Vaginal discharge smell, sorry if tmi!

[mixi82]

Well like the title suggests, I seem to have strong vaginal odor and more discharge than I used to before pregnancy. I have no itching, burning or pain. I have been tested for UTI and yeast infection so it's neither of those, MW said it can be quite common. But is it really?? I don't get it all the time but I worry other people can smell it too. I wash regularly and wear panty liners now, which help. Just getting embarrassed by the smell and I'm the only girl in our office of 4 so they'll know it's me :( what can I do and has anyone else been through this? I'm 15wks now and it's been like this on and off throughout whole pregnancy, was hoping it would ease off

[fairypangolin]

Maybe it's bacterial vaginosis? That should clear up on its own. I think it is v v highly unlikely anyone else can smell it and definitely not men - in my experience they have v poor senses of smell. Please don't worry about that but go back to your dr if it doesn't improve.

[ChicaMomma]

yep i have it too. Have to change my knickers twice or thrice a day. Generally once after work, and possibly once before i go to bed too to sleep in a fresh pair! Have way way more discharge than before, MW said it's the way your body fights off infection and it's totally normal.

It might be normal but it's also RANK, i cant get over the smell sometimes, ICK

[ChicaMomma]

i'm 19 weeks by the way- i'd doubt if it'll improve but who knows.. feel sorry for my poor husband- doubt they can get it in the office though. Maybe try using panty liners and changing them every hour if youre worried.

[PiperChapman]

it's BV I should think. don't put up with it as a normal part of pregnancy! see the doctor - a short course of Abs clears it up.

[Tomkat79]

OP what does it smell like?

[smilesallround247]

Yes I have that! !! I have to change my knickers twice a day and the amount of discharge has caused awful chafing.
I wear my partners boxers to help .

[SweetPea86]

I've asked this question too and lots of helpful advice, I've had it since about 16 weeks and I'm 28 weeks now, still lots of discharge, my midwife said it was hormonal changes to the body and like one of the other ladies said body fighting off infection.

As for the smell I'm the same totally parinod that other people can smell me, just keep pantie liners in fresh supply and I think the smell isn't as strong as we think it is. My sense of smell has doubled since being preg I think WE can smell it more because of That,

I do know how u feel tho no pain or I itching just feeling a bit down from it all the time

[mixi82]

glad to know I'm not on my own!!

it smells kind of like when you're about to come onto your period if you know what I mean....so hard to say as it doesn't smell like anything nice! DP does smell it sometimes I think as he asks whether i've farted!! I guess he would as he knows what I smell like normally :)

I wear pantyliners already that are supposed to be "odour locking" but I get up to go to the loo regularly and the guys in my office must think I have serious loo troubles! so so paranoid about them smelling it though and I have a board meeting tomorrow, so I'm scared about the people sat next to me....

[ChicaMomma]

SweetPea that is such a good point about our sense of smell being so strong- maybe the discharge is the same as it always was, we are just more sensitive to it now?? I am smelling things i never did before.. most of which are unpleasant as you'd well imagine! bring on the daffodils and other spring flowers :)

[K8eee]

Yep I too suffer! It's pretty rank but haven't had any burning, itching, swelling or pain. TMI coming up but some days it's really runny, but a lot darker in colour than pre pregnancy. Other days it's quite thick but still dark in colour. The smell is sir of starchy if that makes any sense

[ChicaMomma]

yes k8eee- mine too is very very runny. Mine is almost as thin as urine most days. Pretty sure it's clear in colour though. I'd be suspicious if it was on the darker side, maybe mention that to your doctor next time.

[sebsmummy1]

This reminds me if when I was in school and you could smell when someone's sanitary towel needed changing

I think all you can do is change your panty liner regularly. When I used to think I smelt a bit ripe down below in the summer I used to put roll on deodorant on my inner thighs (god is that weird?!!!! Should I have NCed lol). I always find the men's variety smell better as they are stronger.

I am newly pregnant and I definitely have more of a smell down below as I'm producing more CM.

[SicknSpan]

Another one here! I use scented panty liners now which I change really regularly (thankfully they don't cause thrush for me but I know for some women they can) but wouldn't go near them normally. I find its worse if it gets on my knickers even if I change them 4 times a day!

It's like the normal very faint fresh-ish discharge smell (if there is such a thing?) has been distilled and so is v strong to me.

Have asked dh and he isn't aware of it.

Find its worse if I'm a bit dehydrated, more fluid intake perhaps might help?

[SicknSpan]

Ps I'm 21 weeks now and it has got better in the last couple of weeks.

[SweetPea86]

Chicamoma I swear I could work for the police as a sniffer dog lol I can't wait till my sense of smell is back to normal I smell things that no one else can smell people think I'm crazy lol

[Tomkat79]

It might be worth buying some of those balance activ tubes from chemist/boots.

You insert one a night and helps to restore normal flora and will treat bad odours and bv if you have it. Totally safe for pregnancy too and much better than a course of thrush causing metronidazole.

[Snowlet]

Discharge not too bad, but has anyone else noticed their wee smells completely different?? I've put it down to the fact that we're expelling the baby's waste as well as our own, but it's still very disconcerting!

[MarthasHarbour]

I have it too. I have to change a thin pad 2-3 times a day. I have been tested for UTI etc but all clear. The doc gave me canesten which works but comes back a couple of days later.

Really fed up as it has totally put me of any shagging

Currently 25 weeks. The MW said it will go after bubs is born although I am going to mention it to her this week.

[mixi82]

I know I've said it already but so relieved I'm not on my own! I think it must be doubly sensitive nose, I feel like a hound sometimes. Someone in my office brews coffee every day and I think it smells like canned tuna, it's revolting! I had a sensitive nose before preg but now OMG!!! I can't use scented panty liners, the mix of smell makes me feel sick. Will start using baby wipes now too I think, I have loads of them stashed up now lol

[clairesmiles]

Yes, I used to get a fair bit anyway but now is worse (i'm 18 weeks).

I use panty-liners everyday, change them regularly and also i've started drinking Yakult, one a day, which seems to have helped a bit, certianly with the smell. Something to do with the 'good bacteria' it balances things out a bit.

xxxxx

[neversleepagain]

Try Tena panty liners, my mw said they absorb the moisture better than regular liners. I did find them better.

[MarthasHarbour]

Oo Yakult - might give that a go

OP i too am glad i am not alone!!

[DitaVonCreamTeas]

I've had this throughout my pregnancy. I always get through 2-3 pantyliners a day and have loads of yellowy, sometimes yellowy greenish discharge. You'd think it was an infection, wouldn't you? Nope, I've been tested; that's just what my body does. It's horrible, it smells, I've got permanently damp bits, but apparently this is normal for me. The worse bit was when I developed an allergy to the brand of liners I was using, that's a world of ouch. Luckily Natracare make ones without odour absorbing chemicals that I'm not allergic to. Yes it's TMI, but damp-crotched ladies, we're not alone.