type.
For instance, some women may have more accumulated fat during their pre-pregnancy body. In this scenario, some parts of your belly will be softer or firmer than other parts.
When there are more layers of fat in your abdomen, your pregnant belly will feel softer and become apparent when you lay down or in another position.
Pregnant women with the more fat percentage in their bodies will take longer to show off their pregnant bellies.
Where You are in your Pregnancy Period
One of the reasons you will get pregnant belly soft when you lay down may also have to do with your pregnancy status.
Your pregnancy is a continuous process. This means that your baby bump changes as your little one develops and grows throughout your pregnancy.
During this period, your baby bump will transform from grapefruit to papaya to watermelon size.
Besides morning sickness and other body discomfort, you won’t see any noticeable changes in your belly during the first trimester.
Most women will begin to show their pregnant belly during the second trimester. And you will start to feel the firmness and softness of your pregnant belly.
The firmness and softness of a pregnant belly are more apparent in the third trimester. Sometimes you will feel your pregnant belly hard and tight when you lay down, which means you are experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions. So, having a pregnant belly soft when lay down means that there is nothing to worry about.
Braxton-Hicks Contractions
Braxton-Hicks contractions can also contribute to the firmness of your pregnant belly when you lay down during the second and third trimesters.
Braxton-Hicks are also commonly known as false-labor pain that is said to help your pregnant body prepare for the eventual labor part. They are sporadic in nature and entail the relaxation of your abdominal muscles.
What makes these contractions pertinent to having a pregnant belly soft when laying down is that when women experience them, the pregnant belly becomes firm but softens back once gone.
While they can be a bit discomforting to feel for some, they are usually known to be painless. So when your pregnant belly is soft at one point but becomes firm or vice-versa, it could be caused by Braxton-Hicks.
Related read: 13 Subtle signs of Labor approching
Other Possible Factors
Pregnancy involves one of the most complex and intricate changes in human physiology. Your body is a wonderland of dynamic and systematic processes.
Nonetheless, it has been clear from the get-go that the firmness of a pregnant belly varies from one woman to another because of the mentioned factors.
Below are some of the other known possible factors that can result in you having a pregnant belly soft in laying down.
- Amount of fluids
- Increased progesterone levels
- Gastrointestinal (GI) problems (Bloating, Gas, Constipation)
- Muscle Tones
- True Labor Contractions
- Weight Gain
FAQs
Why does my Pregnant Belly look smaller on some days?
There are many reasons behind on why your baby bump may seem to be smaller on some days.
Some of the known reasons for this scenario are because of bloating and swelling, tight abdominal muscles, the baby’s size and position, an empty stomach, amniotic fluid, and if it is your first pregnancy.
Bloating and swelling are included because your body holds more water than usual when pregnant.
The same also goes for your food consumption, especially when you have an empty stomach at some time of the day. Of course, by then, your bump will appear smaller.
Sometimes, you eat more and, on some days, less, making your baby bump appear smaller when you are not eating as much as the other day.
Tight abdominal muscles can also be a factor because sometimes you will have a time in a day when your muscles are relaxed, making your bump appear bigger.
While sometimes, as your baby grows, your muscles tighten up, which could make your pregnant belly look smaller.
The baby’s size and position are also factors. For example, when your baby’s genetics make them tall, it will make your baby bump look bigger. Otherwise, it will appear smaller.
The baby’s position can also cause your bump to appear smaller or bigger on some days because of fetal positioning, and your little one will keep moving and exploring as your pregnancy advances.
The amount of amniotic fluid can also be a reason because such an amount could be susceptible to fluctuations every hour during your pregnancy, making your bump appear smaller sometimes.
Lastly, smaller baby bumps appear to be more common among first pregnancies when compared to women with previous experience.
Why does my stomach hurt when I lay down while pregnant?
According to a source, these are known to be stomach or abdominal pains that could also be felt as cramps, common during pregnancy.
Such pain is known to be mild and ceases to be felt when you change position. Therefore, it is usually deemed not concerning and nothing to be worried about.
These harmless stomach pains can sometimes be dull or sharp, though. The sensation is caused by ligament pain, constipation, and even trapped wind.
If you are concerned about discomfort when you lay down while pregnant, do not hesitate to talk to your Ob/Gyn.
Is it normal for your belly to be soft during Pregnancy?
Yes. It is very much normal to have a pregnant belly soft.
Such a scenario is most common during your pregnancy during your first trimester. Your first trimester usually composes weeks 0-13.
However, it is also wise to consider that it may be different among pregnant ladies because each woman has a different body shape and size.
Some pregnant women tend to have belly soft even later than the given week.
4 Months Pregnant Belly feels Soft?
For some women, 4 months are too early for a pregnant belly to show, so their belly feels soft. This is most likely true for women with existing belly fat during pregnancy. With fat layers on their abdomen, it will take a little longer for your pregnant belly to show.
The softness that pregnant women feel at 4 months is mostly due to fat layers in their abdomens. As your baby grows, you will have a baby bump during the late second trimester or the start of the third trimester. It is when you can feel a firmer and more rounded pregnant belly.
Why is my Pregnant Belly sometimes hard and sometimes soft?
One of the known reasons is the movements that your little one does in your tummy. Sometimes, the movements of your growing baby make your stomach muscles tighter as a response to that stimulus.
Two other possible factors that lead to the such scenario are the mother’s diet imbalance and digestion problems.
When these two scenarios occur, it could cause constipation and constant release of progesterone, slowing down the GI tract. When any of them happens, it can make your pregnant belly experience tightness and heaviness for some time.
Another example that could be a good factor is when a pregnant mother gains fat. In the pregnancy period, pregnant ladies will gain fat during their first two trimesters, which causes their bellies to feel tight.
Conclusion – Why is my Pregnant Belly Soft when lay down
Generally, having a pregnant belly soft when you lay down is nothing to be worried about.
This is because it has already been observed that such a scenario is common among pregnant women, especially if it is the first time.
Always remember that you should not compare your baby bump to others. This is because the shape, size, and firmness of pregnant bellies differ from one to another.
However, it is only natural and valid if you are worried about it. After all, you carry no other than your life’s love.
Good luck, Mama!
