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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Period pains at 33 weeks - need reassurance

31 replies

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:01

I am 33 weeks today and all day I have had mild BHs but I also keep getting period cramps. They are not very intense but they are painful.

Normally I would just try and ignore them but DH is totally uncontactable until tomorrow night so I am nervous. Also I left my mobile at work and we have no landline so if I do need to call for help I can't.

I am sure it is all paranoia. Tell me period pains are nothing to worry about.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

liahgen · 23/10/2008 20:03

take a couple of paracetamol and a warm bath. If no change or worse, then call mw for advice.

Do you have a neighbpur you could knock to borrow phone?

DraculaNeedsArteries · 23/10/2008 20:06

How often are you having BHs/cramps?

I believe that if you have more than 4 per hour you should call MW to get checked.

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:08

That is the problem - I cannot call anyone.

DD is asleep upstairs so I can't go out.

The neighbours on my right are having their house renovated so are living elsewhere, the neighbours of the left are scary and I have never spoken to them. I have friends about 1 min away in case of emergency but I can't walk there and leave DD asleep (I would also feel like I was making a huge deal of it if I did that).

Are period pains a worrying symptom?

OP posts:

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:09

Its hard to say how regular they are as they are not at regular intervals. The period cramps are sort of constant (so not like contractions). The BH come and go, some close together, some breaks of an hour or so, some last ages and some are fleeting.

OP posts:

liahgen · 23/10/2008 20:18

sounds fairly normal bh's. BUT if you are at all concerned that this is unusual FOR YOU then you must seek advice.

On a scale of 1-10 how painful would you say they were, 1 is very little, 10 is, OMG

DraculaNeedsArteries · 23/10/2008 20:19

Hmmm....

period pains can be worrying, but they can also be inocent.

BH don't have to be regular but if you happen to have more than 4 in a single hour then worth getting checked.

I had 20odd BHs in 1 hour (was already in hosp after having 5 in an hour previous night)....but it was nothing.

I think your decription doesn't sound overly worrying ATM. I would just keep an eye on it. Try taking on a lot of fluid (you can get extra BHs if you are dehydrated as the hormones are more concentrated in blood stream). Also keep your bladder empty as a full bladder can irritate the uterus and cause contractions.

liahgen · 23/10/2008 20:20

agree with dracula re the dehydration.

Is baby as active as usual?

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:23

Will drink lots.

The baby is very active. More than normal. The BHs do not hurt - they just feel like a band tightening round my womb. The period pains are not a terrible pain - probably 3.5/10 - but I have never had them at this stage before.

OP posts:

DraculaNeedsArteries · 23/10/2008 20:28

I had an "irritable uterus" with my second, which basically meant that my uterus would contract at all sorts of stimuli...diahrooea, a fart, full bladder, over eager MWs with sonicaid and torch on a 6am ward round (the 20+ per hour ones ), an overactive baby.

It doesn't sound unlike that. Just keep an eye on the frequency.

liahgen · 23/10/2008 20:28

keep an eye on things, if anything becomes out of the ordinary for you, then take lo and go make a call to mw.

take care

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:32

Thank you.

Since posting the period pains seem to be getting worse. I hope it is just psychosomatic and they are intensifying because I am realising how stuck I will be if there is a problem .

I might try going to bed.

OP posts:

lulumama · 23/10/2008 20:35

please call your MW. you are worried, the pains are getting worse, it is probably nothing, but you need to be checked. can a community midwife come out to you

hardly likely you are going to get a good nights sleep is it?

DraculaNeedsArteries · 23/10/2008 20:36

If you are genuinely worried (and only you can decide that) please get checked out.

It is not impossible to be in labour at 33wks...and if there is any chance that you may be in labour the sooner you get seen teh more likely they can do something about it. If you are not in labour then you will hopefully stop worying about it, and you will be able to relax.

liahgen · 23/10/2008 20:36

take couple paracetamol, try and get an hours sleep. If it wakes you up, please seek advice from your mw.

was your 1st child a preemie at all?

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:42

My first child was born at 38 weeks after an induction so I have no history of premature births. My mum gave birth to me at 34 weeks though.

Could it be the baby's head engaging? The baby is thrashing around like a mad thing.

OP posts:

liahgen · 23/10/2008 20:45

Artichokes, I would urge you to get your lo up , wrap them up warm and pop to friends to call mw.

As others have said, you are obviously worried. Are movements within normal range for you?

EffiePerine · 23/10/2008 20:47

Arti: I would pop round to your friends' as well. You don't want to be haning round worrying in a house with no phone line.

Or, can you get hold of anyone by email who can pop in with their phone and stay with you just in case?

DraculaNeedsArteries · 23/10/2008 20:50

The fact that your mum gave birth at 34wks could be relevant....my mother had 2 prem births, and it was cited as a likely contributor (along with other things) to my premature labour.

I agree with liahgen - I am sufficiently concerned about your description of the situation to urge you to seek medical advice.

I have to go now, thinking of you.

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 20:57

Right, well I think I agree that I need to call someone - just to check. I have therefore spent the last 10 minutes rummaging around under the stairs for our old landline receiver. I found it gathering dust in the corner. I think it should work if I plug it into the phone socket I use for broadband (it should, shouldn't it? or is a braodband line different? its BT). I am going to give it a go. If it does not work I might run to my friends (if I run it will take 45 seconds). Then I will ask if I can borrow her phone and will run back (DD will be alone and asleep for less than 3 mins).

I am such a DUNCE to leave my phone at work when DH is away.

Why do I have to feel like this when he is uncontactable??

OP posts:

JustKeepSwimming · 23/10/2008 21:01

Any news?

liahgen · 23/10/2008 21:07

running at 33wks,

i couldn't run at bloody 13 wks.

EffiePerine · 23/10/2008 21:36

did the phone work?

Anf get your landline fixed!

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 21:39

OK - the good news is that the period pain is dying down. It is no longer constant and its coming in spasms instead. It is a little less painful.

The bad news is I cannot get the phone receiver to work. I can get a dial tone but then whatever number I dial the BT recorded voice says "sorry that number has not been recognised, please check it and try again". I find that odd as if it has a dial tone and connects to the BT voice then surely the line is alive. I wonder if 999 would work (I will not experiment)?

Anyway, as the pain is a bit better I am not going to run to my friends. If it gets worse in the night I will.

OP posts:

Original poster

artichokes · 23/10/2008 21:40

Lol Effie - I will get it fixed, I promise. We just never used it and DD kept randomly dialling differnt numbers so we decided to unplug it.

OP posts:

liahgen · 23/10/2008 21:40

just look after yourself.

Is baby ok?

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