Struggling at 5 weeks

[GBBO45]

I'm almost embarrassed to be typing this, but I have just gone 5 weeks and I am really struggling with this pregnancy. It is my first, and for the past week I have had constant stomach aches similar to period pains, constantly feeling nauseous, no energy and spending all my days sleeping. Is this normal? I know I'm in the very early stages, and it's making me really worried as I know it's only going to get worse. As silly as it sounds, I'm not quite sure how to deal with this. I feel absolutely miserable for something I really really want. And all I keep thinking is how on earth do women go through this numerous times?

It does get better - well hopefully unless you are v unlucky! The first stage is the most draining by far - you are growing a whole new organ.

I promise it gets better. I was the exact same for the first six weeks. I slept all day all night and felt sicky and gross. But then it just gradually improves and you feel ok. Now im 20 weeks and I'm struggling again!!! But between 10 weeks and now I've felt fine xxx

Thanks for the reassurance. I have a feeling this first trimester is going to be the longest 12 weeks of my life!

Honestly, I was so ill from 5-11 weeks I honestly thought I might be dying. I couldn’t even lift my head properly.

Turned out to be twins and the midwife said “ooh, I bet you’ve been feeling terrible” - indeed I had! It got a lot better though.

Eat as best you can, sleep, take vitamins, lots of water... it’s brutal but it passes

It will get better! I had severe sickness up until 12 weeks, I was bed bound from it and it made me so miserable. The sickness gradually decreased from 12 weeks and by 20 weeks it had pretty much gone completely 😊 the cramps have dulled down a lot aswell, I get ligament pains now but not the period crampy pains like at the beginning. The first 12 weeks of pregnancy were one of the hardest times of my life but I got through it. Go easy on yourself and rest as much as you can, you are doing an amazing job growing your little human 😃

I promise you it will get better. I suffered from week 6-12. The only advice I can give is to listen to your body and if you're tired, sick, run down, spend the day in bed!

It will get better . I was ill from 7 weeks until 17 weeks - severe nausea, sickness, heart burn and extreme tiredness! I felt and looked like I was dying. It feels never ending but it does get better just takes a while and feels even longer. I'm now almost 20 weeks and feel like a new woman. Ligament pains but so much better than the first trimester . Don't be afraid to ask from help from your gp, there is no point suffering and most medications they can give you are safe in pregnancy

It’s horrible, isn’t it? 5w3d here. I am utterly, comprehensively over the moon to be pregnant (finally) but I feel crap. Constant nausea, dizzy, sore breasts, and maaaaaan, the tiredness. Hope you feel better soon @GBBO45

Still, I’ll take it, it’s what we have wanted for years.

I felt like that at 5 weeks too. I promise you will feel differently as you progress. Hang in there, rest rest rest

It does get so much better. I'm 22 weeks and was just thinking today how good it feels to have my energy back (nesting instinct is kicking in now big time and I'm in organising mode). My first trimester was just one long cold where I just wanted to crawl back to bed.

I did have a water infection in my first pregnancy and that made me feel crappy though. You might want to get it checked out.

It's absolutely normal - I fell exactly the same and I'm 8 weeks - it started when I would have been around 5 weeks...it's hard but as everyone says it does get easier. Go to a pharmacy and buy some seabands - they've helped dull the sickness but aren't a miracle cure. Also health food stores sell ginger sweets - they're actually ok and they help as do gingernut biscuits. I'm living on bread and crackers oh and fruit! Also found on the days I force myself to eat regular small meals I feel better. Have also stopped drinking hot drinks and caffeine (purely because I can't stomach it!) and notice I feel worse if I try anything with caffeine in. Good luck, hope you feel better soon! x

I hv just got to 12 scan, saw our little pickle today. It really was the longest 12 weeks of my life. But started feeling better 2days ago and I swear I'm already starting to forget how bad things were. Hang in there xxx

Seeing your bean on the big screen makes everything else fade to dust, but as for now, I feel your pain, but you will be alright xx

@GBBO45

Hang in there, what you're going through is perfectly legit and there's no reason to feel bad about it. Every woman is different and I think comparing our pregnancy to someone else's is our worst enemy. Yet, it's so hard not to do it.

Your situation sounds very much like mine. My symptoms started on the first day of week 4... I got home from shopping, fell into bed and was convinced I'm coming down with some terrible flu! Turned out I'll pretty much go through 12 weeks of having that flu
Cramps and pains from approximately 5 to 7 weeks were terrible.

I'm now 13 weeks and couldn't work since week 5. That fact made me and still makes me feel horrible, almost useless and helpless. I'm struggling not to compare myself to all the women who worked normally in their 1st trimester and managed to hide their pregnancies until the 1st scan. I've never been the one to worry about other people's opinions, but it's hard no to feel guilty in this situation, it's like I'm waiting for everyone to look at me thinking "look at this lazy cow using her pregnancy as an excuse not to work". All other women I know seemed to be in way less pain and trouble than I was and still am. The fact that I'm self employed and no work means no income makes everything even worse, it's been almost 2 months since I've earned any money and I'm anxious about our finances.

The pains and terrible sickness seemed to fade recently and I'm past horrible heavy bleeding so I'll try to slowly get back to work, even if it's just for an hour a day. I have no energy whatsoever and everything is a struggle, i.e. I shower and then have to lay down to rest for 2 hours. Same if I do grocery shopping or take a short walk. I just can't do anything at all.