Abdominal pain and an upset stomach during pregnancy can feel especially unsettling because you're not only thinking about yourself but also about the baby. Fortunately, stomach issues are often due to something relatively harmless like dietary changes, hormones, or a mild stomach infection. Here, you'll find practical advice on what you can do right now, and when you should contact a doctor or midwife.

Abdominal pain during pregnancy can originate from several places: the intestines, the uterus, the ligaments around the uterus, or tension in the body.

• Drink small amounts of fluid frequently, especially if you also have loose stools.
• Eat small, bland meals and take breaks between them.
• Lie on your left side if your stomach feels pressured or unsettled.
• Note when the pain occurs, where it is located, and if anything (food, stress, movement) triggers it. This will make it easier to explain the symptoms if you need to be assessed.

Contact a doctor or maternity ward urgently if you experience severe, increasing pain, bleeding, fever, altered general condition, persistent vomiting, dizziness, or if you feel less fetal movement than usual (later in pregnancy).

"Upset stomach" often refers to diarrhea, gas, and cramps. During pregnancy, digestion can be more sensitive, and infections like stomach viruses or food poisoning can also occur.

• Prioritize fluids first: water, oral rehydration solution, or broth in small sips.
• Watch for signs of dehydration: dark urine, very little urine, dry mouth, headache, or extreme fatigue.
• When your appetite returns, choose bland foods and initially avoid very fatty, spicy, or very high-fiber foods if they worsen your symptoms.

Seek medical attention if you have blood in your stool, high fever, persistent diarrhea for several days, or if you cannot keep fluids down.

In the 1st trimester, hormonal changes and nausea can affect both appetite and digestion. Some experience loose stools, others constipation, and it can even change from week to week.

• Eat something small before nausea becomes too severe.
• Choose food you can actually stomach and build up slowly.
• Consider if specific foods are currently triggering discomfort, and keep a simple "symptom diary" for a few days.

If you are vomiting a lot and cannot keep fluids down, you should always contact a doctor, as pregnancy sickness may sometimes require treatment.

Cramps without fever can be related to gas, bowel movements, constipation, or the uterus growing and pulling on ligaments.

Contact a doctor or midwife if the cramps:

• occur regularly and increase in intensity
• are accompanied by bleeding, water breaking, or downward pressure
• are unilateral and strong
• make you clearly unwell, even without fever

It's better to call once too often than once too seldom. This applies throughout your pregnancy.

In the 3rd trimester, your stomach can feel heavy, and pressure on the intestines can cause discomfort, bloating, and unease. Some also experience periods of loose stools, without it necessarily meaning that labor is imminent.

If the discomfort primarily feels like heaviness and strain around the abdomen, back, or pelvis, support can be a practical aid during the day. A maternity support belt is designed to stabilize and relieve pressure, without "treating" an upset stomach in a medical sense, but it can make it easier to get through the day when your body feels strained.

You can also see more solutions under Support Belts.