Second pregnancy - common to feel like baby will fall out any minute?

[HJBeans]

Just that, really. Have had the sensation of fullness in my vagina for several weeks on and off and some days it literally feels like the baby will just fall out. Have been unwell with some mild back pain and some cramping, so now ramping up into proper premature labour paranoia. But suspect this is a second pregnancy phenomenon due to my pelvic floor being ruined now. Anyone else feel the same at mid-pregnancy (I'm 22 weeks)?

Seem to be on here all the time at the moment - must be going through an anxious patch.

I got this about that time too, but this is my first!

The blood flow has increased and you can feel more if the weight now. It's possible paranoia. Is your pelvic floor ruined? How's your urine control for eg (you don't have to answer that). It's different etc. But ruined would suggest you have ongoing issues and should discuss with your midwife etc.

'Ruined' was hyperbole - I really just meant previously used. Urine control a-ok at the moment. Will be talking to my midwife this week and am sure she'll say all is well. I'm prone to paranoia. But this certainly feels very different from my first pregnancy - much more pressure down low already.

I'm wondering if pelvic floor exercises might help to relieve some of this discomfort? I've been very lazy about them, but if it is a pelvic floor issue, they certainly couldn't hurt, I'd imagine.

I felt like this second time round. It turned out it was the start of SPD. Mention it to your midwife who might be able to arrange some physio for you.

I have felt like this as well at times during this pregnancy (second pregnancy, 24 weeks). We attributed it to low lying placenta with fibroid lying just over my cervix. It was much worse around 20 weeks, now it seems to depend on how the baby is lying. Some days I don't feel pregnant at all.

Yep, has this at this stage in all three pgs. Do your pelvic floor exercises religiously for a week (at least three sets a day of ten held for ten seconds plus twenty short lifts, more frequently if you can - doesn't matter if you do just a few and then do a few more half a. Hour later, just get doing them!). My guess is you will feel a difference within a week (but if you slack off them, you will also feel it again within a couple of days!).

Thanks everyone for reassurance and very useful advice. Interesting in a sort of way that you mention SPD, show, as my lumbar spine and hips are acting up up as well. Will definitely mention to the midwife. And thanks very much for the exercise regime, takes - religious observance mode starts now and you've save me having to google what I should be doing. Thanks again, all.

Well that wasn't very reassuring. Just saw midwife who said she doesn't hear this from people often and that she would write to the consultant to check if "we were being hysterical" to consider weak
cervix. So if I don't hear back, the consultant will either have judged it normal or not have read his email yet.

I think your midwife is being rightly cautious. I had my cervix scanned even though my consultant wasn't worried, but because I was she scanned me and it was fine. So try not to worry, if you are scanned it will be precautionary.

Yes same here ! Especially at the end it was such an awkward feeling ! I remember saying to my husband exactly that : it feels like the baby is just about to fall out, all the time.

All fine now though, totally recovered and I have the most perfect baby.

All the best with your pregnancy ! xxx

Now that she's mentioned it, I hope they do scan. I'll be worrying now until it's ruled out.

takes or anyone else knowledgeable on pelvic floor exercises - does it matter if you're lying down / sitting / etc.?

I think your midwife is being over cautious too! I was paranoid in my first pg that the sensation was down to a weak cervix so asked to be checked and was absolutely fine (and conversely, sadly, people I know who have had losses through the condition have not had any warning )

Re the pelvic floor exercises, the more upright you are the more the load on your muscles and the harder they are working. I find that it's actually best to start sitting or lying down because you can feel what you are doing better and concentrate on doing them correctly until your muscles get strong enough to do then correctly standing up (at which point I just do them whenever I have the opportunity). I find it's useful to have q trigger to remind me, like I do a set whenever I'm at a red traffic light or in stationary traffic, while I'm waiting for a train or tube (particularly useful as you can use the station clock to time!), waiting for the lifts at work etc

Thanks - that's really handy. I can't actually feel if I'm doing anything if I'm not lying down, so will take your advice. Cheers!

How are you getting on op?

Much better, thanks. After just a few days of exercises I felt much more 'secure'. Could be that I'm now in work and sitting a lot more or that baby's bigger / has moved, but haven't felt that 'he's falling out!' feeling since I started the exercises. Thanks again!

Great! Glad you are feeling a bit better! Long may that continue. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.