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• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Feeling your uterus during the second trimester of your pregnancy
• Method 2 of 2: Noticing changes in your uterus when you are not pregnant
• Tips

When you are pregnant, your uterus grows and it changes shape. Once you are in your second trimester, you can feel your uterus by gently pressing on your lower abdomen. This can be a fun way to connect with your baby. If you are not pregnant, you may suffer from complaints related to your uterus, such as cramps. In any case, go to the doctor if you are worried and have complaints.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Feeling your uterus during the second trimester of your pregnancy

1. Lie on your back. You can feel the best position of your uterus when you lie flat on your back. You can lie down on your bed or on a couch, or anywhere else you feel comfortable. Take a few deep breaths so that when you start to feel your stomach, you are relaxed.
   • Doctors often advise pregnant women not to lie on their backs too much, as the weight of the uterus can compress an important nerve. This can disrupt the baby's blood supply and your own. Stay in this position for only a few minutes.
   • If necessary, you can relieve the pressure by placing a pillow underneath you on one side.
2. Feel where your pubic bone is. Knowing where your pubic bone (pubis) is can help you get an idea of ​​where you should feel your uterus. Your pubic bone is on either side right next to the hairline of the pubic hair that sits between your thighs and your vagina. This is the bone you feel when you push on your stomach with your hands to feel your uterus. In general, the uterus is between the two parts of your pubic bone, or slightly above.
3. Feel your belly below your navel when you are 20 weeks pregnant. If you are not yet 20 weeks pregnant, your uterus is below your navel. Place your hands on your stomach, just below the navel.
   • The first day of your last period is considered the beginning of your pregnancy. You can count from that date to find out how many weeks you have been pregnant.
   • You may feel your uterus even if you are less than 20 weeks pregnant.
4. Feel your uterus above your belly button if you are 21 weeks or more pregnant. If you have already progressed further in your pregnancy, your uterus is above the navel. Place your hands on your stomach just above your belly button.
   • During the third trimester of your pregnancy, your uterus is already the size of a watermelon; then it will not be a problem to feel your uterus with your hands.
5. Press gently on your stomach with your fingertips. Move your fingertips slowly and gently all over your stomach and press down a bit. Your uterus will feel round and a little hard. You can press your fingertips on the top of the uterus, the fundus.
6. Measure the size of your uterus to find out how far your pregnancy has progressed. You and the midwife or gynecologist can measure the uterus to determine how many weeks you have been pregnant. Use an inch to measure the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. The length should correspond to the number of weeks you are pregnant.
   • For example, if the distance is 8 inches, you are probably 22 weeks pregnant.
   • If the length does not correspond with the number of weeks of pregnancy, it may mean that your due date was incorrect.

Method 2 of 2: Noticing changes in your uterus when you are not pregnant

1. Call your gynecologist if you think you may have a prolapse of the uterus. Uterine prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are weakened, and when they can no longer hold the uterus in place. This is common in postmenopausal women and in women who have had more than one vaginal delivery. If you have a prolapse of the uterus, you may feel like it is falling out of your vagina. Then contact your gynecologist as soon as possible. Other symptoms are:
   • A heavy feeling in your pelvis
   • Tissue protruding from your vagina
   • Difficulty urinating or defecating
2. Watch for symptoms that indicate uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are benign growths that often develop during a woman's years of childbirth. There are not always symptoms that indicate fibroids, but sometimes women experience pressure or pain in their pelvis or constipation. It also happens to be accompanied by heavy periods, or bleeding between periods.
   • Contact your gynecologist if you experience the above symptoms.
3. Watch for signs of adenomyosis. Normally, the inner rim of the uterus is covered with endometrium, but if there is adenomyosis, tissue grows in the muscular uterine wall. This usually occurs after menopause. Contact your gynecologist if you experience the following symptoms:
   • Severe cramps in your uterus
   • The painful feeling as if there is a knife in your pelvis
   • Blood clots during your period
4. Reduce menstrual pain. It is normal to feel cramps in your uterus during menstruation. If the cramps are severe, it can be painful. You can then use home-garden-and-kitchen remedies, such as taking an over-the-counter remedy such as Aleve Feminax, or acetaminophen. You can also place a water bottle on your stomach or take a warm bath.

Tips

• Contact your doctor if you have complaints in relation to your uterus.
• Your uterus may not feel that different when you're pregnant with multiple births, but it will probably be a lot bigger.
• Ask your doctor for help feeling your uterus.
• After a pregnancy, it can take 6 to 8 weeks for the uterus to return to its normal size.