Strong cramps in early pregnancy

[Whysoserious]

Hi ladies.

I'm about 5 weeks pregnant and have been getting strong cramps 1-2 times a day which are painful and stop me in my tracks. They only last about 10 seconds and then go but while they are there I have to stop what I'm doing and breathe through them. I've noticed they are usually (although not always) after I have been still for a bit and then get up and move.

I'm worrying about them because everything I read says that early pregnancy cramps should be mild but these are definitely not. They are only bearable because they don't last too long but if they were constant they would definitely be severe!

Has anyone else had strong cramps like this? Should I be concerned and make and appointment at the docs? Or is if fairly common? I have had no bleeding / spotting. Thanks for your help.

This is the third post I have made since being pregnant worrying about stuff! I am wishing the next 7 weeks away without issue!!!

[Whysoserious]

Has no one else experienced these sorts of cramps?

[supergreenuk]

Yes with dd I had terrible period like cramps. They were so bad they woke me at night. I had to drive to work leaning forward whilst having a cramp. I was so scared and worried as to why it was happening. The doctor prepared me for the worst as the said no pain is good pain. I had a text book pregnancy however and wish the doctor hadn't put me through that. Loads of people told me that it was normal.

[Whysoserious]

Thanks supergreenuk. Did your cramps last a long time? Like I said mine only last a few seconds but they're very uncomfortable. Then I will go back to feeling fine again.

[supergreenuk]

Yes in waves of a about 10 seconds. I think it went on for about 3 to 4 weeks to that intensity and would have dull period aches throughout the pregnancy. It didn't happen at all for my second baby.

[supergreenuk]

I took pain killers as they were so uncomfortable.

[debka]

I had the same, with DD1. No spotting or anything. And nothing like that with DD2.

[Whysoserious]

Thanks for responding. I'm keeping everyone crossed that it's all ok. It's scary when they come but you have both really reassured me!

[OMGBFP]

I've had a couple of really quite strong "pings" and "pulls" usually when in bed and then normal crampy period about to come on feeling the rest of the time on and off.

As long as no bleeding i would say to not worry, everyone is different :)
There's a due Nov 12 thread in antenatal clubs board, come and say hi :)

[Susieloo]

I'm just coming up to 22 weeks and I have had quite a lot of strong cramps all the way through, particularly in the early stages( from about 6 to 12 weeks) and they did take my breath away because of the severity and also caused me to panic whenever it happened, they felt a lot sharper than period pains which I also had in the very early days - I was convinced I was coming on. I found that it was linked to me needing or going to the loo and moving around. I also had really horrible pains at about 14-20 weeks which is stretching pains apparently - scared me enough to phone the hospital (it was out of hours) and speak to the midwives in the delivery suite who reassured me. Have had two scans now at usual times and everything is fine but I totally understand what you are going through it is proper scary. As soon as I mentioned it to my friends who had kids they pretty much all said that they had experienced pains which does seem to contradict what a lot of the books say.

[HaggisNeepsTatties]

I'm 8 and a half weeks and having similar sounding cramps. It usually happens when I cough or sneeze (particularly if I'm lying in bed); when I turn over in bed, or sometimes if I stand up quickly. On another thread someone said they were because of ligaments stretching. They don't seem to be causing any problems other than being painful when they happen, so I'm trying not to worry about them. I have my booking in appointment on Wednesday so planning to check with the midwife then that they are normal.

[suzikettles]

I had this at around the same stage. Also some pink spotting. They were incredibly painful and I assumed the worst. Ds is 5

[danielou]

Just wanted 2 say I had these cramps and spotting and still have the cramps now and then I'm 19weeks :)

[HaggisNeepsTatties]

This website tells you a bit more about round ligament pain, which sounds like what we have

[justhayley]

I had terrible cramps between 4-6 weeks mine would last a lot longer though, & would wake me up
In the night. Iv read a lot of posts on here with women going through the same thing so it seems to be pretty normal. I would make an appointment with the early pregnancy unit @ ur local hospital though and get scanned so u feel reassured xx

[Whysoserious]

Thanks for the reassurance ladies.

It certainly does sound like the description of round ligament pains HaggisNeepsTatties - thanks for that link. I thought you didn't get it until 2nd tri?
In the last 24 hours I have had the pain at 11pm last night when I rolled over, about 2pm today when I got out of passenger seat of car after a 40 min approx journey where I had sat still and then this evening after hours of sitting in front of the TV when I got up to go for the loo.

It is very intense when it happens and after its gone I'm left with an 'after pain' - a dull cramp - that can last a few minutes. The rest of the time I feel completely normal, as if I wasn't even pregnant

[LST]

I had really bad crampy period like pains that stopped me in my tracks when I was first pregnant. And now I have a 18 week old DS :) So all my worry was for nothing.

Good luck with the pregnancy :)

[Chunkychicken]

I don't want to highjack your thread but I wondered if anyone had similar pains to the ones I'm getting. Well, pain is the wrong word. It's a dull achey 'full' bloated feeling around my bladder/uterus.

I only got my BFP yesterday & I POAS early because I was feeling sick & didn't expect it to be positive, but wanted to rule it out iyswim. I had a chem pg last month and really worried it will happen again this month. I had intended to wait until AF didn't arrive but the symptoms were pretty obvious... I thought I was getting poorly!!!

Anyway, I don't remember this discomfort from having DD and wondered if anyone else had, or should I expect the worst?

TIA

[Whysoserious]

I think that is normal chunkychicken. I definitely spent quite some time feeling like I was about to start AF and didnt.

Congratulations on your BFP!

[Chunkychicken]

Thank you whyso, hope your pains stop soon & you can enjoy your pg! :)

[LST]

Defiantly normal congrats

[Chunkychicken]

Thank you - obviously just worrying for nothing

[Zara1984]

Hi sorry am hijacking here but just to say congrats to chunkychicken woohoo!!! Great so see you have got a BFP already! I was (and am) having loads of cramps regularly since before BFP. My doc says unless you start bleeding, no need to worry!

[Chunkychicken]

Cheers Zara was v surprised but keeping all digits crossed that this one is superglued in there (at least for 8 more months )

[azshohan]

You are absolutely right that cramping stops the work any pregnant women doing. It's a much painful condition. I have also suffered a lot from cramping, even suffering till now. My cousin told me to check www.pregnancysymptomscramps.com/category/pregnancy-cramps/. But I know nothing about this page. Is it okay to trust it?

[northernlassy24]

Whysoserious - hello. I know this thread is pretty old now but I found it as I am going through the exact same thing as you talk about in the first post (im only 3-4 weeks) and naturally I'm concerned. May I ask how it all turned out for you?