21 weeks and what feels like period pain... should I be panicking?!

[emeraldgirl1]

Have gone for a lie-down which has helped.
Quite suddenly this morning I got something best described as like period pain. Right in the lower abdomen and very achey; if I didn't know better I would say it was the same ache you get before your period.
It's eased now (only bad for about 10 mins) as am lying down but I am still worried.
There is also a small sensation of pressure although that may be an exaggeration; hard to think of a lesser word.
I remember a friend having odd pains in 5th month and she was told things were stretching.
Should I be getting worried? Doing anything about it?
My plan is to wait and see if it carries on easing.
Thanks so much for any advice!!

I would not worry if no blood no discharge and it goes if u lay down and drink water. i had identical to u if not worse continuously for weeks im now 26+5and again have period type pain..mines more Spd and ligaments im told but its all day everyday.
Less if i rest
keep smiling x

I know exactly what you mean. I'm 26w and have noticed over the last few weeks that if baby is really low that I get a dull achy feeling like my period is starting, and the pressure feeling. If it starts coming in waves or you notice any unusual discharge then ring the mw straight away, otherwise just do your best to take it easy and drink plenty.

I got pain very similar to what you describe a few times at about 24 weeks. In my case, it was just stretching: I realised that I got it when I'd been running around without wearing my bump support (actually, just going up and down stairs and doing a bit of cleaning - but I've become a complete wimp recently!) Like you, lying down for 10 minutes caused it to ease off, and there was no bleeding. Once I got a stronger bump support and made sure I wore it before doing anything physical, I didn't get any more pain. But it was really scary before I figured it out, because it was quite intense and felt more like period pain than muscular pain.

24 weeks is a bit later than you, but my bump was really small until then, so you might be a bit ahead of me! Has your bump grown recently? And were you being a bit more physically active than usual just before you got the pain?

I'd been wearing a light support like this since about 16 weeks, and after I started getting pain I got a more substantial one like this - and as I say, I haven't had any pain since (28 weeks now).

I really recommend getting some kind of bump band: it'll make you so much more comfortable!

All the best, and hope everything is ok.

I had period pain in my back (one side) one morning at about 22wks - it really scared me. It went away though after I lay on the sofa for a few hours. I think it was my body telling me to slow down: I'd been very busy the day before - on my feet, picking up DD, carrying things, and I think I just overdid it.

As long as there's no blood or weird discharge, it's likely just ligaments moving around.