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Pregnant women have a lot against them in the gravity department. When pregnant you probably feel a little out of balance some of the time and this is due to the shift in your centre of gravity. This happens at about the fourth month of pregnancy. Sometimes you may just be a bit clumsier while pregnant because of the weight gain, change in body perception, protruding pregnant belly or because of the softening of ligaments and instability of joints due to the hormone relaxin. Your feet seem to get bigger and swollen and ‘in theway’ and because there is a point in your pregnancy when you can’t see your feet it becomes easier to trip over things or lose your footing and land on your bum and even on your tummy.
The good news is that most falls do not harm your baby in any way. Falls like this are fairly common in pregnancy, but can be extremely worrisome to a pregnant mom. The deploy of an airbag or the strap of a seat belt protecting you in a car accident is also cause for concern during pregnancy – even minor accidents.
Remember your baby is surrounded by the amniotic sac which contains fluid and will act as a protective barrier or buffer for your baby. To truly hurt your baby in a fall, you would have to have been severely injured in the fall yourself.
However, it you do experience a fall or a hard blow to your belly it is important to take note of the following:
- Are you experiencing cramps or spasms of the uterus?
- Is there rigidity of your abdomen?
- Is there severe pain?
- Is there any blood loss from the vagina?
- Is your baby still moving and have the movements changed?
You should always notify your doctor or midwife, they may want you to come in to check the baby, calm your fears and reassure you. They will check your baby’s heart rate and possibly do a scan as well as palpate your abdomen.
