Period pain at 5wks pg

[99redballoons]

Hi all, I have recently found out I'm pg for the 3rd time. My history is that I m/c my 1st at 6.5wks and then went on to have beautiful ds, now 20mo. We've been trying to get pg again for many months now and thought it hadn't happened this month as I had some light spotting at 4wks, but the test came back BFP after the spotting dwindled away. I am 5wks today and just spent most of yesterday in bed with a medium dull ache way down low, sort of reminding me of the heaviness of a period. I remember having this pain about a week before I first m/c but it was much stronger and really did make me feel like my AF was on the way.

So my question to all of you is, has anyone had mild-medium period pains and still kept the pregnancy?

I'm going to try and get an appt at the docs but I know an internal scan will not show up much till I'm around 7wks. I'll probably m/c by then if that is what's going to happen? The only other thing I can think of is since having ds I can 'feel' things going on in my body much more. I now get an ovulation pain which I'd never had before his pg. Also other sensations I don't want to bore you with. So maybe my body is just more sensitive to feelings and this is nothing to worry about and is a normal pg pain this time round?? Oh, I just wish I knew right now which way it's going to be so I can start preparing myself?.

Any advice really welcome.

[Kelly1978]

Please just try to relax, and rest. It must be really worrying for you with your prev experiences, but plenty of women have pain and continue with a healthy pg.
I had period pains for several weeks around that time,as well as heavy bleeds, but dd was fine and healthy. I had two early scans due to the bleeds, but all you can really do is rest.

[Kelly1978]

Ps, congrats on the pregnancy

[MummytoSteven]

Hi. I had a few days of light brown bleeding at 5 weeks PG, with period type pains, and everything was fine with the PG.

It's just a horrible waiting game, isn't it this early on.

best of luck

[MrsBigD]

99RB
congratulations on your pregnancy

With both dd and ds I had the most excruciating period pains for the first 5 months! First time round I was really worried as I thought I'd be getting my period any minute now... I finally found a midwife that explained to me that it's 'stretching pains' and that everybody experiences them at different degrees of discomfort. So try and relax and take it easy... look at the bright side... take it as an excuse that you have to put your feet up and let dh do all the housework

Good luck

[nutcracker]

I had this with Ds up until about 7 weeks, but everything was fine.

[Toothache]

99redballons - Congratulations!!

With both ds and dd, like MrsBigD I had period pains every month for the first 3 mths. Just around the times when my AF would have been due. Everytime I went to the toilet I expected to see blood. But nowt.... and 2 healthy babies!

You must be very worried as you've miscarried already. But these pains can be perfectly normal and don't have to signal a miscarriage.

[99redballoons]

oh thank you all, this has made me feel much better. DH has been an angel and is so worried too. Yes, it's such a waiting game. Just like dm & dmil said yesterday, stay positive! Easier said than done. I just hope it's a 'new' pain I've not felt before and is just stretching. I'm clinging onto the fact this pain wasn't as strong as when I m/c before. Chin up girl (why do we never listen to ourselves or dm/dmil but we do MN!?!?)

Thx again.

[MrsWednesday]

Congratulations 99redballoons!

I can understand why you are worrying, given that you've had a m/c alredy, but I think period-type pains are normal. I had them in this pregnancy until about 16 weeks (I'm 26 weeks now), and after worrying for quite a while I decided that they are actually a good thing - it means things are growing and stretching inside.

I think you might be right, that since you've had DS you can feel more. I've had a DS, m/c then another pregnancy and I am certain I can feel more this time round. I also spotted early in this pregnancy, and baby is kicking me right now, so things are still going ok.

It's impossible not to worry in the early stages (I sent myself mad at times) but hopefully everyone's comments can put your mind at rest a bit.

[MommyD]

I am currently 19 weeks pregnant and had the dull ache that you describe on an off for the first 12-14 weeks or so. I noticed that it was particularly bad around the time that my period would have been due - at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Sometimes it was so uncomfortable, it almost felt as if my lower abdomen was on fire!! It was very uncomfortable and rather worrying, altough I should be used to it by now - I had it with my first two pregnancies as well. For me the dull ache of period pains is perfectly normal in early pregnancy. HTH!

[99redballoons]

Thanks again for all of the support and congrats on all of your pg's too.

I have managed to get a late appt with the docs this afternoon so hopefully they can refer me to the hospital and I can have an internal in a weeks or so. Fingers crossed we'll see that little white dot flickering away.

[beansprout]

Just to say that I had this too. It's just the womb starting to stretch (and stretch, and stretch...!). Hope everything's ok. Please let us know?

[Dahlia]

Hi 99 redballoons, and congratulations on your pregnancy - I had really bad period pains at 5 weeks with my first, and they lasted for a couple of weeks then just stopped. It was just one of those unexplainable things, but scared the hell out of me! I'm sure everything will be fine, Good luck at the docs! And try not to worry.... xx

[Lexie100]

Hi there, Just to reiterate - i had very bad period pains and slight bleeding at 5 weeks. I was rushed to the EPDU for an internal but to early to tell if ectopic or mc. I am now 7+5 and have had two more scans. The last one showed a little heart beating.

I am also very sensitive to my body and can feel ovulatiuon. But agree with the others that it is just the body adapting to the growing bean.

Good luck with the scan.

[Newbarnsleygirl]

I had all the symptoms of a period up until I was 4 months PG. I got all the aches in my stomache and lower back, painful breasts, outbreak of spots etc. I told my midwife about it and she said to expect them for the first few months.

[Aero]

me too - with each pregnancy - have three healthy children, so seems to be quite normal. First time I had no idea I was pg - just awful period pains and was waiting for the period from hell when someone suggested I did a pg test! Was amazed when it read +tiv.
Congratulations on your pg - try to take it easy.

[sacha3taylor]

just wanted to say congratulations and hope everything turns out really well

[99redballoons]

Thanks again everyone. I went to the dr this afternoon and he has faxed something through to get me an internal ultrasound. Had one with previous 2 pregnancies around 6wks so not sure what we should see at 5wks, hopefully a fetal pole and maybe a heartbeat. I think that appears around 6wks though (heartbeat)?

Just to reiterate the p-pain I had was really down low, like on your cervix, and was a heavy feeling like it was all about to come out of me. I usually feel this on the two heaviest days of my AF. I have been having the stretchy and achy pains of pg which remind me of general period pains and they aren't worrying me. Are we all talking about the same thing?

The support and positive stories are just what I need to hear at the moment. Thanks MN!

99redballoons (aka karen99)

[MummytoSteven]

hi99.

you would expect to see fetal pole by six weeks, and heartbeat by 7/8 weeks (or sometimes they say by the time you reach a certain HCG level if they do HCG bloods)

so not impossible that if you see no fetal pole or heartbeat at first scan, they will make you come back in a week or so to double check.

[NomDePlume]

FWIW, I had similar sounding pains (and bleeding) with DD at around 5/6weeks, I also went for an early scan (on New Years Day 2003). It turned out to be due to implantation

[Fastasleep]

Hi, I'm on my second pregnancy and I'm about 7 weeks... with both pgs I've had period pains early on (and throughout the first one) which have ranged from heavy low down pains to stingy pains at each side to aches in the middle of my uterus and aches up and down my hips as if I was on my heaviest part of a period... they are worrying aren't they! But I've been fine (touch wood!) if you're not getting bright spotting for an extended period of time then I'd be cautiously optimistic!

[kelleyh2005]

I had these pains on both of my pregnacies around the 5-10 wk period, DD1 was fine and healthy and DD2 is due in 8 wks.

I'm sure everything is fine, just relax and tty not to worry.

[MummytoSteven]

and just being slightly out with ovulation can mean that you see less than you expect on a first scan as well :-

at very first scan I thought I was 7 weeks, when I was at least a week less than that, so no fetal pole

[99redballoons]

Just an update, didn't have the early scan afterall as specialist said that 5wks was too early to say if the pg was viable or not. So I am booked in for scan on Wednesday, 6wk+1. I have been feeling fine and enjoying(!) morning sickness, however, all of a sudden yesterday I don't feel pg any more not sure what's going on... still feel tired and weeing all the time, plus have just had a v. bad headache and spot breakout which I remember with both pg's. Just can't wait till Wed..........

Have other's felt the pg symptoms come and go?

[99redballoons]

bump

[Toothache]

99redballoons - My pregnancy symptoms didn't really kick in properly until 6-7wks. Then the nausea hit!! Before that it was just fatigue.... and peeing! But some days were worse than others. I suppose thats just natural. I don't think there is anything in your description of how you feel to suggest a m/c. Sounds all normal to me!

Next week you'll be posting on the Due in October 2005 thread about how sick you feel. Good luck with the scan, hopefully after that you'll be able to relax and enjoy your pregnancy.