Is it possible to stroke the belly of a pregnant woman. If friends want to stroke a pregnant tummy, is it worth refusing, and can mom do it herself? Medical point of view

A pregnant woman has always been something special. The great mystery of the origin of life has always excited, and the stomach is the personification of this mystery. It is no secret that the quality of pregnancy affects the health of the child. A healthy mother and offspring is a condition for the survival of the people. In some cultures, including in Russia, it was believed that the spirit of an ancestor, whom they tried to appease, instills in an unborn child. People believed that after death the souls returned in the bodies of descendants - grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In order not to harm themselves and not cause the wrath of the gods of the family, a pregnant woman was protected and taken care of in every possible way. The desire to touch the stomach is just connected with an unconscious desire to save the life that has arisen and to touch the great secret of procreation. Some cultures believe that touching a pregnant woman's belly brings good luck.

Nowadays, there is a sign that if a woman cannot conceive, you need to hold on to the pregnant woman's stomach or drink from her glass. However, many do not like it when outsiders touch her stomach without permission. In some US states, it is against the law to touch a pregnant woman's belly without her consent.

Why shouldn't you touch a pregnant belly?

There is nothing wrong with the father, grandmothers or immediate family touching the stomach. In psychology, there is the concept of a comfortable distance. Close people communicate at a distance of less than 50 cm, for friends and colleagues the optimal distance is 50-120 cm. For unfamiliar people, the comfortable distance is up to 3 m. and even more so, touching a rounded tummy, this can cause psychological discomfort and irritation.

In parapsychology, it is believed that the hands are the output of the energy of the biofield. The energy impact of a stranger on a baby can be negative, because it is not known what kind of person and with what thoughts he touches the child's home.

If you are not planning on having children of your own yet, you should also refrain from touching the belly of a pregnant woman. Pregnant women, if they do not want to be touched, can be advised: put both hands on the stomach and turn away. This will make it clear to others that you should not touch you.

A woman wants to constantly keep her hand on her stomach, stroke it, massage it, feel the baby.

This desire is natural, dictated by the instinct to protect the child in the womb.

There is an opinion that constant stroking can negatively affect the course of pregnancy and fetal development, and cause difficult obstetric care.

Is it worth believing this superstition or is there a medical justification for this fact?

Just do not forget that the woman in labor does not always welcome and is categorically against such actions. Therefore, the surest option is to ask a woman if you can touch her or not.


Mom wants to constantly touch her stomach because of the desire to calm her child, if the baby is very dispersed and hits his mother with his legs on the ribs, and she just wants to feel the child as quickly as possible.

Constant stroking is of particular danger for those women in labor who have been diagnosed with increased uterine tone.

There are other options for how to calm the baby and visualize your child:

  • turn on pleasant, classical music;
  • go for a walk;

When this does not speak of anxiety, discontent, but indicates excessive activity, a great desire and desire to see the world as soon as possible.

You can put your hand on the place where the tremors of small legs are felt the most, hold, talk with him so that the child feels the positive energy and love coming from his mother.

That's just not worth the long ironing. True, such a requirement of doctors causes indignation among many women in labor, especially if they have examples of girlfriends who did not remove their hands from their tummy during the entire pregnancy and had no problems with pregnancy or childbirth. It is necessary to listen not to girlfriends, but to doctors who know what threatens to neglect their recommendations.


Why is uterine hypertension dangerous?

The main reason for the ban is high risks. What is this condition, and what is its danger for the mother and her child? Increased uterine tone causes a number of unpleasant symptoms:

  • pain in the lower abdomen;
  • deterioration in general condition;
  • spasms of the lower extremities.

The cause of uterine hypertonicity is associated with emotional state women - increased excitability, nervousness, fatigue, stress and overexertion.

Against the background of increased tone, frequent touches of the mother to her stomach and stroking it irritate the muscles of the uterus, which leads to their intense contraction.

This condition is dangerous by spontaneous miscarriage, on later dates hypertonicity causes active preterm labor activity. Stroking the tummy is bad habit for mom, from which doctors strongly recommend to unlearn faster.

Medical recommendations and warnings do not mean that the stomach should not be touched during the entire pregnancy. You can stroke, without fanaticism, if mom strokes the skin once a day, this is unlikely to lead to complications. The warning about the risks of developing hypertonicity applies to women who are haunted by this bad habit for all 9 months of waiting.

Happy time, and how the future mother wants to bring the moment of the long-awaited meeting with her baby closer. That's just constantly touching, stroking, massaging yourself, imagining how the baby pulls the arms towards you, you should not. Less touching - lower risk of complications.

In the past, women deliberately hid their "interesting" position as long as it was possible to mask the stomach. Today, many future mothers do the same and at first share the innermost news only with their closest ones. And when the rounded tummy proudly declares itself, they shun other people's touches and are very worried about this. What do you think, is it possible to stroke your own or someone else's stomach during pregnancy?

The age of advanced technologies has taught us to look at things rationally and analytically: scientists have long sorted out the process of the birth of a new life "on the shelves" and answered all our questions. However, many people still continue to perceive pregnancy as a kind of sacrament, a gift from God. In this regard, various superstitions associated with the birth of a new life exist and, probably, will not disappear for a long time.

For example, they say that a woman who has difficulty conceiving will soon become pregnant if she strokes the belly of the expectant mother when the baby is just starting to kick. For the same reason, it is considered incredible success to finish eating a piece of bread for a pregnant woman or to sit in a chair from which she just got up.

According to another version, a person who stroked the belly of a pregnant woman, as it were, joins this wonderful sacrament and receives a little of God's grace for himself. According to another belief, a pregnant woman becomes a source of pure fertile energy: you can stroke your stomach and quietly ask the baby to help in the performance. cherished desire. Is it really interesting? So what to do, expectant mother who considers all this prejudice and does not want to become a benefactress for the rest?

A positive pregnancy test for a woman is surprise, surprise, joy and happiness. The desired baby appears from great love. For a whole 9 months, he becomes the center of the universe for mom. Now the little one needs her protection more than ever, and the third-party energy carried by other people's hands can only harm him.

The desire of strangers to join the miracle through stroking the pregnant tummy causes its owner a whole range of emotions: shame, embarrassment, irritation, and even aggression. There is a reasonable explanation for this, which psychologists call the maternal instinct. Throughout pregnancy and a certain period of time after it, all the fibers of the maternal subconscious are tuned to protect and protect the child from potential danger. The desire of others to stroke the belly is regarded by the pregnant woman as an attempt to touch the child himself without her permission.

Why you can’t stroke your stomach during pregnancy: follow the energy

Each of us is a unique set of genes, a unique project of nature, with individual habits and characteristics. Accordingly, the energy of each of us is different. We create it ourselves throughout our lives.

Energy is an invisible matter, a product of our consciousness and behavior. The energy of a person who is constantly nervous, breaks down on strangers, swears, negative. It is qualitatively different from the energy that happy people transmit to the Universe.

There is an opinion that you can transfer a piece of your energy to strangers through touch. The most powerful source of energy flows are the eyes and palms. It is no coincidence that many are afraid of an unkind look and talk about the evil eye. Whether to take it on faith is a private matter for everyone. As for pregnant women, for the most part they try not to take risks and want to protect themselves from any outside influence. When someone deliberately tries to break down this psychological barrier, some expectant mothers experience so much discomfort that they become hostages to manifestations of hostility at the somatic level (for example, headache, nausea, or skin rash).

Did you know that it is not customary for Americans to touch the belly of a pregnant woman without her consent? In psychology, there is the concept of a comfortable distance. It has been scientifically proven that relatives and very good friends it is convenient to communicate at a distance of less than 50 cm. For colleagues and ordinary acquaintances, this figure increases to 50 - 120 cm, and when communicating with unfamiliar people, we will feel comfortable keeping a distance of 3 m. Based on this, it is clear why the violation of comfortable boundaries people who are unfamiliar and unpleasant for a pregnant woman, can plunge her into a state close to panic.

How to protect yourself from unwanted touching of the stomach during pregnancy

So, for certain reasons, many pregnant women do not want their belly to become the object of everyone's attention. well-mannered man will never reach out with hugs to the expectant mother and will not try to stroke her stomach even in passing. And how to explain your position to people (relatives, relatives and just friends) who do not see anything wrong with this?

We offer several ways:

  1. Do not advertise your position and hide your stomach under loose clothing until it works. This measure for some time will completely relieve you of the need to make excuses and explain to your friends why you do not strive for contacts closer than a handshake.
  2. We recommend that owners of a large belly voice their position decisively in order to exclude any objections in response. The reason can be called any: from superstitious fear to the prevention of uterine tone. It is unlikely that such directness will jeopardize relations with good friends who will be happy for you even without direct “communication” with your stomach.
  3. If one of your colleagues or unfamiliar people impulsively reaches for your stomach without asking, this, of course, is an unpleasant exception to the rule. This behavior should be stopped immediately: cover your stomach with both hands and turn away. This gesture is perhaps more eloquent than any words. Many people ask permission before stroking their belly. Feel free to refuse and don’t even dare to think about what others might think of you. Calmness and harmony in your little world is much more important than public opinion.

Why You Shouldn't Stroke Your Belly During Pregnancy: Doctors' Opinion

When asked whether it is necessary to stroke the stomach during pregnancy, experts answer uncompromisingly: you should not do this without unnecessary need. Tactile non-verbal impact on the stomach has a number of contraindications and unpleasant consequences. For example, when pregnancy is difficult and is accompanied by toxicosis, uterine hypertonicity, targeted touching of the stomach is prohibited.

It is important for a future mother to remember such troubles:

  • It is dangerous to come into contact with a person with chickenpox who has not yet developed a rash. If this disease in the past bypassed the pregnant side, then the risk of contracting it right now is very high;
  • an outsider who is not included in the immediate social circle of a pregnant woman poses a potential threat to her, because he can be a carrier of tuberculosis, hepatitis C and various viruses.

Note that some future mothers, not enduring other people's touches on the stomach, believe that they already have every right to communicate with their baby in this way. In this regard, many are interested in how to stroke the stomach during pregnancy. Doctors warn: stroking the abdomen, especially in a circular motion in its central area, the mother herself needs to be minimized. This ban is dictated by the following reasons:

  • regular touching of the abdomen excites the nervous tissues of the uterus and induces them to contract. If the pregnancy is trouble-free and develops according to all the rules, your body will respond to such a sign of attention with a short contraction of the uterus, reminiscent of training contractions. The tone will go away very quickly. And with a pathological pregnancy, such careless behavior can provoke the onset of labor;
  • the stomach cannot be stroked if there are local skin lesions on the hands. In this case, contagiousness is not excluded - the transmission of infection through direct bodily contact. For example, the causative agents of streptoderma can pass from the hands to the skin of the abdomen, which threatens the pregnant woman with big troubles in the form of prolonged use of antiseptics and antibiotic treatment;
  • There are a number of specific cases (for example, multiple pregnancy), when the need to give up not only stroking the stomach, but also intimate relationships with a loved one, is obvious. Any careless movement can prevent a woman from carrying her babies to the due date.

If during labor the activity of contractions decreases, before the attempts, the obstetrician-gynecologist forcibly causes the production of oxytocin, intensively massaging the nipples and stroking the belly of the woman in labor in a circle.

Touching the stomach during pregnancy: dangerous consequences

An increase in the muscle tone of the uterus is the most obvious result of a tactile effect on the abdomen of a pregnant woman. This undesirable condition is manifested by such signs:

  • pain in the lower abdomen;
  • discomfort in the lumbar region;
  • calf cramps and spasms;
  • poor general health of the expectant mother.

Hypertonicity of the uterus early dates pregnancy can end in miscarriage, and in the long term provokes the birth of a baby ahead of schedule.

How to caress your belly during pregnancy

The ban on touching the abdomen during pregnancy primarily applies to women who find it difficult to cope with the fanatical craving for communication with their child through stroking. The desire to touch the place where the tiny leg rests is understandable, because an invisible thread connects mother and child from the first days of pregnancy. For the same reason, you want to intuitively stroke the stomach when the child moves. In addition, the warmth of mother's hands will show the baby how they love and wait for him.

If moderate touching of the abdomen during a normal pregnancy is not dangerous, then how often can you stroke the abdomen during pregnancy? In everything, it is important to observe the measure. For example, one should not stroke the stomach too hard if the child is naughty and painfully kicks his mother with his foot from the inside. You just need to put your hand on the area that suffers the most from the activity of the crumbs, and hold it in this position for a while.

Minimize physical contact and at the same time show the baby that you are happy with his presence, you can good mood. Whenever you want to “touch” the baby, put your hand on your stomach and do what you like best:

  • reread your favorite book;
  • look at old family photos;
  • watch a good movie
  • listen to pleasant music;
  • take a walk in the park;
  • talk to your child out loud.

When you calm down and relax, the baby will certainly feel your support and will be with you, as they say, on the same wavelength.

A doctor's warning about the potential danger of too private touching the baby's belly is not always ready to be taken seriously by expectant mothers. In truth, in most cases, pregnancy with regular tactile contact between mother and child proceeds perfectly. However, do not neglect the opinion of a specialist if it was voiced specifically to you. Remember that very soon you will have plenty of opportunities to pick up and caress your baby, but for now you need to be patient and wait a bit.

It has long been believed that a pregnant woman is something mysterious, unknown. The sacrament of the birth of a person has always been a very exciting process, both for the mother herself and for loved ones. At the sight of a tempting rounded belly, people often have a desire to be sure to touch this little secret. Women themselves do not always like this, as there are many superstitions on this topic. So what's the secret here? Is it possible to stroke the belly of a pregnant woman or not?

To touch or not to touch

From the very beginning of pregnancy, women try to limit themselves in many ways, in order to preserve the health of their unborn baby. At what, health both mental, and physiological. So how to explain the reason for the emerging desire among loved ones, to touch the tummy of the future mother. From time immemorial, in Russia, and in many other cultures, it was believed that, in a child not yet born, the soul of his ancestor was infused. Now, just as then, people believe in the reincarnation of their dead loved ones. And this is natural, because it is vitally important for a person to believe in something! In an effort not to anger the Gods, people unconsciously try to protect the baby. And to this day, the mystery of the birth of man remains the greatest and most mysterious process on earth!

At present, it is believed that by touching the tummy of a pregnant woman, you will definitely bring good luck to the unborn baby. There is no such person on earth who would not have heard of such a sign as "if you touch the belly of a pregnant woman, then soon you yourself will definitely find yourself in a position." And it was this sign, for some already desperate women, to have a child, that became almost the last chance. Perhaps it is the belief in this that makes them touch this tempting "bulge on the body" more and more often.

Although, if you think about it, maybe this is the main problem. After all, some women do not understand why their stomach constantly has to be touched. It's something very personal and intimate. And in these cases, many women simply get into a state of such anger that they often take it out on their relatives and friends. By the way, in America, there is even a law that "categorically prohibits touching pregnant women", of course, without her consent. Maybe this is correct.

Why is it impossible to touch and stroke the belly of a pregnant woman, according to psychologists?

According to psychologists, there is nothing terrible in the touch of relatives and friends. And there are even specific distances for different categories of people. For example, very close people communicate at a distance of 50 cm, while friends and work colleagues have a communication distance of 50 to 120 cm, and of course, for unfamiliar people, this distance increases to 3 meters. Based on all this, violating these distances, you risk driving a pregnant woman crazy.

And this is fraught, as you understand, possible consequences for the psychological health of both the mother and the unborn child. From the point of view of parapsychology, people with negative energy, when touching the belly of a pregnant woman, through their hands can, without knowing it, harm the unborn baby. In their opinion, hands are a channel that transmits energy from one person to another. Of course, it has not yet been proven exactly how this happens, but it is worth protecting yourself.

Now it’s worth talking about whether mothers themselves are allowed to stroke the “belly”. Some experts argue that this "act" can bring the uterus into tone. Therefore, whoever has problems with this, we advise you not to take risks, but rather sing a song to your baby, or tell a fairy tale. During pregnancy, many women experience anxiety, for almost any reason, even the most insignificant. Therefore, having heard this or that sign, they must believe in it in order to protect their child. Of course, you should not get hung up on this much, since many women, having checked it for themselves, did not notice anything similar. Perhaps this process is extremely individual.

So, if you don’t have anything like that, then focus better on something equally important, for example, proper nutrition and enhanced self-care. In conclusion, I would like to say dear women, during pregnancy, try to honestly express your emotions! And no matter how others react to it, native people will always understand. After all, no one has the right to violate your personal space, without your consent. From the moment of conception, you and your baby are one! And you are the one responsible for it. And signs are a personal matter for everyone, to believe in them or not, because the main thing is still the health of our children! So let's focus on that!

A pregnant lady at all times and peoples has been something very special. The mystery of the birth of a new man, perhaps, can be called the most interesting and exciting. Since the belly of a woman is considered a kind of personification of this secret, then all people, at the sight of this protruding part of the body, unconsciously have a desire to touch it. But not all women encourage this desire. Moreover, there is an opinion that it is absolutely not worth doing this. Why you can not touch and stroke the belly of a pregnant woman? What are these bans about?

To touch or not to touch

Everyone knows and understands that how the pregnancy will proceed will greatly affect the health of the unborn baby. The health of the mother, both psychological and physical, is the main condition for the survival of the fetus. There are various reasons to explain the general desire of relatives to touch the tummy of a pregnant mother. So, it is known that in many cultures, including in Russia, they believe that some one spirit of an ancestor, whom they tried in every possible way to appease, instills in an unborn child. People want to believe that after their death, the souls will return to the mortal earth in the guise of their descendants. In order not to arouse the indignation of the gods, they tried to protect the pregnant mother in every possible way. The desire to touch the stomach is precisely associated with the fact that people unconsciously try to protect the life that has arisen inside. In addition, in this way people strive to touch the greatest secret of mankind.

Nowadays, it is believed that if you touch the belly of a pregnant woman, it will certainly bring good luck. There is even a sign that says that if you hold on to a woman’s stomach “in position” or drink from her mug (glass), then you can soon become pregnant yourself.

However, this is where the whole problem lies. People are all completely different. Some are open, some are more closed. And who said that pregnant women should like the fact that everyone around them constantly touches them? This leads some pregnant women into a state of outright anger. In some US states, there is a law that prohibits touching a pregnant woman's belly without her consent. And perhaps this is the best solution.

Why is it impossible to touch and stroke the belly of a pregnant woman, according to psychologists?

Of course, if the tummy will caress future father, grandfathers, grandmothers, then there will be nothing terrible in this. In psychology, there is even such a thing as “comfortable distance”. Very close people, as a rule, communicate at a distance of less than 50 cm, for colleagues and friends this distance will be from 50 to 120 cm. And now the main thing: for unfamiliar people, this distance is about 3 meters. That is why, if you are not a family member or a close friend of a woman, then by trying to touch the stomach, you simply violate the boundaries given distance. This can lead to irritation and cause psychological discomfort.

Solidarity with psychologists and parapsychologists. However, parapsychology explains this somewhat differently. Experts in this field believe that the hands are the output of the energy of the human biofield. It is not known what kind of person this is, and for what purpose he is trying to touch the “habitat” of your heir. If this person has negative energy, then energy impact on the baby will be extremely negative. Of course, science still does not know all the mechanisms of energy transfer from person to person, but it's still not worth the risk.

One piece of advice can be given here. If you don't want someone to touch your stomach, then just put both hands on it and turn away from everyone. So you make it clear that you do not want to communicate with anyone personally.

With that, it is possible or not to touch the tummy, we figured it out. Now it’s worth talking about whether it is possible to stroke the stomach, including yourself. Many gynecologists say that in no case should you stroke your stomach, as this can tone the uterus. Especially this warning should apply to those women who are already suffering. Doctors believe that a “raging” baby can be calmed down with a voice, classical music. You can also just put your hands in the place where the child made a commotion. But there is no need to stroke the stomach. In fairness, it should be noted that many women do not even know about this and, despite the fact that they constantly stroked the babies, their childbirth and pregnancy passed without complications. However, if you notice that the uterus becomes too tight too often, then you may still need to listen to the specialists.

Finally, it must be said that you, being in a delicate position, should try to get the most out of your condition. positive emotions. And, if you don’t like something, you should not silently endure “grievances”. If you don't want to be touched, say it loudly, out loud and confidently. Relatives should understand you, and you should not care about the rest. If they do not consider your opinion, why should you fulfill their desires.