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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

10.5wks, some bleeding... advice please

21 replies

Orlea · 03/03/2014 15:02

Just had some bleeding for the first time this weekend, only when I wipe but I am a bit worried as this is my first time and I'm pretty clueless. It's not very heavy and mostly brown (slightly stringy, sorry if tmi) but there was a small amount of definitely red blood twice. I've checked various books, looked on here and googled. I then called my midwife... and got an answering machine. This was mid-morning today. I've tried again about half a dozen times since then (left two messages) and still only getting the answering machine. What do I do now? I don't want to overreact...

Some of what I've read has been reassuring, some less so, but the general consensus seemed to be to check with your midwife first of all, which isn't possible unless someone answers the phone or calls me back! So what should I do right now? I'm at work where no one knows yet, so I would prefer to have a quick chat with someone (my midwife!) who can tell me if I do need to leave and get checked out or not, rather than asking to leave the office early for an undisclosed reason as they are a bit funny about that here... Not that I know where to go if I do leave - do I just rock up at A&E? Or my GP? Help please!

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eurochick · 03/03/2014 15:03

Do you have an early pregnancy unit near you that takes self-referrals?

Original poster

Orlea · 03/03/2014 15:07

I don't know! I've googled but can only find very basic info on the two 'local' hospitals, neither of which is remotely nearby. I've also called one of them and it just rings and rings... It's difficult to keep stepping out of the office to make calls as well, people notice, and definitely can't do it at my desk, bloody open plan offices.

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ThatBloodyWoman · 03/03/2014 15:09

Go to your gp if you can't get your mw,and in the meantime, rest as much as you can.

I you need to leave work early, think of an excuse if you aren't comfortable with the truth yet.

ThatBloodyWoman · 03/03/2014 15:12

Is there a female in the heirarchy to whom you could explain that it's a personal health situation that you would rather keep to yourself.

Most women will understand that there can be a whole host of gynae conditions we may not wish to tell our colleagues about.

teasleromani123 · 03/03/2014 15:13

this happened to me but I wasn't that far gone, I went to A&E and they booked me in for a scan the next morning....

Some midwifes really make me laugh "If you need me I always here" Yeah well answer the bleeping phone then lol .
try not to worry,,, and take your time..

personally I say go to A&E and they'll book you for a scan...
All the best......

ThatBloodyWoman · 03/03/2014 15:15

I phoned my gp when it happened to me at 9 weeks.I was advised to go in to the surgery, and I requested and went for an early scan at the hospital the next day.

VeryStressedMum · 03/03/2014 15:18

Best to get a scan done. You can go to your gp and they'll refer you to the epu, or if you can't wait go to a&e and they'll scan you.

VeryStressedMum · 03/03/2014 15:19

When I went to a&e they scanned me that day.

Original poster

Orlea · 03/03/2014 15:32

I finally got hold of a real person (not my midwife)! That's only taken 6hrs... Must have been the posting on MN that did it.

She was lovely, from the EPU at one of the hospitals (having tried about 7 different numbers for both, as well various different midwife units in the city). She took some basic info and said to wait and see, nothing I can do and not to worry as it's very common. She said to call back if I'm still bleeding in 24hrs, or if it gets heavy to go straight in, but otherwise go on as normal as if it's a healthy pregnancy, it will be fine, and if it's not, then nothing I do or don't do will stop a miscarriage. She sounded totally confident and reassuring and tbh I think that's mainly what I needed.

Thank you all for advice though, I have been fidgeting all day wondering what on earth to do if I couldn't get hold of someone. Honestly, what's the point in having contact numbers if not one of them is answered? (I do know they're short-staffed and I'm being a bit unreasonable but I'm blaming everything on hormones )

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teasleromani123 · 03/03/2014 15:48

make sure you don't lose their number lol would be another 6 hour....

not trying to scare you but mine started off brownie and then a little pink and then red.. then miscarried.. so keep a close eye on it.. I didn't mean to scare you if I have..
then again everyone's different,,
All the Best..

good luck xx

ThatBloodyWoman · 03/03/2014 16:04

By the same token, I went on to a full term pregnancy with no further bleeding.

Good luck.

Original poster

Orlea · 03/03/2014 16:09

I'm sorry to hear that teasle, I'm keeping everything crossed.

I feel so much better after speaking to that lady though - and I didn't even get her name Talk about bedside manner...

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teasleromani123 · 03/03/2014 16:12

as long as you said please and thank you,, I woudnt worry about not knowing her name lol :) xx Atb.. Emma

sebsmummy1 · 03/03/2014 16:28

Bless you. I think they are absolutely right in that it could go either way and unfortunately there is nothing you can do to influence it.

Fingers crossed it stops xxxx

Lottystar · 03/03/2014 16:36

I know this sounds personal but have you and your partner recently dtd? I am 11 weeks tomorrow and had the very same this weekend, albeit it was after sex. Apparently the cervix is sensitive in pregnancy. I didn't feel crazily anxious as with my mc in Oct I had cramping and lower back pain (like a period), this time it didn't feel like that at all. Good luck and push for a scan if you need reassurance, it's what they usually do in early pregnancy with bleeding x

PickleSarnie · 03/03/2014 18:33

Expect midwives to sound a bit non plussed to be honest. Mainly because bleeding in early pregnancy is so common and generally causes no problems (other than a ton of stress) but also because, if the worst is going to happen, there's nothing they can do. It'll be tricky getting a scan unless you're near an EPU that takes self referrals.

They are more concerned with your health at the moment. If it gets heavy or you're in a lot of pain they'll probably tell you to go to A&E.

I had an absolutely mahoosive amount of bleeding at 11 weeks. Huge gush over the floor and two days of bleeding heavier than any period I'd ever had. DS2 was born at home at 39 + 5 healthy and happy and totally oblivious to it all.

Will have everything crossed for you.

HarderToKidnap · 03/03/2014 18:35

Community midwives are out during the day at clinics and visits, and check the messages when they get back. For urgent things, there should be another number, or at this gestation it's GP or A&E.

Try and get in to your GP tomorrow and get referred for a scan.

Original poster

Orlea · 05/03/2014 11:48

Quick update - I'm still bleeding (and more heavily now) and pretty sure things are not going to work out well. But I've got a scan for tomorrow instead of next week so should know for definite then. I'm prepared for bad news and feeling ok as at least something is now happening.

Not so happy with my midwife though. After leaving 5 messages for my midwife between Monday and this morning, she finally called back today (by which time I'd been bleeding for 2.5 days). I told her that I'd spoken to the lady from the EPU who had already arranged the scan for tomorrow morning. Not very impressed with my midwife tbh, especially as her parting words were that she'll call me back if she gets the chance. I'm sure she does have higher priorities than me at this stage, but I was a bit shocked at the 'if I get around to it, I'll call but I might not, so don't be expecting me to call, just get on with things and no need to let me know how it goes' attitude. Didn't exactly fill me with confidence! I've never dealt with midwives before so not sure if my expectations were unrealistic or not...? Feeling quite annoyed with her as she was so dismissive. I know there's nothing that can be done if it is a miscarriage but I would have thought she'd be a bit more bothered about calling back sooner in the first place, getting me a scan or checking I'm ok at least?

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PickleSarnie · 05/03/2014 15:52

I'm really sorry you're still in limbo and have everything crossed it all works out. Unfortunately though, that's fairly par for the course re the attitude of midwives. Don't expect anything different until you're past 20 or so weeks. It's your own personal hell but, for them, they know that bleeding is so common that things will quite possibly be okay and, if the worst is happening, then there's nothing they can do about it.

I'll have everything crossed for you for your scan tomorrow. I remember sitting in the car on the way to A&E gushing with blood with a numb resignation that I was having a miscarriage. It was horrible but my baby was still there, still wriggling away and is now a v happy toddler.

Original poster

Orlea · 05/03/2014 16:21

Thank you so much pickle. It's good to hear that things can work out. I am keeping everything crossed but I need to prepare myself so I'm resigned to a miscarriage. Hopefully I'm wrong - never wanted to be wrong this much before!

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StarsInTheNightSky · 05/03/2014 16:25

I'm really sorry to hear about everything you're going through. I have had bleeding in two different pregnancies, the first was just a tiny bit of brown and then it went away, it ended in missed miscarriage six weeks later. The second started brown and stringy, then turned red and got heavier and heavier and lasted for about five days, that was 13 weeks ago and I'm now 27 weeks pregnant and being booted around by our over-enthusiastic little man.

As others have said, it can go either way, the pregnancies I've had which were going wrong I had a gut feeling that they were going to end badly, this pregnancy, despite lots of complications, bleeding, hospitalisation etc I have always been convinced instinctually that everything was fine, and touch wood, so far it has been.

The being in limbo is torture, do prepare yourself that tomorrow they might ask you to go back again in a week for another scan, as sometimes they withold a diagnosis for a week to be absolutely certain of what's going on.

It does sound really bad of your midwife, as others have said, the care in early pregnancy can be shocking, until you reach the stage where you can call the maternity assessment unit/maternity triage (when you're 16 weeks at our hospital) they just don't seem to care, which is the last thing you need when you're worried.

Enough of my rambling, hang in there though, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that everything turns out well for you x.

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