Can I hurt my un-born baby by bending over?

Short answer – no. The baby is safely enclosed inside the uterus with a cushion of water. A blow to the abdomen could hurt the baby, other than that, not much in a physical sense.

I don’t think so. But this is a question she should be directing toward a medical professional and not just asking uninformed people (or informed anonymous people on the internet) about. Or at least reading a book. It sounds as if your friend is lacking some crucial information that she should have as a pregnant woman. She should be getting prenatal care from someone, and that someone could answer the question. There are also lots of great books out there on pregnancy and childbirth, and questions like this are so uncontroversial that a book from virtually an point of view would agree on the answer.

I know it can feel like you’ve done some accidental damage sometimes! It’s scary and painful to be pregnant. Tell her I forgot I was pregnant the other day and did a belly flop on the bed. I was sure I popped the baby. But, he’s fine. They’re nice and padded in there.

Also, dolphin..?

@Snarp I actually am a medical professional. I’m a Certified Nurse Midwife/Nurse Practitioner, and have been working in women’s healthcare since 1978. I’ve delivered more than a thousand babies and provided prenatal care to many more. I answer these kinds of questions on a regular basis in my office.

Hopefully, @willbrawn ‘s friend has a care provider she can ask questions of. Sometimes women feel rushed during their appointments or worry about whether their questions might sound silly.

How silly!

No, no damage – I did bikram yoga until I was 8 mo pregnant with my first – believe me I did more than bending over and lifting legs.

She’s more likely to hurt herself than the baby. (Not seriously, of course- just discomfort!) Some babies don’t like being poked or squooshed, though. My second one used to kick me hard for about an hour after prenatal visits!!

Not if you are the father.

Nope. The woman’s body is an amazing thing when carrying a child.

No its very unlikely!