1st time pregnant and not sure what symptoms mean..

[PrincessConsuella]

As the title says, 1st time pregnant and a bit clueless and scared..I'm 18 weeks and for the first time had a restless night. This was mainly due to my stomach feeling 'tight'.. It still feels the same even now. Is this normal?
Also, not sure what to expect from now onwards.. The morning sickness has reduced massively, so that's a positive. But what next? I've consulted Dr. Google but none the wiser. Don't have any family or friends around so no chance of talking to others except at work.

Thanks in advance for reading .

I'm 18 weeks too and it's the first time I've made it this far in the pregnancy. My bump gets tight sometimes too - from what I understand it's completely normal. I sometimes have trouble sleeping - problems geetting comfy, feeling hot, needing to wee etc. My morning sickness has gone but I'm experiencing lots of stretching pains (which are inevitable), occasional indigestion and I've been feeling the first few flutters of baby movement for a couple of weeks. Have you checked out the board specifically for ladies due in April?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1855713-April-2014-Thread-2-or-3-depending-on-which-way-you-count

I've not posted there yet but everyone is more or less at the same stage so if you're feeling lonely or unsure about what is normal, it's probably the ideal place to find some company.

xx

Does the tightness come and go? I had this from about 18 weeks and didn't feel the baby move til about 20. It's braxton hicks I think, I still get them but less confusing and scary now I can feel the baby as well.

Try not to worry too much, not long until your next scan.

I think anything you feel unsure about or that doesnt feel right, its worth checking out with your midwife, GP or NHS Direct.

I had 'tightenings' from about 20 weeks which I think were Braxton Hicks...they got stronger at about 26 weeks, and then went away completely. Also, water infections/UTIs can sometimes cause tightening sensations. Or it could just be the baby moving or ligaments stretching....but always worth putting your mind at rest with the doc, especially with your first.

I found the pregnancy calendar on MN incredibly helpful, as it shows what to expect. If you haven't looked at it yet, do, there's probably a link at the top of the page.

And congrats btw!

Another one who had both a general 'tight' feeling and Braxton Hicks contractions from about 18 weeks. 29 weeks now, and both have reduced a lot since my doctor prescribed me some magnesium tablets (Magnesiocard I think). I'm not in the UK, maybe you can get them there too though? Word of warning, if you have too much Mg you get diarrhoea!

I started to feel the baby move at around 18 weeks. Just a little, like small bubbles popping inside. I also got insomnia and vivid dreams around the same time. I gave up trying to sleep through this - if I was awake for more than 15 mins I got up and did something for an hour or so before trying again. I think this helped me feel less stressed about not sleeping, and so not sleeping even more... in terms of comfort, I bought a maternity pillow (sort of a rounded triangle shape) around then, best thing I ever bought