Just found out I’m pregnant I must be over 30 weeks I am scared!

[Goldflamingo]

Hi posting here as this thread seems to get the most traction.

I found out I was pregnant this morning. I haven’t had periods for 2 years as I’ve been on the pill and they’ve stopped them. I had no symptoms until recently. My belly is tiny, I’ve lost weight. I have been feeling so sick and dizzy, Saturday I went to a theme park with my daughter, I fainted and was sick everywhere. The medic came over and asked if there was any chance I could be pregnant and I laughed it off. I recovered and we went home.

Today I thought oh I will just take a test to rule it out. I was going shopping anyway so I didn’t specifically set out to buy a test, I just grabbed one with my shopping. I fully expected it to say negative, I was just doing it to humour myself. I knew there was an extremely slim chance but I was 99.99% sure it would be negative. I didn’t even look for 20 minutes as I was adamant it was a waste of time and would be negative. But no, two lines appeared. Because I left it so long I thought a possible false positive so I went out and got 6 more including a digi. All were dark positive and the digi said pregnant.

I went in to panic mode. I have not had sex in 30 weeks, the last time I had sex was November the 24th. I was dating somebody and things broke up after a few months as he moved abroad. I have not had sex or even dated since.

I called EPU, I explained the whole situation and they’ve said as I’m over 16 weeks, they can not take me under their care and I need to do an online referral for a midwife and urge the importance of the situation in my online referral. I have done an online referral and stressed they contact me asap. I can not find a direct number for the midwife’s, only the number for antenatal day Assesment unit. I don’t know what I should do, do I just go to a&e. Do I wait until the midwife’s have got back to me?

I am so scared. For all I know there’s more than one baby, the baby could be sick, the placenta could have developed incorrectly, the baby could be deformed, the baby could have a disability. Anything; because I haven’t been checked! So now I’m worrying!

I also drink a bottle of wine most weekends.

I am terrified something would have gone wrong but I’m in limbo until the midwife’s contact me back after they’ve received my referral. I don’t know what to do, do I go to A&E?? Am I going to be in trouble for not knowing until now?

I feel so uncomfortable sat here doing nothing about it until they’ve got back to me when I’m anywhere from 30-36 weeks pregnant. My other daughter was born at 33 weeks so I’m worrying!!!

please what do I do??? Do I go to a&e???

Tomorrow, call your local Day Assessment Unit. They will scan you ASAP, likely same day.
There's no point paying for a private scan, they won't be able to kick start your care and should anything untoward be found (however unlikely) they will just tell you to go the midwives.

I can't imagine the shock of it all, I hope you're OK.

Another vote for going to triage and explaining your situation, making sure to mention the pain.
Also try not to worry about the wine. If it's one bottle a week you'll be OK. Good luck, OP.

What area are you in @Goldflamingo. I don't mind looking up the maternity numbers for you.

If no one will help or you keep getting fobbed off, show up to A&E. Tell them you've got pain, having dizzy, fainting episodes, and you've just had a positive pregnancy test but didn't think you could possibly be pregnant as you've not had sex for over 6 months (or however long). Don't leave until they check you. Until they do you won't know what you're dealing with. Best of luck with everything. I would not hesitate to be persistent and don't take no for an answer. Can only imagine the worry but hopefully the checks will be ok and put your mind at rest.

A&E won't help. Called the maternity unit, explain the situation, tell them you're in pain and worried you're in pre-term labour, they should have you in for a scan.

Oh, bless you. Definitely call triage!

As others have said I'd try maternity triage assessment first. But if I can reassure you at all OP the same thing happened to one of my closest friends. She hadn't had sex in over 30 weeks and like you she enjoyed a wine of a weekend, busy with her children and normal life. Had no clue she could be pregnant until she had some pain and got rushed to hospital thinking it must be her appendix. She was in labour and delivered a healthy baby who is still doing fine 9 years later. The first photos of her and her baby are basically her looking completely shell shocked with her family around her all looking equally shocked! But baby was and is fine and so is she. I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry too much OP, I hope everything goes smoothly for you from here on.

In many parts of the country, GPs have nothing to do with maternity care anymore, so not sure what they or 111 could do.

OP, first thing tomorrow, i would find a number for maternity triage or the day assessement unit at your local hospital, ring them, explain the situation and that youve done the online referral but for obvious reasons you want to talk to someone as soon as possible. If they arent the right place, they should be able to transfer you.

Then like pp have said, see if you can book a private scan.

I know someone who was classed as a "late booking", although not as late as 30w, and the midwives were very good at getting in touch with them to get the ball rolling quickly.

What a shock, OP. Do you have some support around you in real life that can be with you?

My local hospital with a maternity unit has like a maternity a and e - you could ring your local hospital switchboard and explain that you’ve just realised you’re 30 weeks pregnant and experiencing abdominal cramps and need to be seen. Hoping things turn out well for you x

Go to maternity triage if you have period pains and a history of early labour. They won't turn you away; my best friend is a midwife and this has happened more than once at her hospital... they always jump into action, registered or not.

Agree with maternity triage. You’re not the first person this has happened to, you will get through it

@DonnaChang i understand that she feels scared and in shock however considering how many weeks she is there is nothing wrong with congratulating her. I myself found out at 29 weeks weeks many years ago. So I do have an idea about this situation.

Ah thread refreshed whilst i was typing and just seen your update on cramps. Yes, please just ring triage / day assessment today. Im sure they will see you quickly given the circumstances.

Don’t do as some are saying and wait til tomorrow, if there’s one thing I heard from medics while pregnant it was DO NOT wait if you’re experiencing pain etc x

Can you afford a private scan I think some clinics are even open weekends?

Phone them and explain the situation

That's so insensitive. Read the room

I would get yourself to the local maternity unit asap with those funny pains you're experiencing and your history.

Good luck

Ring your local maternity unit. They have same day assessment and triage even on Sundays. Explain what's happened and that u have started to get pain. ( hopefully just due to the stress of all this). I'd lay money on them seeing you today. You definitely won't be the 1st they have seen like this. And no you won't be in trouble.

I agree - local maternity unit. A and E will be hours of sitting around and then most likely being sent to maternity unit.

My first was born a bit later, 36 weeks but sibling went to 42 weeks and had to be smoked out, so doesn’t necessarily follow that one early birth predicts a second. Good luck OP, what a shock.

Don't stress yourself with phoning. Just turn up at the door and make yourself their problem! You deserve it and need it right now.

Take a deep breath.

Firstly can anybody look after your DD for you to catch your breath and figure out a plan? Do you have much of a support group in real life? If anything you need to figure out a plan who will look after your DD for when you go into hospital.

If you don’t have much of a support group you’ll be surprised the amount of people who will be willing to help. Neighbours/DD school friends mums. People will rally around, you’re not alone.

Good luck OP ☘️

Good for you but what are you actually congratulating her on?

This very well may be a very unwanted pregnancy that will cause a lot of hardship to the OP. There is nothing in her first post to suggest that this is happy news, and you jumping in with “congratulations is cruel, and misjudged.

She needs practical advice, not meaningless platitudes. Surely, if you have firsthand experience of discovering a late-stage pregnancy, you can give her useful direction?

I thought tests worked by measuring HcG? You continue to produce this during pregnancy, obviously the levels are stratospheric around the 6-7 week mark, causing sickness, but it would still be detectable at 30 weeks surely.

Thanks for everyone’s replies.

I am having dull cramping, similar to period pains. I’ve been ignoring them (they’ve been going on for about 3 days) I thought perhaps I was going to restart my period. I’ve been on the pill 6 years and I’ve had about 4 periods during that time so I thought perhaps another one was coming. It isn’t an intense pain though, just cramping that is made better with paracetamol.

I have also been taking lithium (I’m bipolar) so I’m very worried about that as I’ve read it can impact babies heart.

I have the number for “antenatal day assesment unit” in my previous pregnancy, I’ve used this number a few times to get seen by them when I was being very sick and needed a drip and when I had slight bleeding. I think they’re open 24/7.

I do have funds for a private scan but I’ve looked online and the closest they have is Thursday.

I am going to phone day Assesment now and see what they say. No idea how I’m going to explain this one over the phone.