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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

IS this 'normal' or should I prepare myself for the worst?

19 replies

sleepcrisis · 05/08/2013 19:11

Hi everyone

This is my 3rd pregnancy, I can't remember much of my 1st (successful) and my 2nd ended in early/miscarriage/chemical a couple of months ago.

Am currently 5.5 wks and I have been getting period type cramps all afternoon and am beginning to get really upset about it. With the chemical I had the cramps all the way non stop from about a week after ovulation right up to the bleeding at around 5.5 weeks. This time I have just started getting the twinges at this point, nothing up until now apart from a brief twinge about a week or so after ovulation.

I am feeling sick (last few days or so) and have lower back ache too. And achy boobs but no way near as bad as I remember them being first time round.

Obv there's nothing I can do but wait. But I am sick with anxiety! Do these cramps mean its all over?

Thanks in advance

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BeQuicksieorBeDead · 05/08/2013 19:16

I dont think it means the worst, at the beginning of this pregnancy (24 weeks now) I had lots of cramps and a few small bleeds. I was frightened too after a mmc last year, but that was symptomless.

Your boobs being sore is good, but I had a few days early on where they would feel normal again...sparking off more panic! hope that helps, fingers crossed for you and keep us posted.

Holly94 · 05/08/2013 19:17

No definitely not all over! From 4 weeks to 8 weeks I kept feeling like I was constantly about to come on my period. They were worse than period pains and actually woke me up crying at 3 am one night and landed me in A&E.
to cut a long story short they were just implantation cramps which I had really badly. Currently 14+4 and saw my baby on my scan today.
If you can, as you have a history of mc try getting an early scan at the EPU - just be careful as I had an Early scan and was too early for them to see anything so spent 2 weeks upset before my second EPU scan.
Congratulations on your pregnancy

Original poster

sleepcrisis · 05/08/2013 19:21

Thank you. No chance of an early scan where I am unfortunately. Only after your 3rd miscarriage will they scan you :( and I am a flight away from anywhere that offers a private one. It's certainly going to be a torturous 8 weeks. I am actually considering taking the hit and making the journey for a scan around 8 weeks! I know people round here have 'invented' pains and symptoms to get an early scan but that seems to me to be tempting fate somewhat.

The pains are easing off a bit now I have put DS to bed and am resting. But I still feel it in my lower back.

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reeta30 · 05/08/2013 19:26

I remember when I was about 8 weeks with my ds having period like cramps and twinges. I happened to be meeting my midwife at that stage and she said it was normal. They soon passed. Then the morning sickness kicked in!

rallytog1 · 05/08/2013 19:33

I had a lot of cramps in the first trimester and the boob soreness came and went too. Your symptoms sound a lot like mine - that pregnancy is now a 15wo DD. So I wouldn't panic if I were you - good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy.

Writerwannabe83 · 05/08/2013 20:19

Hi sleep

I'm currently 6+1 and last weekend I was having horrible crampy feelings. They started on Saturday morning and continued until about Monday afternoon. The aches were constantly there and like you, I naturally thought the worst. I was reassured however that these cramps and niggly pains can all be completely normal and are just a result of our uterus growing and stretching.

It has been a week now since I had them and everything has been fine since. I haven't had any pain or bleeding and my pregnancy symptoms are still in force so I have no reason to think I have miscarried.

I'm very sorry to hear about your miscarriage - it is no wonder you are so upset and anxious. And how awful that women aren't scanned early for reassurance in cases such as yours?!

I've paid privately to have a scan in 10 days - not because I'm worried about baby but just because I'm too excited impatient to wait until 12 weeks!!

Try and stay calm and I hope you have a lovely pregnancy x x

BeQuicksieorBeDead · 05/08/2013 21:54

Hope you are feeling better sleep

Original poster

sleepcrisis · 06/08/2013 08:54

Thanks, the stomach cramps seem to have gone now. Thank god. But the lower back ache is persisting and I seem to have aching muscles all over my body! Probably a bad nights sleep and nothing to do with pregnancy...

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MOTU · 06/08/2013 15:48

Not sure how helpful this is but please don't symptom spot and obsess. I have had 4 pregnancies, one live birth two miscarriages and this current one (32 weeks and extremely healthy) in all of them I had cramping at 4-7 weeks on and off, so I think worrying about cramping is a red herring. Midwife said to me, if no fresh blood, no worries.

Original poster

sleepcrisis · 06/08/2013 17:52

Thanks MOTU. Unfortunately not obsessing is pretty hard for me - I have severe anxiety and OCD as a legacy of my PND following DS2. Not sure how I will make it to 12 weeks! Trying to keep busy and forget about it but its hard!

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Redlocks30 · 06/08/2013 17:59

I have been pregnant five times; I have three children but had two miscarriages. With all five I had cramps at this stage and had bleeding at various stages (bright red blood with all 5) and 3/5 were normal healthy pregnancies so it doesn't necessarily mean the worst, it could just be how your body 'does' pregnancy.

Can you arrange for an early reassurance scan?

katybell26 · 06/08/2013 18:52

Hi all, I am new to this so forgive me if I am butting in on an on-going conversation......
I am freaking out - found out last Friday (it's now Tuesday) I am pregnant after 2 years of trying and just before being referred for IVF. All fine until 3 days ago when I started bleeding bright blood, more than spotting but not enough for a period. I have just come back from the dr's who said nothing to do but take a test and wait 2 weeks. I did 2 tests on Friday and both were positive, I did one tonight after the dr's and it's negative - there is of course a possibility that because I took it at the end of the day after drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot it's not accurate but just wondered if anyone could give me some advice or reassure me - so scary and really don't want it to be a miscarriage :-(
Thanks xx

katybell26 · 06/08/2013 18:53

Ooops - should have said I am only 5 weeks so have been told its not possible to have a scan x

BeQuicksieorBeDead · 06/08/2013 21:04

katy as you have read on here, lots of us had bleeding early on...it doesnt mean the worst and you are early enough for it to be further implantation bleeding. The negative test is going to play on your mind I know, maybe if it would help you could do another in the morning.

Most importantly, try to stay calm and think positive. If it is a miscarriage there is amazing support on here and lots of us know something of what you are going through.

But chin up, this could be nothing to worry about. Hour everything crossed for you and keep us posted.

Original poster

sleepcrisis · 09/08/2013 19:14

Hi, I'm back. The cramping pains are back an they're pretty much constant all day. Everything I read seems to refer to normal cramping as being round ligament pain, destroyed as pulling and stretching. What I have is a constant dull ache, just like period pain. It's really worrying me and I'll try to see a GP tommorrow. I just wondered, those of you who had lots of cramps were they constant and dull and dragging or more like twinges that came and went?

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Original poster

sleepcrisis · 09/08/2013 19:17

Sorry, described as!

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mignonette · 09/08/2013 19:21

Are you feeling shivery or as if you are unwell? It is possible you may be developing a UTI. Can you call your GP to check and do a dipstick of your urine?

Original poster

sleepcrisis · 09/08/2013 19:24

No I don't feel unwell (just nausea!) I had a dipstick on Wednesday and it was all clear. Feeling really down in the dumps, especially as I heard of 2 x 12 week + pregnancy announcements today. I feel as though this pg is doomed to fail :(

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PistachioTruffle · 09/08/2013 20:39

My stretching pains felt exactly like period cramps from weeks 5-8, in fact I was convinced I was going to start my period the week I tested positive. I'm now almost 23 weeks . I have had some round ligament pain that felt like pulling/stretching, but that was much later, about 16-18 weeks - the first cramps definitely felt like period cramps.

Fingers and toes crossed for you

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