Bleeding in week 4-5 of pregnancy

[Bettie2192]

I am 5 weeks pregnant and have been bleeding for 6 days. It’s pretty frequent but not consistent. Sometimes it’s bright red fresh blood, sometimes old brown blood and sometimes it’s barely there, just a hint. Even when it’s been heavier red blood it’s hasn’t been heavy enough for me to use a sanitary pad. I have mild stomach cramps on and off. I’ve been to two doctors and they’ve said it could just be completely harmless, I’m booked in for a scan next week as well, but I’m making myself ill with anxiety. Any reassurance/similar experiences would be welcome.

@Bettie2192 hi chica, bleeding can be normal whether bright red or dark brown, even clots can be normal. I would call GP, unsure if they will send you to EPU because you are so early on in your pregnancy but any pains or worries, please go to A+E for reassurance! Let us know how it goes as it could help other mommas on here xx

@Bettie2192 sorry didn't see that you are booked in for a scan! Chin up, I'm a bit further than you and had period like bleeding with clots and all was fine. X

Thank you, it’s reassuring to hear you had a similar experience. I’m just so anxious to get through the next few days until my scan Monday morning. The bleeding is very on and off, like this morning there was nothing and then a few hours later it came back. Pains are sporadic and mild and don’t seem to coincide with the bleeding at all, it’s all just so random! Hopefully will have a good update to share on Monday x

Today and yesterday I’ve been back at work and the bleeding is heavier (dried up to next to nothing last night but started again this morning). Could this be because I’m up and about rather than lying down at home?

@Bettie2192 if i'm honest i do not think so early in your pregnancy any moving around, exercising will cause you to bleed, if you are really worried, maybe have your scan brought forward? sorry i'm not of much use at this stage..let me know how you get on x

@Bettie2192 I’m going through the same thing. 4+6 today and started bleeding about 12pm. Started off brown and getting redder. It’s awful, hard not to think the worst isn’t it. Good luck for Monday, please come back and update us xx

Hi Bettie2192 I had exactly what you describe at weeks 5-6. I was on holiday at the time so not much I could do until we got back home. I totally get your anxiety - everytime I went to the toilet I wiped and revealed so slowly as I was petrified i'd see yet more blood.

I ended up getting scanned at my local Early Pregnancy Unit at 6 weeks + 6 days and all was fine - even saw a heartbeat. The consultant there told me bleeding in early pregnancy is very normal - the cervix is a lot softer than usual and blood/discharge can come on after a bowel movement, sex, or could be old period blood shedding. If it doesn't stop and gets heavier and heavier (enough to fill a pad) and is accompanied by cramping this can be a bad sign. It will be tough for you to wait until next week but this early on it can be for the best as they are likely to see a lot more on the scan once you enter week 6.

I am 8 weeks + 2 days and still worry every day! Keeping you in my thoughts x

@TwinkleStars15 please don’t do what I’ve done and worry yourself into a frenzy, keep calm and let a doctor know, try to get an early scan booked if you can or at least a consultation with a doctor. I hope it doesn’t get too bad for you, hopefully I’ll have some more words of reassurance on Monday after my scan

@TurquoiseKiss thank you for sharing your experience, it makes me feel a little better to know it can happen but still have a good outcome. I did put a pad in today at work but literally got the tiniest little dot on it- its weird that it’s there when I wipe but it’s not coming out of me like a normal period would. At least I can relax over the weekend and then scan is first thing Monday morning.

Thank you all for your kind words x

@loveyourself87 Monday is the earliest they can do it because I’ll be six weeks then, I feel like now I’ve finished work I can get through Saturday and Sunday ok and then it will be scan time, hooray! I will definitely update afterwards

Your experience is exactly what mine was, I was wearing pads to monitor it and at most I saw a streak/dot on them. But when I wiped it was like red/brown mixed with cervical mucus, is this what you're seeing? I randomly had some more brown/dark red when wiping this week but i'm trying to remain calm as it was a one-off and otherwise I feel normal (minus the nausea waves and extra gas!).

Hi Op, not sure if this will help as I didn't bleed myself- but I had an early scan at 6+5 (I had horrible contraction like/ sharp pains) and they discovered a 'bruise'. All was fine with the scan, but I was told to expect bleeding at some point- however they wouldn't be overly concerned about it if/when it happened. Apparently you can get this when the egg implants... just a thought on what it could be xx

just thought- I did also have a very small brown bleed at almost 4 weeks, which I didn't have investigated but could have been connected... fingers crossed all goes well for you on Monday xxx

Sorry jumping back in again to say the Dr at my early scan also said bleeding can be due to a fibroid (which I was diagnosed with nearly 2 years ago - but it was tiny and harmless so left to its own devices) or a cyst. Although I believe a cyst would cause heavier bleeding than you describe.

@Bettie2192 this is exactly what I have; hardly any on a pad but quite a bit when I wipe. I’ve already driven myself into a frenzy! I’ve had a miscarriage before so am super anxious at the moment. I have a scan booked for next Friday when I’ll be 6 weeks, but I’m assuming if the worst happens I’ll know before then x

@TurquoiseKiss yes that sounds pretty much the same as mine! And the heaviness/colour is really inconsistent throughout the day. The last time I had a vaginal examination was a couple of years ago and I had no cysts or fibroids or anything but I guess things can change, thank you again for your help I am starting to feel more optimistic x

@JenDaw I’ve only had mild cramps that come and go but I guess it could be something similar to this, maybe I’m sensitive or something! Glad your scan was OK in the end, I’m crossing everything I can lol xx

@TwinkleStars15 looks like we are in the same boat at the moment then, I think bleeding more common than people realise. I feel like it could be a lot worse so that’s kind of giving me hope if that makes sense, like yes it’s enough to worry me but not enough that it sounds like a definite miscarriage. So sorry you’ve been through one before, I hope we both get good news soon xx

I was exactly the same as you at around that time, and then again at 13 weeks.
Whereas not a spec of blood in my first pregnancy.
I'm now 20 weeks, and the twins are doing fine!

I was just talking to a friend and mentioned that it's so weird that you don't hear about painful cramps and bleeding during pregnancy, I'm fed up of reading the words 'mild cramps' what the hell does that even mean?? Lol

@usersouthcoast good to know that what’s happening isn’t totally uncommon, thank you for the reassurance x

@loveyourself87 exactly, only seem to find pregnancy articles online that only talk about one extreme or another. Apparently you can either be spotting or soaking through a pad and I’m like, but I’m neither! So much better hearing about real peoples experiences

This might be a bit weird but seeing as there’s quite a few ladies involved in this thread now I think it’s worth asking- I feel like my vagina really aches, anyone else had this? I’m just lying in bed now and all I can feel is this aching feeling, not at the top by my uterus but right down in my vag! Definitely not a pain, just an ache. I can’t quite decide if it might be to do with my bowels at all as both systems are so close together lol, it definitely feels more towards the front of my anatomy lol. Feel like every little symptom is something new to get anxious about! Would be nice to know that I’m not falling apart haha

@Bettie2192 haha it's totally normal to be aware of any small change. I had a headache the other day and blamed it on being pregnant and it was just dehydration. Soo, about your Vag, I have an on and off throbbing pain around that area along with cramps and pressure on my uterus. It could be all related but super easy now that we are pregnant to overthink certain things we wouldn't have noticed before! Drink a lot of water, could be a UTI or bowels like you said x

@loveyourself87 thank you lol glad it’s not just my body going wild. Time for two days of rest now before my scan so I’ll try to stop worrying about every little thing!