On Sunday, a couple hours after brunch, I started to experience some cramping. This happened to me one other time many weeks ago during pregnancy right before bed and by the time I went to sleep and woke up the next morning, everything felt okay again. I just sort of figured this would be similar to my last cramping experience, but when the cramping didn’t dissipate for hours and I woke up on Monday with a continuous light cramping feeling, I started to feel a little concerned. I went about my normal work day feeling overly aware of a light cramping sensation that never let up. The cramping also seemed to migrate lower and lower which heightened my anxiety.
I started to get myself more and more worried (why I chose to consult Dr. Google when I know that will just freak me out further, I’ll never know) and eventually called my mom after work to explain how I was feeling. My mom is a nurse and asked me a handful of questions and said she thought I was fine but encouraged me to call my OB/GYN just to be safe. I spoke with a triage nurse who asked me a bunch of very thorough questions. She was so kind and calm and by the end of our call, she said she thought my cramping was likely gastrointestinal versus uterine (which she said was a good thing) and asked me to go to a local CVS or Walgreens for a quick blood pressure screening, which I did immediately. She also told me she thought my cramping could be related to dehydration and encouraged me to drink lots of water.
Once I arrived at CVS, I sat down and took my blood pressure twice before purchasing some sparkling water and calling the nurse again.
Since my blood pressure came back normal, the nurse said she wasn’t too concerned and advised me to better monitor my water intake since the cramping was likely due to dehydration, so I’ve been hydrating like crazy.
She encouraged me to call her back if cramping continued or worsened but I am already feeling much, much better today.
As I typed everything out to share with you guys this morning, I realize freaking out over light cramping may seem trivial, but I really was scared and felt very grateful for the ability to call a triage nurse who was so kind and knowledgeable and wish I just would’ve reached out to my OB/GYN sooner. I’m not sure why I let myself wait so long – probably because my cramping was rather light – but I guess part of me felt like I was being an overly paranoid pregnant woman since I have experienced more worry and anxiety during pregnancy than I ever thought I would.
Up until yesterday, part of me felt attached to our little guy, but part of me also struggled with really feeling connected to the baby boy growing in my belly. When I feel him move, there is nothing better and I am dying to meet him, but I definitely did not feel an instant bond or real connection to the baby growing inside me until yesterday.
I think it took feeling scared and overly paranoid for me to realize that I care so, so deeply for our baby boy. I want him to be safe in my belly. I want him to grow big and strong and enter this world as a healthy little newborn when the time is right for us to meet him. In looking for the silver lining in all of the anxiety I felt yesterday, I realized something rather huge: I am already falling in love with our little one. We may not have the connection I’m sure will come when I meet our baby and get to know him, but we have something. And it’s big and it’s powerful and it’s amazing.
Question of the Morning
- For the mamas out there: Did you ever struggle with excessive worry or anxiety during pregnancy? Was there anything you did that helped ease your mind and concerns?
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I’m so glad everything is ok! I think someday you’ll show those pictures of the blood pressure machine to your son and you’ll both laugh.
Definitely have felt lots of pregnancy anxiety – it’s so hard (and then I have anxiety about the anxiety which just gets ridiculous). Definitely err on the side of calling your dr. – I’ve called ours quite a bit this pregnancy and I feel like it’s much better to be safe and talk with them – everything has turned out okay thank goodness, but I am glad to have the extra reassurance from the person who knows a lot more about it than me. Glad everything is ok with your little guy!! Hugs to you!
This is such a beautiful post, Julie! <3 I'm so glad everything is ok too!
I never really experienced crazy anxiety, but I felt pretty scared/anxious for my 1st pregnancy during the 1st tri because you just never know. After that I really didn't–but I agree, small things make you pause for a moment & check in with yourself. As I was reading your post I thought to myself, she might've been dehydrated because something similar happened to me during my first pregnancy! I'm so glad that is all it was–having a day similar to that during my 1st, I now with this 2nd pregnancy drink tonnnnnnnssss of water–it's a part of the 'taking care of me & baby' routine daily 🙂
Yes. I worried about EVERYTHING. Every little ache and pain and then worried when I didnt feel my baby move in so many hours. Just wait mama, the worrying doesn’t stop when they are in your arms 🙂 Glad everything is good! The doctor and nurses are there to help you and have probably heard everything, don’t be afraid to call!!
So glad everything is okay!!!
Big hugs to you! Gosh, I totally get it. I’m already a fairly anxious person (always working on it!), and pregnancy hasn’t exactly helped it. I thought maybe it’d be better in my second pregnancy, but nope, I’ve realized it’s all part of this motherhood thing…and pregnancy is only the beginning! I’m just thankful I have my faith in Christ to help me get through the harder , more worrisome days…lots of praying happens! Not sure what I would do without my relationship with God. He gives me a sense of peace no one else can, and I recognize that whatever happens (even the very worst case scenario!), is according to His perfect plan and purpose. xo
I agree with every word of this 🙂
Don’t feel bad about being concerned for your baby’s health. This idea that women are being weak or overly emotional for being concerned or anxious during pregnancy is obnoxious and totally sexiest. Obviously, there are many modern men who don’t think like this but our culture has bought into this crazy idea that concern and emotion are signs of weakness or stupidity. Same thing applies to asking for help.
Being a triage nurse as well (OB nurse), we are a good resource when our future mamas are feeling anxious or have any concerns. I’m glad she was able to help you and reassured you 🙂
I was SO grateful for the triage nurse I spoke with yesterday — Thank you for the work you do!! <3
I did not experience that much anxiety. I trusted my body and decided to listen to her and not my mind. I probably should have worried about some things, but I had a healthy pregnancy, L&D was quick and recovery not that bad. My little guy is 5 months next week!
Water is key. I had a lot of braxton hicks for months. Water was essential to reduce them.
I was a nervous wreck when I was pregnant with the girls. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders with every single “milestone” – reaching viability, then 28 weeks, then 30 weeks, etc… it’s totally normal to have concerns/anxieties during your pregnancy!
I’m so happy everything turned out to be o.k. I just had my 3rd baby and I struggled from the minute I found out I was pregnant with anxiety over the health of my baby/pregnancy. I’m so fortunate to have healthy pregnancies and babies but that overwhelming fear can be so hard to deal with. You just need to listen to your body and obgyn and keep telling yourself you are overall healthy and know that everything is going how it should. That anxiety will continue when your little one is sleeping, or coughing, or any little thing but that just means you care and are a protective Momma. Try and just enjoy this time because although it may not seem like it, it goes by so fast.
Glad you’re ok! I can’t even imagine what it will be like when I am pregnant. I love to worry so I’m sure everything will be a crisis. That’s why I’m trying to get my absurdities taken care of before we even start trying haha
Such a sweet post. Glad you called to check. I had anxiety for both pregnancies. I couldn’t wait for my next OB appt to hear the heartbeat.
I had crazy anxiety throughout which was really surprising to me. My little man had an issue with his cord so anything off always made me panic. Finally what helped me was when my friend said, you are pregnant today right this minute and that’s a beautiful thing. I would always repeat that to myself. Because at the end of the day, besides hydration and eating well there really isn’t much in our control.
Now I have a spunky healthy (a little tiny) 8 month old and I’m grateful for him everyday!
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and love reading about your pregnancy, as I too am expecting (about to end the first trimester)I just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I’m a nurse and pregnant for the first time but still feel waves of anxiety, even though I know more than the average new momma. Your anxiety is never trivial… if you’re worried, you’re worried and should get whatever it is checked out. You absolutely did the right thing! I would have done the same and I AM a nurse! Ha! So, I guess I just wanted to say you’re not alone in your anxiety. It’s actually nice to hear other experiences of worry because it is hard to feel like you’re not alone sometimes.
Keep hydrating! 🙂
Lori
I have a lot of anxiety 1st and 2nd trimester but by 3rd I was always happy! It resurfaces postpartum for me though so make sure to keep an open dialogue about your mental struggles with your ob!
Isn’t is so hard to keep on top of water?? My little girl (she’s 17 months now) i craved coffee! Between the few cups of coffee I drank a day and all that water I lived in the restroom! But really it seems like most issues are linked to how hydrated you are! If I wasn’t sure I always drank a bottle of water and layed on my side for an hour before calling in. But that wasn’t until my second pregnancy! Every little weirdness I was on that phone with my first! LOL!!!
Happy thoughts your way!
This was the absolute sweetest post ever! I’m sorry you were so worried and anxious, but you did the right thing calling your mom and the triage nurse – I’m so glad she was able to help you through. Just the small suggestions she gave, she seems very knowledgeable and definitely knows how to help a mommy-to-be. 🙂 I can’t even imagine the connection you’re beginning to feel with your little man, but it moves me to tears! Can’t wait for you and Ryan to meet him. 🙂
First of all, I’m so glad to hear that everything seems to be okay.
And yes, I can tooootally relate to the worry and anxiety. This is my first pregnancy too and it’s overwhelming just how much I love this tiny baby already – I want to do all I can to protect him and help him grow healthy and strong. Pregnancy, for me anyway, is such a huge lesson in trusting though. I think my faith has grown tremendously because, while I’m certainly doing what I can to take care of my health, I can’t ultimately control what happens.
Although I am not a mother, I do suffer generalized anxiety disorder and frequently experience panic attacks. I know what it’s like to have anxiety take control over your body and cause nothing but distress and fear. You are absolutely NOT strange or should at all feel badly or guilty about experiencing these emotions and feelings. It shows that you are human and you have love for that precious life form growing inside you! If anything, this just shows how much of a strong, compassionate and caring mother that you are going to be when the day arrives. I am so proud of you and all the others who are able to speak openly about mental health and assure everyone else out there that this is a normal, human emotion that we all experience some time.. So many of us are lucky to have you to show us that and to help us to not be afraid. Thank you. 🙂
i definitely had huge amounts of anxiety the entire pregnancy… But once I was farther along it got a little better because he was moving all the time! Definitely comforting to have an active little guy in your belly… Plus he got the hiccups a lot too!! Whenever I was struggling with anxiety I looked at these verses that I found: http://graceformoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/10-Scriptures-for-Fighting-Fear.pdf
They really did help. Always nice to know that He is in control and has a perfect plan for our little guys. 🙂
Worrying is part of pregnancy and it doesn’t stop once the baby is born. My daughter is 28 and I still worry about her and have anxiety when she is doing something I don’t agree with. Now she has 3 little ones and she knows how it feels. We are even closer now.
My husband and I have been super nervous as well with my pregnancy (also my first). I don’t know the number of times he’s asked if I’m “cramping or bleeding”. Not something you expect to be asked often! Around 10 weeks in, all my symptoms went away-no more nausea, my boobs stopped hurting, and I was sleeping through the night again. Normally, this would sound awesome but we were so worried the baby had died. We called and spoke to the triage nurse who was very nice and asked if it was my first pregnancy. haha. She told me to just enjoy feeling good and not to worry that it was very normal. A few days later the nausea returned. My first appt wasn’t until I was 11 1/2 weeks in so I was so nervous since we hadn’t had an u/s to confirm yet. I kept saying I wanted proof of life because until you have one you don’t really know. It seems like a lot of people have appts at 8 weeks in or so but my office didn’t try to schedule me any sooner. I was sooooo nervous until we saw the baby kicking and heard it’s heatbeat!
Yes. I worry about everything and I’d like to say it gets better/goes away, but it doesn’t. My peanut is 17 months now and I still worry.
During pregnancy, I worried when I didn’t feel her moving after x amount of hours.
It’s tough but a baby is such a life changing experience and this is just the beginning.
So glad everything is okay! I’ve never been pregnant, but as a fairly anxious person, I can only imagine the anxiety you’d experience during pregnancy. Good idea to call a nurse/doc if something seems to be worrying you – better to be safe than sorry 🙂
Oh man, I can totally relate!! I am 10w tomorrow, and the first time I felt cramping was probably around 5 or 6w. The first time was accompanied by a teeeeeeny tiny bit of spotting too, so I was completely freaked out. I had a perfect 8w appointment though, so it was nothing!
I have noticed a very strong correlation between my hydration levels and cramping since then! I’m trying my best to calm down and drink some water before freaking out, because the cramping always subsides once I hydrate (I’m well-hydrated most days, but sometimes I just forget!).
Glad to hear everything is better today 🙂 that anxiety is no joke!!
I can only imagine how worried you must feel about everything going on with your body — and how all those things are connected to your little one inside. It’s a beautiful thing, but also scary too!
I’m at 36 weeks with my first and I completely understand the anxiety. I had a problem at around 20 weeks where I thought my fluid was low. Made an appointment just to be sure and it was fine. A few weeks after that during a routine ultrasound, they discovered my fluid was low this time. (Everything is fine now.) Being pregnant it pretty scary sometimes because there’s a little human in there and you (the mama) are not in complete control as to whether he or she is safe/okay.
The things that have helped me with anxiety the most are prayer (realizing God is in control, not me), the support of family, and staying away from the news. The last one probably sounds dumb, but how many stories are there out there about all kinds of pregnancy complications? I know it CAN happen, but spending 40 weeks paranoid can’t be healthy for the baby (or the mama). A lot of times I will distract myself in some way (like looking at baby clothes online or organizing something around the apartment or, like you, call my mom). It helps to have non-paranoid people to call.
If you have bleeding or a major pain or cramp, that’s obviously something to get checked out. But, as I’ve had to learn, not every twinge or slight ache/pain/cramp is a major problem. Keep drinking water (I have to drink TONS) and hang in there! Being pregnant isn’t for the faint of heart 😉
Best of luck!
I held my breath through this whole thing, so glad you are both safe and healthy! I don’t think you’re being paranoid AT ALL. It’s such a momma’s instinct! 🙂
I was nervous wreck while pregnant with my daughter, who is now a healthy 3 month old. I had a prior miscarriage and had tons of anxiety. Honestly the best thing I did was buy a home Doppler so I could listen to her heartbeat anytime and calm my nerves! I think it was $50 online 🙂 good luck with your pregnancy and try to enjoy it, it goes by so fast!
I didn’t know you could do that — thank you for the tip about the Doppler. And I’m so happy you were blessed with a happy, healthy little girl! <3
If you are interested in getting a doppler, this is the site I got mine from…I had the one on the top right! $60 for peace of mind was a deal for me 🙂 Plus it was a nice bonding thing for my husband since he couldn’t always feel her kicks at first!
http://www.fetaldoppler.net/sonoline.html
I was a total basket case! It’s totally normal (and healthy) to worry about the well-being about your child, so don’t feel silly. As our OB told us, this is the easy part… 😉
But in all seriousness, I think that worrying during pregnancy really helps prepare new parents for how much their life will change when the little one arrives. You’ll always be concerned for your son and will worry about him every day for the rest of you life. Once they’re outside of your body, a whole new set of things to worry about shows up. Haha, one day my husband realized that he would be stressed/worried for the rest of his life. Then he said, “I have to call my dad and tell him I’m sorry”.
For me, I knew my life would change with a child, but a part of me was always waiting to feel like my old self. Like, once I stop worrying, I’ll be the same person I was before. Eventually, I realized that the old me was just that. The old me. The new me is a mom that is very concerned and constantly thinking about things to worry about (what if she falls down and breaks her wrist on a growth plate, what if she sticks a jelly bean up her nose and they have to surgically remove it, etc.).
It’s your job to worry now. If you have concerns about your child, it’s up to you to keep him safe. Calling the triage line and asking your nurse for help is exactly what you’re supposed to do. Keep up the good work :).
A mother’s worry never ends…from the moment I conceived I was always worried, maybe some days less than others. But from that moment on when I read that positive test result, I was responsible for the little being growing inside of me. And now he’s 5 months old and I still worry about one thing or another!
With regards to a connection, I didn’t feel a connection to our little guy until he was born, truth be told. That is when it all became real for me.
But going back to the cramping, I was always told to drink lots of water and rest when I had any and it always did the trick! I think you did the right thing to call, because after all, that is what the nurses and doctors are there for!
I have been really anxious so far throughout my pregnancy. (I’m 13 weeks!) I think it’s normal and it’s smart you’re getting yourself checked out so you can relax! Keep taking care of yourself and stay off the internet! 🙂
Aww how cute is your bump! That picture doesn’t even look like you! haha I totally know the feeling with cramps. I had called the OBGYN on call one night because mine were bad and after hours of dealing with them, I felt it was better to call. Every day I feel more of a connection, too! It’s a crazy thing.
i worried thru my whole pregnancy…over everything. it never really went away but the best thing i did was stay away from google and tried to say busy so my mind didn’t have time to run wild with worry. i did a lot of reading for fun bc it kept my brain engaged!
I love your blog!
None of us knows the future, or how many days our lives will hold, but we can rest assured that the Lord loves us with an incredible, deep love (Ephesians 3:18) and will work everything in our lives for good (Romans 8:28). I Peter 5:7 says to give all your worries and cares to Him because He cares for you.
Focus on being thankful today, right now. You’ve been gifted the life of a little boy who is *already* bringing much joy, love, and hope, along with celebration to your family! Even now, there is purpose and beauty in his life.
A few years ago, when I was going through a very difficult situation (not pregnancy related) that was causing me much anxiety, I started pouring out my heart to God in a prayer journal. I held onto promises in the Bible and prayed them back, writing down specifically what I asked the Lord to do in my situation. I am continuing to see answers to those prayers. And the process of writing down my worries and concerns and leaving them with the Lord gave me a deep peace. (had to keep at it, though…sometimes the anxiety just keeps creeping back in!)
Your life is going to change dramatically in a few months! Enjoy the time you have now to pray for your little boy, write down the qualities that you pray he’ll develop, and qualities you pray you’ll have as a parent. You could do an acrostic prayer, writing down a quality for each letter of his name (once you know it), and praying that the Lord will develop those specific characteristics in him.
Finally, have your friends pray for your peace…sometimes we need others to hold us up when we can’t do it ourselves.
You exude such joy on your blog–I’m praying that your joy will only grow and that the Lord will give you incredible peace during this special time, as well as a healthy baby. Thanks for sharing your journey. And congratulations on the new boat–what fun you’re going to have!
Michelle
I had anxiety all the time … and cramping. I usually started dealing with it with water and something salty to get my fluid stores up (pickles are great) an it usually worked! (milk also helps with potassium levels)
You are looking so darn cute with that belly!!!
So thankful to hear that everything is okay and well! I have anxiety, and sometimes I worry what it will be like once I decide to have kids. I manage it on my own right now, and really hope I can do the same during that time. Glad you went with your intuition to call your mom, and then reaching out to your OB. Even though we sometimes realize we could have just called the “experts” first, the talk with mom always helps!
Thankful all is well with you and your baby boy! This is my first pregnancy too, and believe me I get anxious about everything! When I was 17 weeks along I had this horrible pain in my back. I knew it wasn’t normal. It got so bad that I went to the ER to make sure everything was okay with the baby. Baby was just fine, but I had kidney stones! I’m glad I finally broke down and went to get checked out. Now at 35 weeks I stress when I don’t feel him move. We had an ultrasound today and he is in a breech position…so guess what? I am now anxious about that as well! It’s never ending! My best advice is to try not to stress too much. (easier said than done). Let God be in control.
Oh Julie I feel for you! I am almost 38 weeks pregnant with my first (a girl) and have certainly struggled throughout with anxiety. As you go to the doctor more and more frequently, you will realize many of these aches and pains are normal, but it can be very frightening for first time moms. There have been many times when I really get into a spiral of panic worrying about my baby and just have had to tell myself over and over, “blessed is he who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord”
I think I have learned there is NO such thing as a perfect pregnancy…I had a little bit of unexplained bleeding around 12 weeks (the day after I announced my pregnancy at work!) I had a stomach virus, the flu, and a sinus infection, a cyst appeared on my baby’s brain on an ultrasound that disappeared and was apparently no big deal, my fluid levels were high and I thought I had polyhydramnios, I almost fainted after my glucose test, and I had a sinking spell of my blood pressure and had to be taken off the playground in a wheelchair (I’m a kindergarten teacher)…even after all those episodes, my doctor insists I am perfectly fine and she is not concerned at all. But I have certainly had my freak outs! We are both healthy and just have to remember that. Pregnancy is hard on our bodies, but they are designed to do this and women have done it for centuries. Stay positive and stay hydrated, and don’t forget to get a lot of rest and enough protein!
Thank you for sharing a little bit about your journey, Margaret! That is SO exciting that you’re 38 weeks!!! Congratulations to you and I wish you all the best when your little one arrives.
Oh, yes, ALL the time! I got pregnant after several rounds of fertility treatment, so to me my pregnancy seemed so delicate and fragile since it took so much work to get there. A couple of times I even went in to labor and delivery to be monitored because I was freaking out over feeling less movement during the later weeks of pregnancy. I always felt embarrassed to call because I didn’t want to be one of “those” moms who calls in about everything, but whenever I did call I felt so much better and had to remind myself that the nurses deal with these questions all the time and their whole job is to do everything they can to ensure that your baby comes into the world healthy and strong, so they actually WANT you to be super aware of what’s going on with your body and reach out to them if something seems off.
What helped me through my anxiety was reminding myself that I was NOT in control. All I could do was keep myself healthy and trust that the Lord would provide the strength I needed for whatever might come. I prayed Psalm 139 a lot, which reminded me that God is sovereign over every life, including mine and my baby’s, and that His will was directing every detail of my baby’s development inside me. I still struggled with anxiety, but praying about it really helped me to put things in perspective.
Thank you for writing this! I’m a long time reader but only comment from time to time-sorry! I’ll be 8 weeks pregnant tomorrow and have loved all of your pregnancy posts so far. My husband and I actually also got pregnant our first month trying and I think it makes me feel extra nervous because that part was so easy I feel like I don’t deserve for everything else to go so well.
I especially loved this post because it gives me hope. I don’t yet feel that connection because I’m still just so terrified something will go wrong. My first appointment is next week and I’m hoping for good news and setting my mind at ease a bit. My mother is also a nurse and is constantly reminding me to trust my body, that this is what it was made to do, but it’s so hard. I’m glad you reached out and got some comfort. I was all set to go to the ob/Gyn I had been seeing annually but when I had a small issue a few weeks ago and called to speak with a nurse they didn’t call me back for days. The problem had long since resolved but my stress and anxiety had been horrible over those few days. I just switched drs and one thing the new practices brags about it a nurses line that will return a call the same day.
I am so glad to hear what you experienced didn’t turn out to be anything serious, but even more that there’s hope for me to feel that connection once some of the anxiety dissipates.
I 100% relate to the first paragraph of your comment! And I hope your first appointment goes well!! I was very nervous leading up to my first appointment but that first appointment definitely makes it all seem the more real. I am so excited for you and wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy, Sara!
When I was pregnant with my first son, I ended up going to the ER because of severe cramping, which turns out was caused by dehydration. The funny thing was I didn’t feel dehydrated and thought I was getting plenty of water, so after that incident and with my second son, I made sure to drink any where from 90+ oz. a day. I felt like a fish! I think every woman, on some level, wrestles with stress, anxiety, and worry while pregnant. It just comes with the territory to help prepare you for after the baby is born because, truth be told, none of that goes away. I mean you are in charge of another humans life and that can be terrifying! As a parent you just want to keep your little one safe (whether they are in the belly or not) and to try and do everything “right”, but that’s because when your baby is born, you will be amazed and maybe a little shocked at how much you could love another human being… I know I was. I felt like my heart might explode from all the feelings I had for my little man. Keep following your instincts, you are doing a great job!
Exactly! I felt like I was drinking plenty of water (I mean I am peeing 1,000 times a day!), but I guess I didn’t realize just how much my water I really do need right now! And thank you for your kind words!
Julie – do not ever hesitate to call your doctor! It is so much better to be safe than sorry and as a new mom I totally get that! I would cramp all the time and it was always due to dehydration, it’s amazing how much more water your body needs while pregnant. As you get further along you’ll have braxton hicks too – scares you at first, but then you’ll realize what it is. Listen to your body, as the only advocate for you and your little man call your dr when you need to. My sister is a nurse in an OB office and she says that she would rather have pregnant moms call 1000 times a day than have something happen and be sorry later. Trust me – they don’t mind! And you look great by the way!!
Thank you very much, Marie!!! Definitely taking your comment to heart!
I’m not a mommy to be yet, but even just reading your post gave me a feeling of anxiety for you… I know I will be the EXACT same way.
It’s obvious to me you will be such a great Mother 🙂 Sending you hugs!!
(((hugs))) mama!! I can’t recall specific instances where I felt anxiety during pregnancy, though I know I had them. These days with two little girls, I’ll find myself anxious about my mortality (I know it sounds morbid) – particularly if I’ve just heard about someone diagnosed with a grave illness. I spoke with my OBGyn about it wondering if it might be a type of post-partum depression, but she said she too has felt like that and it just just a natural part of motherhood. We no longer have just ourselves to worry about…and we can never turn our brains off! (((hugs)))
You are 100% normal for feeling the way you did. I had worries and carried anxiety as well with my sweet baby girl. I called our triage nurse a few times too. I experienced the cramping and it happened when I didn’t have enough water or if I was overly exerted from a long day at work. One thing my OB/GYN office shared with me is that I’d experience some cramping time to time due to the body growing for the baby. I believe it was called round ligament pain. I was so scared a few times because I could feel the cramps/pain come and go for a day or two and then stop. I also noticed more of that pain/sensation after walking around a lot. Stretching on the yoga ball helped out a lot and I too used a snoogle. I really didn’t want to give it up but I finally did when my baby was a few months old. It supported my back and hips and just felt so good wrapped up in it. I am glad everything is ok but never think your questions or experiences are silly. Every woman is different, every pregnancy is different and you know your body best. 🙂
It’s absolutely normal to feel such anxiety during the most important phase of your life which is creating and growing a miracle. It’s a “mom thing” to constantly worry about your little one especially when you can’t see them. Don’t ever feel embarrassed or like you are over reacting. The body is an amazing thing and if something seems off, It probably is trying to tell you to slow down or to get checked out. I tell myself it will be easier next time around because I’ll know what sort of things to expect. The unknown is a very scary thing and you can’t help but feel anxious. Hang in there mama! Oh and as soon as you meet your sweet boy, you will fall head over heels in love with your son! Amazing how full your heart fills when you meet them.
I’m currently 36 weeks pregnant with a boy. The anxiety didn’t hit until about 34 weeks. Most of the anxiety I have is at night. It’s about what is left to do and how I am going to get baby here even though he will come how he wants. I’m a list maker too. So my mind is full of lists when it is not pre-occupied 🙂
I had some cramping in the 20 ish weeks as well. It’s good to ask because it could be numerous things-including your body trying to make room
for something that has never been there before.
If you can, try to schedule a private 3D ultrasound around 28 weeks. It was an amazing experience for us. We were able to see what our little boy looks like and it made us feel like everything was real. We really feel close to our babe since that appointment.
I think we are going to do the 3D ultrasound in a few weeks! I am really looking forward to it!
I haven’t been overly anxious or anything, since I’ve had a relatively easy pregnancy . . . until I hit third trimester. Now I’ve called the nurse line twice in the last five days with pain and dizziness issues. I didn’t really think anything was wrong, but it was good to get reassurance. I’d say when in doubt, call. Better to be overly cautious.
I had a miscarriage in January at 10 weeks…I was due right around the same time you are. Amazingly I have found myself pregnant again and the anxiety is soul crushing. Therapy definitely helps! And gratitude. And talks with my mom, etc. etc. etc.
I am so sorry for everything you’ve gone through and pray for a healthy baby for you! <3 <3 <3
Thank you so much! Praying the same for you <3