Week 14 Bump Date, abbreviated

Abdominal Achiness During Pregnancy (Round Ligament Pain)

What causes those pains in your belly — and what every pregnant woman can do about abdominal achiness.

What round ligament pain is: As your uterus expands during your pregnancy, you may experience "growing pains" around the middle. The pros call it "round ligament pain," and whatever you want to call these pangs (no cursing, please), round ligament pain is typically felt as achy or sharp sensations on one or both sides of the abdomen. 
  
What causes round ligament pain: Your uterus is supported by thick bands of ligaments that run from the groin up the side of the abdomen. As your uterus grows (and grows and grows!) the supporting ligaments stretch and thin out to accommodate the increasing weight. This weight pulls on the ligaments, causing sharp pains and/or dull aches in the lower abdomen. Other causes of abdominal achiness include increased blood flow (you've pumped up the volume to nurture your baby) and the buildup of your uterine lining. 
  
What you need to know about round ligament pain:
You'll probably notice round ligament pain more when you change positions suddenly or get up from sitting or lying down, or when you cough. It may be brief or last for several hours (yet another mystery of pregnancy). As long as it's occasional and there are no other symptoms accompanying your abdominal achiness (such as fever, chills, bleeding, vaginal discharge, or lightheadedness), there's nothing to worry about.

What to do about round ligament pain: Get off your feet, get comfy, and stay there for a while! If that doesn't bring relief, or if the achiness crosses the line into severe abdominal pain, contact your practitioner and let him or her know what you're feeling.

Need I say more? That's what I'm feeling, what I'm going through besides "fat face" and the occasional toilet-hugging episodes of the first trimester. 

I probably won't post a belly pic this week because I look the same as last week.