spotting?

[HootShoot]

I'm 8 weeks pregnant with my second child. I've woken up this morning to what I think is spotting. I have a small amount of blood mixed with cm when I wipe, it's a bit like you sometimes get before your period starts. I've felt different the last couple of days too - I lost that awful tiredness and have been up past 11 the last two nights which just felt wrong. I'm not having any cramps although the area feels tender - I don't know if I'm just imagining that though.

What happens now - do I call the maternity unit and see if I can get an early scan or do I just wait and see what happens?

I am really struggling with this, I called the community midwives this morning. First I got told off by the receptionist who said I shouldn't be calling if I hadn't been booked in. Then a midwife spoke to me and said it didn't sound good and I needed to rest up and wait. Wait for what? I asked about a scan and she said it was closed at the weekend but if it got worse I could go to A&E. They obviously don't want you to go but I can't bear sitting here doing nothing. I'm going to leave it a few hours then make a decision I think.

Cramps stopped about 7 this morning but I am still bleeding fresh blood when I wipe.

Hopefully your spotting is all normal and fine gretchen.

Is your bleeding like a period Hoot, I.e are you finding blood in your underwear or needing to regularly change sanitary towels, or is the blood there only if you wipe?

It wasn't yesterday but there was blood on my pad this morning when I woke up. It's not as heavy as a period though. Sorry if TMI but it's gone from just being blood mixed with cm to having stringy/gloopy bits in it, like you sometimes have in your period. I really don't have much hope left

I had stringy gloopy bits too, you don't need to worry about being 'TMI' here. Those bits made me more anxious then the splodges of blood.

I only ask because when I have read other posts about women having miscarriages in very early pregnancy they tend to describe it as beginning with spotting but then very quickly turning into a full on period with consistent heavier bleeding requiring sanitary towel changes etc. if you haven't experienced this then there is always hope! How my baby managed to survive my last bleed I have no idea but it showed me that they can be very safe and secure in our wombs and that bleeding doesn't always have to mean the worst thing.

If I was you I probably would go to A&E because sitting in this limbo isn't good for you or your emotional state. You may get a lovely sympathetic nurse who will get you scanned - even if they don't have a proper ultrasound scan machine available, some departments do have little hand held devices that can perform the exact same thing. At 8 weeks the heartbeat would be able to be seen and even if you could just see that I'm use you'll be much more reassured x

I can't convey how much you are helping me writer - thank you. The gloopy bits have really frightened me

I just hope this one is hanging on in there too. I didn't have any problems when I was pregnant with dd so I am really finding this scary. You are right though, the fact the bleeding isn't heavy must be a good sign.

There is no one free to look after our dd until this afternoon so we can't get to A&E until then. I think I will go though. By nature I am one of those people who follow the rules and never rebel, so I am worried about going if it hasn't got worse, but I am also in such a state that it can't help either.

That's ok - that's what the forum is for. When I was having my bleeding episodes the reassurance I found on here was invaluable. Sometimes you just need sometime to give you some words of hope and hear their 'positive stories' where they have been through the same but everything turned out ok.

My team think there may be an issue with where my placenta is lying which is what may have caused all the bleeds. I have only managed to go to work 3 days in the last 7 weeks and I have got another 3 weeks as being signed off sick too. The potential issue with my placenta can't be confirmed until my 20 week scan (in 3 weeks) so until then my Boss doesn't want to take any risks. Thankfully it isn't a serious problem that the midwives are considering but it it would be nice to have an explanation for the bleeds.

It's probably best to wait until the afternoon to go to A&E anyway as hopefully by then they'd have got rid off all the Saturday Night Drunks and the staff may be feeling better for it!

I always try and look for the protective factors and the fact that you aren't having lots of pain and you aren't having lots of fresh red bleeding would make me err on the side of positivity x x

Just the sane as writer I had stringy bits that were blood coloured but turned out it wasnt blood clots but still cm that had more blood in it.

Writer- if its placenta preavia they are considering then it can be a very serious problem, i speak from experience, a big bleed in pg from placenta previa can be risky to you and baby, potentially you can bleed to death ! its not often that bad, but i kept getting told it wasn' 'seriou' then at 34 weeks a dr sat down and explained my case was very very serios :( thankfully after 3 weeks in hospital and some big bleeds my baby was safely delivered by emcs.

Hope everythings ok hoot, each of my 3 mc's was very heavy bleeding, not light at all xxx

Hoping you made it to a and e hoot. Let us know how it goes either way.

Thanks everyone, your messages really do mean a lot. I've remembered that my placenta was low lying in my first pregnancy writer, all was ok by the time of my 20 week scan though - I hope the same will be true for you

I'm pleased I don't have to worry about the stringy bits hoping - they really did frighten me and make me think the worse.

Tinkerbell - I'm so sorry to hear that you miscarried three times - that must have been dreadful for you. Thank you for taking the time to reassure me.

I didn't go to A&E in the end atomic as I haven't had any more bleeding or cramps since this morning. I feel achy again tonight but no more bleeding so I am really hoping it has stopped now.

I've decided I can't bear to sob to anymore midwives in the hope they will refer me for an early scan just to be told that I have to wait. So I'm going to call the private scan place in the morning and hopefully get a scan tomorrow or Tuesday. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again to everyone.

Thank you to everyone for posting and allowing me to be part of the conversations. Tinkerbell, I am so sorry to hear that you had 3 miscarriages. I know that was heartbreaking for you. Hoot, I sure hope everything works out well for you! I will check for updates and keep you in my thoughts.

I have had spotting again today (four days total). This morning was a little heavier and I had lower back pain and abdominal pain - just like I was ready to start my period. Cramps have lessened, but I am still spotting (just a tiny bit of texture (tissue??) late this evening.) Again, I do not have another appointment until Oct. 29. These are my concerns - overweight, 41 years old, and taking Zoloft (prescribed by my OBGYN) for anxiety/depression. Any thoughts? I know no one has all the answers. Thank you.

Morning Hoot : I hope the bleeding and cramping has eased away this morning. Good luck phoning the clinic today I really hope they manage to get you seen quickly, perhaps if you explain what is happening they may squeeze you in.

Hi Gretchen : I can understand why you'd feel about your bleeding based on the 'risk factors' you described. However, statistics are just that, a general guide but not a 'rule' that everyone who falls into certain categories is going to miscarry. For example, I'm 29, BMI of 20.7, I don't drink or smoke and am pretty healthy, yet I'm having all the bleeding complications too. I think some people are just unlucky. I'm also on medication for a health issue (epilepsy) and the drugs I take pose certain risks so I know the anxiety and perhaps guilt that accompanies the use of drugs in pregnant. I had a lot of pre-conception counselling to make me aware of the risks to me and the baby should I fall pregnant but I guess all we can do is take our chances and make a decision as to what is the lesser evil, to stay on them or come off? I was also on medication for issues I was having with my heart but I chose to discontinue those before falling pregnant as I didn't think the risks to my own health outweighed the risk/severity of problems to the baby.

Tinkerbell : I'm sorry to read about your history, you must have extreme strength and resolve to get though such hard times. I have got my Consultant appointment the day after my 20 week scan so I will definitely ask them to 'give it to me straight' - thanks for your advice.

Can you try calling a midwife gretchen and see what they say?

Just to update I've got a scan booked for tomorrow morning at 10.30. I'm hoping it will all be ok - I'll let you know how it goes?

Thats good hoot not too much more waiting then. Hope all goes well

Hey Hoot! I am so happy that you will have a scan tomorrow. I will be thinking good thoughts for you!!

My doctor is out until the end of the week on vacation. The first appointment was at 4 weeks and 5 days - just a urine test to verify. My next appointment is next Tuesday. I probably can see another doctor in the practice, but I haven't called because I figured they would tell me that if it gets worse, then call. So confused. Today is day 5 of spotting. Sorry if tmi, but mostly when I wipe. If it becomes heavier, I will definitely call. The most difficult part now for me is not knowing.

Hi hoot best of luck for your scan tomorrow. When I miscarried it was totally obvious so I'm hoping the same for you. I also lost a twin (twice in different pregnancies) and they told me that can cause bleeding too.

Gretchen I usually feel like I'm about to have a period for the first few weeks of pregnancy so I hope that for you everything is fine dispite how it seems.

Good luck for tomorrow Hoot. I hope you're feeling better today.

Thanks everyone, I've had a bit more blood yesterday afternoon and this morning but I think it might be old blood? It's a very deep crimson, almost black. I'm feeling very nervous and didn't sleep well but it will be good to get some answers.

God luck this morning Hoot, I will be checking back later yo see how it went. I hope you have someone with you to hold your hand x

I have miscarried. She could see the sac, two yolks but no baby. She said that the baby might have already passed or might never have been there. I had a big bleed this morning that soaked my pad, maybe it happened then? It's an incomplete miscarriage and ive been referred to EPU in Thursday. Thanks for all your support xx

Oh Hoot, I am so very sorry! I am sending lots of love and best wishes your way.

So sorry to hear that hoot I havent been through a mc but a close family member has recently be kind to yourself and make sure you are looked after

I'm really sorry to hear that Hoot, I was really hoping for positive news for you. We are all here to listen and hand hold x

Thanks it did sound like there was a chance didn't it? Trying to be logical about it and tell myself it happened for a reason but it's still so hard.

Hoot I am so sorry to read your news. It's devastating going through this, I know, I lost our first in Fed/March this year and found the support on the following thread really helpful. The ladies on the threads really understand what you will be going through now and in the coming weeks. My thoughts are with you.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/miscarriage