A (hopefully) expectant father here!

[harveyshammers]

Hi guys!

A (hopefully) expectant father here!

I've been talking to the lovely people in the first trimester here but thought I'd ask in the main chat to get some more experiences.

I'm a born worrier so I've got a lot of questions and I keep googling everything so hoping you can all help we found out my wife was pregnant last week, the Clear Blue said 1-2 weeks which made her 4 weeks pregnant at that time. We've since taken another Clear Blue test, this time a few days later which went to 2-3 weeks which I believe is a great sign that things are progressing as they should be and her HCG levels are increasing. However, I have two things that are worrying me which I'm hoping you can either help with:

1) Lack of symptoms - since we found out my wife has experienced some mild cramping. Nothing major, some slight painful moments but mainly mild and on and off (some days not at all). At the start she also had some very light pink spotting when she wiped but that has since stopped and some bloating (feeling gassy). From my googling this all sounds normal and nothing to worry about - correct? The only thing is she hasn't experienced any morning sickness or sore nipples/boobs. As far as I can see the vast majority of people have some form of this so has anyone on here got through pregnancy not experiencing either of these symptoms or gone through a large part of the 1st trimester (she's 5 weeks now) without having these symptoms? My worry is that not having these means something is wrong but I'm sure I'm well off track!

2) Does anyone have any experience of potential Thyroid problems and pregnancy? My wife had a blood test a few weeks ago re her Thyroid (before we knew she was pregnant). The tests came back saying that her Thyroid hormone levels are fine but she has high levels of Thyroid antibodies. The letter says that means she has a high chance of developing Thyroid issues in the future and to test every 6 months or so. A quick google suggests potential a link between Thyroid problems and pregnancy - does anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?

Thanks again

 

[Demerera]

Hi Harvey, congrats on your wife's BFP!

I have no idea about thyroid, but I do know it is completely normal not to have symptoms in early pg... I didn't have any until at least 6/7 weeks, and even then I wasn't sure if I was imagining it! I know you do will the symptoms on, as it is reassuring, but it is totally fine not to be having them at this stage. Some women go through their entire pg with no symptoms, and many would count them lucky!!

Good luck with it and I hope someone else can help you more with regards the thyroid questions..

XX

 

[harveyshammers]

Hi Harvey, congrats on your wife's BFP!

I have no idea about thyroid, but I do know it is completely normal not to have symptoms in early pg... I didn't have any until at least 6/7 weeks, and even then I wasn't sure if I was imagining it! I know you do will the symptoms on, as it is reassuring, but it is totally fine not to be having them at this stage. Some women go through their entire pg with no symptoms, and many would count them lucky!!

Good luck with it and I hope someone else can help you more with regards the thyroid questions..

XX

Hello Demerera

Thanks for the advice, really appreciated. Great to hear from other people who know a lot more about this than I do!

 

[MrsB2105]

Hi, congrats on being a father in the making

In my first pregnancy I had barely any symptoms at all, this pregnancy I did have mild cramping but it was down to my uterus stretching to make space for babies to grow. Bloating is completely normal too as your wife's body is going through a lot of hormonal changes. Not everyone suffers with morning sickness and I have only had it this pregnancy and not in my first pregnancy, everyone and every pregnancy is different. Unfortunately I don't know enough about thyroids, I know they can be affected by hormones but that's about it. Just make sure your wife takes her vitamins and gets rest when she needs it and all should be well, but if you have any concerns just ask as we all try to help if we can

 

[Toni1]

Hi and congratulations! I'm not sure about thyroids but all pregnancies doesn't come with symptoms. I had three perfect pregnancies no symptoms whatsoever until baby number four. Trust me I'd rather have no symptoms. Good luck I hope all goes well for you,wife and baby.

 

[Rjt_england]

Congrats from another father we are expecting our 2nd now!

Totally agree how worrying this all can be and I hope you find your answers!

My wife is having "thyroid issues" this time round. The levels they measure were high, for somebody not expecting nothing too dramatic, but as she is they said this is critical so she was given tablets, has seen a consultant and will have her bloods checked every 4 weeks to make sure all is ok

Am not sure about future risks etc etc, but this is the current state we are facing

 

[harveyshammers]

Thanks for the replies! Really appreciated.

She's got a call with the doctors today so hopefully they can give us some advice and refer us if required. My wife also reminded me that she apparently has an heart shaped womb - a quick google shows some worrying stories! Anyone also in this boat?


Thanks again

 

[MrsB2105]

Sorry can't help with the heart shaped womb part I know nothing about it

 

[KirstyLeigh88]

Hi and congratulations!

I haven't had hardly any symptoms at all during this pregnancy, I was every lucky that I didn't have any sickness at all at the start, to be fair I had that much of a lack of symptoms it wasn't until we had the first scan that I believed I was pregnant! Please try not to worry, every pregnancy is different to the other.

 

[harveyshammers]

Morning!

So not the greatest update here, in fact we're very worried that my wife is having a miscarriage.

We tested clear blue on Thursday and it came back as 3+ weeks so we were delighted! She was still suffering with cramps and her breasts has started to feel heavy and tender - things were looking good! Then this morning happened. She woke up this morning to have a wee, wiped and brown blood was evident (this has continued). Her boobs no longer felt heavy or tender - in her words "I feel normal". We then took another clear blue digital today and now it's showing 2-3 which I'm assuming means the hcg levels are down we're now worried and assuming this means miscarriage? Any similar positive stories or should we prepare for the worst?

Thank you again for all of your help and kind comments

 

[MrsB2105]

I had a bleed (brown when wiping) in my first pregnancy and have a healthy boy ... However a bleed is a bleed you must take her to get checked

 

[Toni1]

Yes definitely take her to be checked out. I've never had a bleed but I thought brown was just old blood and it's the bright red to be concerned about but again I'm not sure but very sure that she should get checked out.

 

[MrsB2105]

I think brown is old blood ... But still worth being checked for just incase

Let us know how your wife gets on

 

[snowbee]

Hiya, I also have a normal thyroid level but have thyroid antibodies. There is a link between these antibodies and miscarriage but unfortunately there is currently no treatment and therefore nothing at all you can do about it.

I've had 2 miscarriages and I was recruited by a medical research team and asked if I would participate in a trial for people with raised level of antibodies but regular thyroid function. I have signed up for the trial as I figured I have nothing to lose. I do have a very high risk of miscarriage as I also have pcos, so the two combined put my risk much higher than having the antibodies alone.

My only experience with clear blue conception indicator has been it not rising and each time this has been followed by mc for me. However this is not at all the case for everyone so stay positive. It is possible she was only just over the 3 week limit the first time and the second the urine sample was more dilute so showed under. It is also possible that there were originally twins but one has not developed further, thus giving a lower reading. Good luck.

 

[snowbee]

Oh I've just seen she also has a heart shaped womb. My scans have been inconclusive on whether I have one or not, the current opinion is that I do but it is very slight. Whether it is an issue or not depends on the severity of the shape. If there is a big center piece a pregnancy can't be sustained if it implants on this piece. It is a fairly straightforward operation to have this corrected if it is a problem for her. She would really need more scans and the degree to which her womb is heart shaped needs to be assessed, how did she already know about it? She must have had previous scans so has she had trouble with it before?

 

[MrsB2105]

The twin thing is true, it's called vanishing twin syndrome, researchers suspect that there are a lot of pregnancies begin as twins but nobody ever knows as by the time they go for the first scan the first twin has vanished ... I know this as I scared the hell out of myself through Google when I found out I was having twins

 

[harveyshammers]

Thanks for the replies all, the comments are really appreciated.

Quick update. So we had more brown/very dark red blood (with clots, if you moved it around apparently it was a little redder) on Saturday through the day. It was very dark and covered a fair bit of a pad.

I started to resign myself to the worst news but after a while the brown blood/clots started to stop and slow down over Saturday and now my wife hardly has anything (maybe a tiny bit, some small clots) - Sunday and today (so far). We also tested another Clear Blue on Saturday evening and it came back to 3+.

She feels ok, had some cramps last night but nothing major. Her breasts have started to ache/hurt again and she's started to have bad headaches and feels a bit sick in the morning (again, nothing major but still).

We called the EPU and they were really good. Said that was it was brown/very dark blood it should be old and nothing much to worry about - apparently it is very normal? She said we were more than welcome to come in if worried or go to Doctors on Tuesday/Wednesday if still concerned.

Unsure what to do now seeing as the bleeding as stopped (so far) and the symptoms have returned. Any advice is appreciated the first appointment with the midwife is next week Wednesday.

Re heart shaped womb - she had a scan and she thought her ovaries were hurting a while back. All came back fine but they person doing the scan commented on this - she didn't sound concerned or said anything bad at the time.

Thanks again all!

 

[harveyshammers]

Evening everyone!

So I've got an update for you all.

My wife hasn't really had any symptoms recently - sore breasts only lightly and no morning sickness. I was still worrying after the brown blood last week and then yesterday she told me that she had bright red spotting followed by a more red blood (about a periods worth). Straight away we went to the local EPU and spoke to (I'm assuming) a midwife. She asked a number of questions, felt the stomach of my wife and did a few tests. She couldn't say one way or another and booked us in for a scan the next day (today).

Went into the scan, got took through and the person doing the scan asked a number of questions - basically she confirmed my wife had a heart shaped womb (she thought it could be twins first!) but said this was nothing to worry about. Anyway, cut a long story short she told us we had a embryo and it was attached to a yolk sac, all in the right place. She also showed us the pulsing of the heart which was amazing! She measured the baby at approximately 6 weeks and 1/2 days, though I think we're at 7 due to the conceived dates - is this normal? Could she be in fact 6 weeks and 1/2 days and it just took a few days? She said obviously this was just a snap shot of the pregnancy now but everything looked normal and nothing to be concerned about to date.

Anyway we left the EPU on a high and continued on our day. This evening my wife has had some more brown blood followed by more fresh blood - not a periods worth but she can feel more coming according to her. Of course with the scan being today I'm trying to stay positive but I can't help but worry - any thoughts on this? Is there a point where we should go into EPU again or do we just leave it? No pain as of yet and no symptoms.

Thanks again for all of the kind words and support. We've got our first midwife appointment tomorrow and will mention everything to her as well.

 

[MrsB2105]

The dates can be a little out at the beginning its not until baby gets bigger that the dates become accurate.

It's always wise to ring EPU if you have any worries as they are there to help. I had no symptoms with my first son so don't worry about that.

Congrats on the baby though ... Also not to put a dampener on it, it's my sensible work head on ... Just because everything was great in the scan today, the scan only shows real time so any concerns you should get checked out

 

[KateK]

I was wondering how you were Harvey! Glad to hear everything seems to be ok - wouldn't worry too much about the dates, I've heard of people being put back by 2 weeks at early scans! Dating isn't really too accurate until the 12 week scan as they all grow at such different rates That's good that you have the midwife to talk to today, don't be too polite to ask for help (I am the same, hate to cause a fuss..) as the EPU are truly there to help and if she's still bleeding i'm sure they'll want to monitor it. I know precisely how it feels to be riding on a high and then come crashing down when something new comes along to worry about - it is horrible and the first 12 weeks (and beyond to be honest) are an absolute rollercoaster. You're doing absolutely everything you can for your wife and baby, wishing all the best for you.