Stomach cramps in early pregnancy are fairly common. Although early
pregnancy pains are usually nothing to worry about, it’s worth
mentioning them to your midwife or GP.
Are cramps in early pregnancy normal?
In most cases, mild tummy cramps are a normal part of early pregnancy. They’re usually linked to the normal physical changes your body goes through as it gears up for carrying your baby.
- Some women get cramps with a little bleeding when the embryo
implants itself into the wall of the womb. This happens at roughly the
same time your period would normally start.
- You may also feel some cramping as your womb starts to change shape and grow ready to accommodate your baby.
- Some women experience cramps when they have an orgasm during sex – this can be a little scary, but there’s no reason to stop having sex unless your doctor tells you to.
- At around 12 weeks
lots of women start to feel sharp pains on one or both sides of their
groin when they stand up, stretch or twist. This is just the ligaments
that support your womb stretching as it grows.
What do early pregnancy cramps feel like?
Stomach cramps can often feel similar to a variety of other more
familiar pains and cramps. You may experience pains that feel like heartburn or period pains in early pregnancy, but in most cases they manifest themselves as a stomach pain or tummy cramp.
How to soothe tummy cramps
You may find it helps with the pain of cramps if you:
- take the recommended dose of paracetamol
- try relaxing in a warm bath
- do some gentle exercise, such as walking or swimming
- curl up on the sofa with a magazine and a hot water bottle
- ask someone to give your lower back a gentle rub.
A mum says...
"I had cramping pain at eight weeks. I called my midwife and she
arranged an early scan for me as I felt terrified that something was
wrong. The scan concluded that I had a small bleed next to the womb. I
was assured that this can be normal and that the bleed would be absorbed
in to my body as the pregnancy progressed. Sure enough, at my 10-week
scan, the bleed had disappeared and my cramping pains have now gone."
