PART TWO: Cramping, Spotting and an emergency ultrasound scan.

We have GOOD NEWS!!

We went for the second scan at the Early Pregnancy Unit today – just under two weeks since my first scan. (You can read what happened during our first scan, here: PART ONE: Cramping, Spotting and an emergency ultrasound scan.). We were so anxious for the re-scan, for obvious reasons. But the Sonographer was able to find the baby straight away, with a very very healthy  and strong heartbeat. My DP immediately had tears. I however, was just so relieved – I can’t even tell you. The heartbeat was this absolutely mesmerising flickering movement within the sac.

I was measured at around 7-8 weeks. Which by my dates works out right – infact according to my dates I’m 8 weeks +0 today.

So so happy!!

We just can’t wait until the 12 week scan now – to get more of a look at our developing baby!

MM.

 [EDIT – I also wanted to add that I have not had any further spotting or cramps since Week 6].

Pregnancy and the Flu Jab.

I received a letter last week from my doctors; offering a Free Flu vaccination. I was quite surprised I had been called for so early – but decided that receiving the jab was essential. This Winter’s Flu jab protects against the same three strains of Flu as last year’s vaccines. These include the H1N1 strain of the Flu virus. H1N1 is the same strain of Flu that caused the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic.

I had the injection on the morning of Saturday 10th December. By the afternoon my left arm was absolutely aching like hell! Then when I woke up on Sunday morning I just felt exhausted; with a really achy arm! By Sunday lunchtime, I was really flagging. I struggled to keep my eyes open – and could not make our usual Sunday roast! DP took care of the roast dinner, but I really had to force myself to eat it – for the sake of the baby growing inside me. I seriously had zero appetite. After lunch I slept all afternoon. I woke up at 10pm feeling even worse. I ached from head to toe. I felt weak and frail. I also noticed a huge red circle on my arm, where the injection had been performed.

I woke up on Monday morning at 6:45am, ready for work. Except I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow. I felt so so ill. My entire back was aching so much – especially the back of my lungs. I couldn’t even clench my fists. I had to call in sick. Only the second time in 3 years – so I think my boss understood ;o

I went back to work on Tuesday – still not feeling great. Infact, today is Wednesday and I still don’t feel 100%!

But hey ho – the side-effects from having the injection clearly out-weigh the effects of actually catching Flu in pregnancy!

For details on why you should get the Flu vaccination, see the dedicated NHS page, here: NHS.uk

MM.

PART ONE: Cramping, Spotting and an emergency ultrasound scan.

So I have a few things to talk about since my last post. I had some cramping, that initially started mild. The type of pains you have when you feel AF just around the corner. Then on 30th November the cramping was getting much worse and was lasting around 5 minutes. The cramping was really low down, almost at my pubic bone. I googled the cramping and found that is was completely normal! PHEW! It’s just all your muscles stretching.

But then yesterday I went to the loo at around10:30am at work. I noticed a TINY amount of brown spotting. But the spotting mixed with my cramps (and still not knowing when my first Midwife appointment will be!) made me call the doctors. My doctor gave me a telephone appointment and referred me to the EPU (Early Pregnancy Unit) at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford.

I was told to arrive at my 10:30am appointment with a relatively full bladder. We arrived at the hospital early, at 10:05am with the full bladder.  Time ticked on and I was eventually seen at 12noon! Needless to say I thought I was going to pass out with the pain of having to wait all that time with said full bladder. I had emptied my bladder, slightly, to relieve the pain, FOUR times whilst waiting to be seen. When I went in for the scan, I was told I was ‘too full’ for a normal scan and so had to empty my bladder completely (really pleased I sat there in agony for all that time and didn’t need to be!) and a Transvaginal Ultrasound Scan was used instead. The scan was uncomfortable, but wasn’t painful.

Unfortunately, the news we had this morning wasn’t good. The Sonographer was able to locate a small sac (dating me at 6 weeks) but could not find a heartbeat. We were told that it could either be too early to find the heartbeat or it could have been because my bladder was so full its altered the scanning capabilites. I have to go back for a further scan on Friday 15th December. We’re feeling really really hopeful. And I just have to make sure that my bladder is not as full next time!

Fingers crossed for us!

MM.

 

 

WE DID IT! BFP!

Did another pregnancy test this morning – this time with Superdrug’s ‘First Response’ test, and got what I would call a faint, but very positive line.  Because you can’t be a little bit pregnant, right?! We’re both ABSOLUTELY ecstatic! And can’t quite believe it to be honest. But it just shows you, my body wasn’t playing tricks on me after all! Couldn’t help but take a picture 🙂

Will be back with some more updates shortly!

MM.

 

[EDIT] Just wanted to add that prior to my positive result I had woken up with a stuffy nose and had a BBT of 36.76c.