Bulging belly above belly button

[CookAMH]

I'm only 7wks pg with #2 and have had a bulging belly above my belly button. This was the case before I was pregnant and is slightly more pronounced. I'm wondering if it has to do with a weak core from my first pregnancy? I never got my middle back into shape and it's pretty squishy. Does anyone else have this, and is that what it could be? Any remedies while I'm still early in pregnancy?

[gradstudentmommy]

Is it more prominent when you stand up? I have this and it turned out to be a hernia. I also have separated stomach muscles but I can't see those unless I lie down and then try to sit up. It causes a big mound in my upper abdomen. But the way you're describing it does sound like it could be a hernia. I was told they don't treat them during pregnancy and they don't interfere with labor. Mine was really uncomfortable until my uterus got big enough to sort of "hold it in."

[mom2fussy]

Depending on how much it's bulging, it could just be your body changing. A lot of your "guts" (like intestines) will shift up as your uterus expands. I've heard that if the muscles above your belly button aren't as toned, it can be more pronounced.

[kythryne]

I got a bit of that early on - I assumed it was just fat/organs being squished up by the uterus. Like you I was a bit bulgy there before I was pregnant too - I never got my ab tone back after surgery last year. At 21 weeks it's gone away, though, and it never caused me any problems other than making my early belly photos look a little weird.

[CookAMH]

Ok, good to know re: toning. I orderd this book which I believe will help over all (her techniques are very good for a pregnant women without aggravating any separation). Maternal Fitness. http://www.amazon.com/Maternal-Fitne...2710074&sr=8-1. She developed the Tupler technique for healing separation after birth.

If I stand, and arch my back and lean back, I have a funny bulge right in the middle also, different than the general sticking out that I have. I have noticed my mom has that too lol.

No pain, btw. I would expect a hernia to be painful? I have a little discomfort right under my sternum like my organs aren't held in very well, maybe that is it. It feels better than the other day, and I did a pregnancy exercise DVD yesterday.

[gradstudentmommy]

The uterus is still pretty small at 12 weeks isn't it? It seems a little early for intestines to be bulging (though that's what I thought mine was). My hernia only hurt once my stomach started getting bigger and my daughter would press against it when sitting on my lap. Other than that I don't remember it hurting. You could just ask your provider to check it next time you have an appointment. They can tell you what exactly it is.

[Stayseeliz]

Originally Posted by CookAMH

Ok, good to know re: toning. I orderd this book which I believe will help over all (her techniques are very good for a pregnant women without aggravating any separation). Maternal Fitness. http://www.amazon.com/Maternal-Fitne...2710074&sr=8-1. She developed the Tupler technique for healing separation after birth.

If I stand, and arch my back and lean back, I have a funny bulge right in the middle also, different than the general sticking out that I have. I have noticed my mom has that too lol.

No pain, btw. I would expect a hernia to be painful? I have a little discomfort right under my sternum like my organs aren't held in very well, maybe that is it. It feels better than the other day, and I did a pregnancy exercise DVD yesterday.

It's an abdominal hernia not a inguinal which is the kind in the groin and the most common type. An abdominal hernia is also called diastasis. I had one with my last two babes and was getting to work on making it smaller and now that I'm pg again it's pooched right back out there. The book you bought should help. Tupler is the expert. I'm thinking about getting her DVD so I can see the exercises done in "real life" to get a better grasp on them.

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by Stayseeliz

It's an abdominal hernia not a inguinal which is the kind in the groin and the most common type. An abdominal hernia is also called diastasis. I had one with my last two babes and was getting to work on making it smaller and now that I'm pg again it's pooched right back out there. The book you bought should help. Tupler is the expert. I'm thinking about getting her DVD so I can see the exercises done in "real life" to get a better grasp on them.

Ah gotcha. I did not associate hernia with diastasis. From my own test from the tupler book months ago, I have a very small separation, less than a finger's width. I do feel like my core is weak though so that must be part of it. Even the exercises I've been doing in the last few days have made me feel stronger there. I look forward to getting that book since I know she goes about abdominal strengthening the right way.