Can I have a bath?

[moreteafather]

I was booked in for medical management tomorrow but have had 3 days of light pink/brown spotting and tonight some quite painful cramping and pains in lower back and stomach as well as the cervix.

It feels like something is going to happen any minute now, I'm lying in bed with a wheat pillow. This might sound stupid but I feel like I am about to "flood". Plus my bowels are loose.

I've never had a MC before and having read the thread about what to expect I am terrified.

Is it safe to have a bath or might that risk infection, also having had 3 sections and been told that I am not allowed to labour, I am terrified of rupture. Can someone reassure me?

In some ways I am glad it seems to be starting naturally, I was worried about both D&C and medical management as given the size of my baby 10+5 when s/he passed away they seemed concerned about conservative management. I'm technically 13 +1 today and still feeling sick but I know it might be quite gory. Dying for a bath.

dearmoreteafather, first of all breathe, relax and lay down. Try not to worry. From your message I don't know if you are days or weeks pregnant. Also, you said you are only spotting at the moment, so better not to jump to conclusions too quickly. It is better if you just take a quick shower -no baths! Not only for infections,...but just not truly advisable during first trimester... so, take quick shower, put on a new pijama, go to bed tranquile, put some music one to relax and fall asleep. there is no way you can get a hint of what is happening in your body yet, things need it's own time. So you will help your body better if you calm down and try to be more patient and logical. If it is a miscarriage, please don't worry, your body will process it. If you start bleeding a lot, passing like 4pads of blood, then go to emergency room, but this IS MOST LIKELY NOT going to happen. If it is not a miscarriage, you better be calmed, and if it is you will just bleed for few days, and you still need a scan to make sure all tissue is gone and your uterus is left clean and well.

In addition, if you feel you can not wait until your next appointment go to the nearest EPU (Early Pregnancy Unit all hospitals have one). They will take care of you.

So, dear, please don't worry. All hormones are playing tricks as well and make us more emotional and worried. Just try not to worry, don't Google too many things, and rest assured, you will be fine. I re-read your message, and would like to add, if you feel that something is going to happen, relax and let your body work. And if you feel to anxious abt it call a nurse or an emergency number (they should pass you to a nurse to speak over the phone) and they will guide you to understand what it could be. Alright? Don't worry. Make some hot chocolate (my hubby beliefs it hekps blood to be thicker...whether true or not, I let him buy me chocolates when I have had surgery or m/c,....time passes always better with a mouth full of chocolate! :) so, please don't panic, impose your mind now,....you will have time for the emotions later. Many hugs, wishes and care! :) sleep tight. Tomorrow will be another day!

moretea hope you are ok and the MC did not kick off overnight. I think at 10+ weeks and with previous Csections I'd err on the side of caution and go into hospital until the worst is over if you feel at all unable to cope. EPU have always said to me I have the option of going in if I need to (after I ended up being admitted in middle of first MC) Sometimes just knowing that is an option gives you more confidence.
I'm not sure about the bath - it's fine in labour and the water is clean, so can't see why not. You're advised not to swim but presumably because that water has lots of chemicals in and may still harbour bacteria etc.
Are you going in to be checked today anyway? Make sure you are clear what support is available to you if the MC has started and you choose to do it at home.
Thinking of you

I miscarried after 10 weeks at home. I asked about a bath and my epu nurse said if it helped i could try it and suggested a few drops of lavendar oil to help things along.

The bath was a lifesaver for me. I didnt have a deep hot bath. I had a warm bath that just covered my legs and lower tummy. It really helped make the pain bearable and meant i could try and relax about the bleeding. I didnt have to worry about flooding etc. I sat in the bath for the whole day just emptying and refilling as necessary and it really did help me. Hope it is as bearable as it can be for you

Thank you all for advice. It didn't kick off after all, just rang EPAC and they told me to ring after 10:30 to check there is a bed free.

I don't think it'll take much for things to kick in, my body seems to be gearing up, I just hope they are good with the pain relief!

Dreading it, but as its been 3 weeks since the baby died I think it's best to get it over with.

I'm so sorry OP, thinking if you x

Thinking of you moretea hope it is all over soon.

oh! moreteafather I see the picture now, so sorry i did not understand that the baby did not make it. So, yes, it would be advisable to go see the doctor. And if I was you, I would go directly to the EPU/EPAC there without asking at 10:30....with the excuse that you could not wait, they would take you if you tell them the pain and symptoms you have been having et cetera.

Perhaps you have some tissue or clots trying to go thru the cervix and this is what might seem to be slowing the process? (sorry if TMI, but with my miscarriages sometimes I would experience that, no bleeding but lots of pain, after some tissue would pass then the bleeding would return/start.)

Ask the doctor what pain relief you should take because some could thin your blood making the bleeding worst or even speeding it now that I am thinking?

In retrospective, my last miscarriage was dated at 5 weeks and I thought I was 7 weeks when I began spotting and it took few more days for t he miscarriage to start. So you might still be in the right time frame. One more thing if you are not too emotional, if you pass a sac or relevant tissue and you have contact with your recurrent miscarriage clinic I think that you could ask them to test it for abnormalities? Just an idea.

Anyways, stay calm and clear. You will have time to cry later on and relax. I am saying because I have had miserable times with his and -probably because of the hormones- at the end I just think it is better to try to manage it quite coldly and directly. With a scientific approach. if we dwell too much into our physical, emotional and even "possible future events" pain, then we do not really make ourselves a favor, but the contrary.

You wll be fine, and you will see that after this miscarriage things will be sorted and you will forget all these days when you will have one day your baby in your arms! :)

Lots of care, self love and indulge in something.... (ps. hot water bags might be good as well)

lots of hugs!