Hello! First trimester advice

[Ellsbells24]

Hi everybody,
I have recently found out I am pregnant, I’m now 4 weeks and 4 days so very early days.
I am feeling a little nauseous but the one thing that I’m noticing is the feeling of being stretched and pulled and blown up like a balloon from the inside, I feel like I have a heavy brick in my abdomen, this feeling seems to come in the evening but the rest of the day I’m ok. I do get cramps a bit but not unbearable, seems to get worse when I’m up and about doing things and only lasts a minute or two and is a bit sharp.

I have spoken to my midwife and she says that this is all pretty normal.
Obviously I believe my midwife but I’m just looking to see what other people are experiencing or had experienced when they were in the early stages.
I’m not bathing anymore just showering but I’m feeling like I need a good soak in the tub but not quite the same in Luke warm water :/ how did you relieve your aches and pains and back aches?
Look forward to hearing your experiences and advice

 

[Neversayno]

I had so much cramping and twinges etc this time round. Some quite painful and worrying. I also experienced the stretching and pulling and weird popping sensations...this has all calmed down now.

I still bath, I did my little boy years ago too...a nice relaxing bath worked for me and spooning a pillow!!!

 

[Bevziibubble]

I had a lot of cramps, aches and pains too. To the point where I thought surely this isn't right, but it turned out it was just everything stretching and growing and is quite normal, although understandably causes us anxiety.
You will be fine to bath and hopefully it will help the aches

 

[Ellsbells24]

I had a lot of cramps, aches and pains too. To the point where I thought surely this isn't right, but it turned out it was just everything stretching and growing and is quite normal, although understandably causes us anxiety.
You will be fine to bath and hopefully it will help the aches

Thank you, I am a worrier, I seem to spend hours on google trying to work out what’s normal and what isn’t. I thought I wasn’t allowed to bath or I could bath but it had to be body temperature? I’m used to hot baths so the last time I took a bath it was cold and I ended up running a bath of 6 inches of almost warm water as was paranoid I might cause damage or something

 

[Ellsbells24]

I had so much cramping and twinges etc this time round. Some quite painful and worrying. I also experienced the stretching and pulling and weird popping sensations...this has all calmed down now.

I still bath, I did my little boy years ago too...a nice relaxing bath worked for me and spooning a pillow!!!

When did you find it all calmed down? I’m not sure how long it’s supposed to last, this is a learning curve for me haha.
Did you have warm baths? I’m told it’s meant to be body temperature but I’m so used to hot baths I have a 6inch bath of Luke warm water and it’s awful haha. I’m currently shopping for a decent pillow

 

[MyFavSurprise]

Hi there! This time around I felt the same as you are saying, I kept telling DH it felt like I swallowed a bowling ball! I was just so bloated and uncomfortable, but it has calmed down a lot now. I think mine lasted about a week or week and a half feeling so uncomfortable.

I also take baths, I have read that online as well but every doctor I've asked said they have never heard that . My midwife said since the bath naturally cools, unlike a hot tub, it is not dangerous and just not to get overheated. I take an epsom salt bath every day now and it really has been helping, even with the nausea!

Hoping you find some comfort soon!

 

[Ellsbells24]

Hi there! This time around I felt the same as you are saying, I kept telling DH it felt like I swallowed a bowling ball! I was just so bloated and uncomfortable, but it has calmed down a lot now. I think mine lasted about a week or week and a half feeling so uncomfortable.

I also take baths, I have read that online as well but every doctor I've asked said they have never heard that . My midwife said since the bath naturally cools, unlike a hot tub, it is not dangerous and just not to get overheated. I take an epsom salt bath every day now and it really has been helping, even with the nausea!

Hoping you find some comfort soon!

It’s funny as I’m writing this I thinking that the bloating has eased up a bit Thank you so much, I have read that Epsom salt baths are really relaxing, will have to give them a try

 

[MyFavSurprise]

Great news! That severe bloating is SOO uncomfortable!

 

[Bevziibubble]

I'm glad the bloating has eased a bit

 

[Ellsbells24]

Great news! That severe bloating is SOO uncomfortable!

It really is, it seems to come and go but hopefully it’s settling right down now as doesn’t feel quite so bad. Maybe it’s just a thing that happens at the beginning for a bit but then goes away? Still learning!

 

[Ellsbells24]

I'm glad the bloating has eased a bit

Thank you, seems to come and go but definitely much more bearable than it was

 

[happycupcake]

I didn’t feel too bloated I don’t think but had the cramping and that weird stretching feeling and if you move too quickly it feels like you pulled muscles in your uterus, sharp pains at times too. Is that round ligament pain? I can’t remember. All normal though.
I’m more one for a shower anyway but back when I was pregnant with no.2 & no.3 we only had a bath and I just had a normal bath just not scalding hot. A very hot bath I think can be a problem but not a warm bath

 

[Ellsbells24]

I didn’t feel too bloated I don’t think but had the cramping and that weird stretching feeling and if you move too quickly it feels like you pulled muscles in your uterus, sharp pains at times too. Is that round ligament pain? I can’t remember. All normal though.
I’m more one for a shower anyway but back when I was pregnant with no.2 & no.3 we only had a bath and I just had a normal bath just not scalding hot. A very hot bath I think can be a problem but not a warm bath

I’m getting paranoid about every slight feeling, worrying like a crazy person. I’m getting little craps and what feels like pressure but seems to be more obvious at night. Every part of me feels like I need a good soak in the bath but I’m paranoid of causing harm and I end up having a luke warm bath or shower and I get so cold.

 

[happycupcake]

If you’re worried maybe just ask your doctor or midwife if it’s ok to have a warm bath?

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Hi everybody,
I have recently found out I am pregnant, I’m now 4 weeks and 4 days so very early days.
I am feeling a little nauseous but the one thing that I’m noticing is the feeling of being stretched and pulled and blown up like a balloon from the inside, I feel like I have a heavy brick in my abdomen, this feeling seems to come in the evening but the rest of the day I’m ok. I do get cramps a bit but not unbearable, seems to get worse when I’m up and about doing things and only lasts a minute or two and is a bit sharp.

I have spoken to my midwife and she says that this is all pretty normal.
Obviously I believe my midwife but I’m just looking to see what other people are experiencing or had experienced when they were in the early stages.
I’m not bathing anymore just showering but I’m feeling like I need a good soak in the tub but not quite the same in Luke warm water :/ how did you relieve your aches and pains and back aches?
Look forward to hearing your experiences and advice

A bath will not hurt your little bean

 

[Ellsbells24]

If you’re worried maybe just ask your doctor or midwife if it’s ok to have a warm bath?

I have asked but she just said don’t have one that will make your skin colour go red and only sit in for ten minutes, I have an autoimmune condition and as soon as I get into contact with any sort of warm water my skin comes out in blotches and heats up so that’s why I worry about it. In regards to that she just said she wasn’t sure and would get back to me.

 

[happycupcake]

I have asked but she just said don’t have one that will make your skin colour go red and only sit in for ten minutes, I have an autoimmune condition and as soon as I get into contact with any sort of warm water my skin comes out in blotches and heats up so that’s why I worry about it. In regards to that she just said she wasn’t sure and would get back to me.

Oh that’s not all that helpful is it. My skin goes red and blotchy too and as far as I’m aware no autoimmune condition. Was that the doctor or midwife?

 

[Ellsbells24]

Oh that’s not all that helpful is it. My skin goes red and blotchy too and as far as I’m aware no autoimmune condition. Was that the doctor or midwife?

That was the midwife, they may suggest to stick to showering. I could always put the plug in and paddle whilst im stood in the shower haha

 

[LoneWanderer]

Baths are just the best. The more you grow and ache and stretch, the better they feel. I pretty much lived in the bath with #1, for the entire third tri I was either swimming at the pool or bathing. Bliss!

If you are worried about the temp - dont be, but this should help - then get a baby bath thermometer. You'll need one for baby anyway and they are only a few quid. They have a marker showing what is a safe temp for baby, usually 37⁰C, which feels much warmer than you'd think! Use that. If it's safe for a little one, it's perfectly safe for mamma too.

 

[Ellsbells24]

Baths are just the best. The more you grow and ache and stretch, the better they feel. I pretty much lived in the bath with #1, for the third tri I was either swimming at the pool or bathing. Bliss!

If you are worried about the temp - dont be, but this should help - then get a baby bath thermometer. You'll need one for baby anyway and they are only a few quid. They have a marker showing what is a safe temp for baby, usually 37⁰C, which feels much warmer than you'd think! Use that. If it's safe for a little one, it's perfectly safe for mamma too.

Thank you, i definitely need a soak my back and sides are agony at the mo! I shall get a thermometer