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

Original poster

Pregnancy after C-section. Stretching pains or something more sinister?

26 replies

lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 18:40

I'm 12 weeks pregnant and had a c-section for the birth of my daughter last June. I had some quite bad cramping early on in the pregnancy which I put down to ligament pains etc.

Today I've been having some quite bad pains low down, worse than the previous cramping, and I've been feeling really off colour all day. Could this be the old scar tissue stretching as my uterus gets bigger? And am I likely to have this sort of pain throughout?

I've had two miscarriages in the past and am feeling quite worried at the moment. I just wondered if anyone else with less than a year between c-section and getting pregnant again has had any similar sort of pains.

I've got my dating scan tomorrow so will find out if all is well, but I think I'm going to have a tense evening and sleepless night

OP posts:
Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 18:49

bump

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Roskva · 20/04/2008 18:59

Can you phone your MW or maternity unit? I'm sure they would be happy to talk to you about what you are experiencing. I had a cs in Aug 06, and I'm 16 weeks along with number 2. I've had lots of lower abdominal aches, but nothing like serious cramping.

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 19:05

I'm in for my dating scan at 9am tomorrow so I thought I may as well wait it ouot till then. I just wondered if it was normal. It's not as bad as with my MCs, but it's a bit more than what I had previously iyswim.

I thought I'd ask the MN collective first before I called them. I've not had any bleeding, so that can only be a good thing I suppose

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Roskva · 20/04/2008 19:16

Definitely a good sign there is no bleeding. But please talk to someone tonight if you can. My MW gave me all the telephone numbers at my booking appointment, and she said the maternity unit would rather see 100 women and reassure 99, if that means they can help the 1 who has developed a problem.

I've got to feed the family a mo, but I'll be back later if you need to chat.

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 19:21

thanks roskva. I'll call them after I've put the DCs in bed

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Klaw · 20/04/2008 19:29

It is very possible that it is ligament stretching but best to be safe than sorry. There's no such thing as a stupid question in pg and if it means you are reassured then great!

mw are likely to be sympathetic with your previous history.

what does your instinct say? Mayernal instinct is very powerful.

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 19:45

I'm trying not to listen to it Klaw, as it's telling me to think the worst

I just don't feel right iyswim, but I'm not sure they'll do anything tonight and will just say wait till tomorrow morning. I'm booked in at 9am. I've got a bit of backache as well, but I have a bad back anyway and have spent a few days on the sofa so I know that's probably due to immobility.

DH says I look very drained, but that is probably lack of sleep as I've had a few bad nights....which probably isn't helping.

I'll call them now.

OP posts:
Klaw · 20/04/2008 19:49

good, call now, do not worry about wasting anyone's time, YOU are the most important one right now and hopefully it will mean you can rest easier tonight after you've spoken with someone, or gone in for a check up.

whomovedmychocolate · 20/04/2008 19:51

I had very similar pains early on in this pregnancy - they do go away - although I've had fierce braxton hicks from about 20 weeks (I'm umm 25 weeks now).

I did have a scar infection though - does your scar feel bumpy or red at all? Mine was infected for 16 months before we realised . I thought it was just settling.

Feeling like shit in the first trimester is completely normal though. Try not to worry. Take a couple of paracetamols and get some rest.

Good luck.

poppypinkcheeks · 20/04/2008 19:53

I had a CS last year and am 6weeks pg and am having really bad cramps too, like a heavy period type pain. It didn't even occur to me that it might be scar tissue
Hope everything goes well at the appt tmrw, let us know what they say - I would be very interested!

VictorianSqualor · 20/04/2008 19:54

I posted this thread a few months ago!
I called the hospital and they got me to go in and be checked, everything was fine but bestter to be safe than sorry.

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 19:59

well, I've tried the antenatal number and the community midwives. No answer, no recorded message of where to try next, no being put through to another department. I really don't want to be bothering the delivery suite in case some poor woman in the throes of labour is trying to get through.

I'm going to take some paracetomol and have an early night. I have been feeling what I think are the first fluttery movements and the MW found the heartbeat at my booking appointment last week, so I'm trying to keep those positive thoughts in my mind.

Thanks for your responses

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Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 20:00

OK, VS, you've convinced me to try the delivery suite!

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whomovedmychocolate · 20/04/2008 20:02

If they aren't answering just stay on the line - eventually it will go through to the next extension which will probably be delivery anyway!

Divvy · 20/04/2008 20:06

You could have a water infection, as it would give you pain there too. It would need loking at either way, so best get checked out.

Every pain I get now, I blame on my c/s scar, also only 13 months ago and I am 26 weeks now.

If it is pain from bladder, try drinking lots of water till you can get seen

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 20:13

Right, I spoke to a lovely MW in the delivery suite who put me through to the EPU/gynae assessment ward.

They wouldn't be able to see me until tomorrow anyway so to just go for the dating scan as planned....no sonographers this late on a Sunday, but she said it's most probably scar tenderness and if there is no bleeding to try and not worry . She said I could take some co-codamol, which I still have buckets of from after my section.

I'm a bit dehydrated as well so that probably isn't helping; add the lack of sleep and the not insignificant PND and I'm just feeling a bit fragile.

So, a couple of co-codamol and bed for me.

Thanks my lovelies

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Klaw · 20/04/2008 20:17

I had pain at 4 weeks, drove straight to gp during my lunch break and refused to leave till a GP came out from meeting.... receptionist asked if I could come back. I gave her my best Paddington stare, tinged with tears, and said no!

GP reckoned it was mild urine infection, but tests later came back negative, whilst I drank like a fish over that weekend! God I hate Cranberry juice...

I learned from that that although I'd had urine infections before they are totally different during pg

Klaw · 20/04/2008 20:19

Good, can you get dh to give you a nice back rub, have a soak in the bath and get an early night?

drinks lots of water and regularly

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 20:21

the urine infection is a possibility, now I think of how dehydrated I am. No pain on weeing, but I know from previous pregnancies that that is often the case.

Will drink buckets of water/cranberry and face the fact I'll be weeing for Scotland all night

DH is hunting all over the house for the box of co-codamol that I know is somewhere!

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Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 20:26

DH is going to go out on a cranberry juice search in a minute. Thank goodness it's popular now and you can buy it everywhere!

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Roskva · 20/04/2008 21:25

I have to dilute cranberry juice to drink it, but I guess that's still liquid going in. I'm glad you made that phone call, Daisy. Try to visualise nice things as you settle down to sleep. Thinking of you [hug]

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 21/04/2008 11:44

Had my scan, and everything is well with the baby . Taken a sample to send away to test, but registrar very sure it's a UTI. After I'd emptied my bladder last night the pain went, and it's not as acute this morning. Still glugging the cranberry juice, diluted as I hate the stuff. i won't get the results till next week, by which time it'll probably have cleared.

OMG, I've got a baby in my tummy

thanks for your kind words everyone; I just hadn't thought about a UTI being a possibility.

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Klaw · 21/04/2008 12:47

Oh that's a relief!

I very often want to suggest UTI as a possibility but would hate to think someone didn't get checked out as a result and it turned out to be more serious, iyswim....

Aint the female body amazing?

Original poster
lackaDAISYcal · 21/04/2008 15:18

ain't it just

OP posts:
Roskva · 22/04/2008 19:53

Glad everything is fine, Daisy. It's a great moment, that first scan, isn't it?

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