Miscarrying at 5 weeks - need others’ experiences please

[WednesdayStar4]

Hi all, I’m about 5 weeks pregnant and think I am miscarrying. I am bleeding (fresh red blood) and have lower abdominal pains. Pains are consistent, the blood started this morning and has stopped (for now). I’m quite sure I’m miscarrying (the pains feel that way). My question is for others who have miscarried early on. How long did the bleeding take to develop/worsen? I’ve been advised to ‘wait and see’ (makes sense, I know no one can prevent it) but wondering how long I’ll be ‘waiting and seeing’ for. My worst nightmare would be having bleeding on and off for days/weeks and being in limbo. But I guess this can happen.

Thanks.

So sorry you are going through this situation. I think I was around 6 weeks when I miscarried in January. It started with brown spotting on New Year's Eve and slowly increased over the coming days- never crazy heavy though. I had a midwife appointment on the 5th but even then I wasn't bleeding through a pad every two hours (this was my EPU's stipulation to be seen) so my midwife exaggerated my symptoms. She wouldn't say it outright but it was obvious that it was only going to go one way. Earliest I could get was an appointment on the 10th, but it got very heavy on the 8th.
I had to sit on the toilet for about an hour, and the bleeding was very heavy, with painful cramps, but these were only for a short amount of time- about 45 minutes. I heard 'something' drop into the toilet, and after that the pain just vanished. I could sleep, eat fine.
I went to the scan on the 10th and they told me that everything had passed- there was just a thickened lining. By then I was bleeding what I would consider a light period, which continued for about 10 more days, with the last few days only requiring a panty liner I got a negative pregnancy test 3 weeks after.
Hope you have lots of support x

We had an early miscarriage at 5 weeks back in July last year - it started off as fresh blood when wiping then the cramps began followed by a "period" for 5 days. I wasn't in too much pain, it was more just the feeling of being on your period, however, the sadness was powerful. I did a pregnancy test about a week after the bleeding and it was confirmed as negative.

No matter how early it is you feel very upset so please be kind to yourself and take all the time that you need Sending you a big hug.

I am now 32 weeks pregnant after allowing a period in August x

Thank you both for your replies, it’s so helpful for me. I feel knocked side ways by grief and sadness. Totally overwhelmed by a deep sadness and cannot understand how I will ever feel better. It helps me to hear other peoples experiences, I suppose I feel less alone. I have a scan this afternoon to rule out ectopic because some of my pain has been one sided but I don’t think it is that and I’d really rather just crawl into bed and cry and not leave the house. I know this is a miscarriage there is pain, heavy bleeding and clots and I can just feel I’m losing the pregnancy. I feared this would happen and now it actually is, it feels like a nightmare.

I have miscarried at 6-7 weeks. I have also miscarried at other stages.

Early miscarriages are not easier because they are earlier. They can take less of a physical toll, but the emotional impact is huge. In the large part, because it is something very personal and lonely.

For me, it lasted just under a week. The bleeding and cramping intensified at around day 2 and I passed a series of large clots. None of the clots could be recognised as anything specific. The cramps were like a very very painful period accompanied by a downward "dragging" sensation. I found it helpful to be upright when they were at their worst.

Send husband out for a couple of packets of nighttime sanitary pads. Drink lots of water and absolutely do crawl into bed, if that is what you need to do.

I know it feels like it will never be better but it will be better. You do come back from this. I promise.

I decided my baby was a girl. I gave her a name and I planted forget me nots in the garden for her. They are well established now and I don't feel awful when I look at them anymore.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your pregnancy.xxx

I’ve had a MC at 5 wks and one at 14 weeks.

The one at 5 wks started like a normal period and was heavier, longer, and more painful but ultimately passed without any management. It was emotionally very difficult, so give yourself a break and look after yourself. As soon as you see that BFP it all becomes a possibility and so when you have a MC, even at 5 weeks, it I’d a loss that you need to grieve for.

I’m really sorry you’re going through this. X