The thing about cramping in early pregnancy – is that you don’t really know if it’s “good.” Sure, everyone tells you “it’s normal. I had period-like cramps for days/weeks/months. It’s your hormones. It’s your uterus stretching. You’re doing great!”
And you want so desperately to believe them … these women that have been there and KNOW.
But unlike morning sickness – which everyone equates with a healthy pregnancy for the most part … cramping is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, if it’s a normal pregnancy symptom and you’ve been trying for SO long to get pregnant (and stay pregnant), hey, bring it on! Great! Pregnancy related symptoms – step right up! Happy to see ya! Sit down and stay a while!
But with cramping … which feels EXACTLY like period cramping … there is this nasty little voice that tries to loudly whisper in your ear, “Something is WRONG! That’s why you’re CRAMPING! You are so SCREWED!”
It’s hard not to listen. Especially given that my lower back hurts too. A google search of “lower back pain, early pregnancy” suggests that rising progesterone levels can have something to do with lower back pain in early pregnancy. OK google. If you say so. You better be right. Oh, and a google search on “cramping, early pregnancy” takes you to an article that suggests “cramping might not be a sign of miscarriage.” Oh – it MIGHT not be, you say? Gee thanks. That’s just terrific.
I have no spotting whatsoever. I have no bleeding. My toilet paper remains as white as the driven snow. And so I offer up a fervent prayer.
Please let it stay that way. Please let this be OK. Please let me have this.
I’m home from work today. I just feel crappy. So I’m taking it easy. I don’t want to wish time away … but I wouldn’t mind fast-forwarding just a few weeks. Just to get over this hump.
I have another blood test and a very early ultrasound on Monday. It can’t get here fast enough.
5 comments:
I had AF cramps up until about 10 weeks. Drove me absolutely crazy, I was obsessively going to the bathroom to check, analyzing every twinge more than I did during the 2ww. Ultimately I just had to stay away from google and first tri message boards, it was the only way to stay semi-sane.
Good luck with the blood test and u/s next week!
AF cramps for me too! In fact I refused to "waste" a pregnancy test for several days (this is a clomid child so I wasn't quite to the scheduled beta testing yet)because I was so convinced that AF was about to start. I would have bet a million dollars that AF was coming! 27 weeks later- still no AF = )
Why in the world did God make AF cramps so similiar to early pregnancy cramps? I think just to drive people like you and I crazy! Waiting is so hard but you are getting close so hang in there! I am thinking and praying for you often.....Melisha
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I just wanted to write to suggest that you HYDRATE (water) like crazy! My OBGYN told me to do that for my last pregnancy when I had early cramps and it helped a lot. We were fortunate to conceive on our first IUI and now we're trying again (2 1/2 years later). Had my IUI on Monday and have to wait til 3/31 to get my blood test. I haven't had any uterine twinges this time and don't want to read anything negative into it. But, as you can see I'm online researching it, which is how I found your site. :-) I am SUPER impatient!
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Thank you for this. I had an IVF transfer 7 days ago, and find results in 5 days. Last 2 I've had identical cramps to normal period and it is so scary. Best of luck to all of us. I read somewhere to take Tylenol (sp?) to trick mind into forgetting about the cramps, thus the stress.
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