# At 4 1/2 weeks, is it just like a period? Update #19



## myfairbabies (Jun 4, 2006)

Just wondering what to expect. Title pretty much says it all, thanks.


----------



## Autumn Breeze (Nov 13, 2003)

It can be. My first was a chemical, so I was about 4 weeks pregnant. It was a very heavy period, and more painful.








I'm so sorry for your loss.


----------



## SarahDC (Oct 8, 2006)

I don't know, but after reading through the thread of everyone's experiences, it may be worse. I just miscarried at 9 weeks, and my MD told me to expect a bad period, and what I just went through was WAY WORSE than a bad period.

Hugs to you. You might find that reading that thread is helpful - it really helped me to know what to expect.


----------



## Autumn Breeze (Nov 13, 2003)

***warning graphic***

Yeah at 9 weeks it's way worse than a bad period.

to me a very heavy period includes filling a pad rapidly (though not more than 1 per hour, if you do that, you need to be seen) and a lot more clotting than a normal period.

At 9 weeks I filled a pad in at least 90 minutes, and was frequently running to the toilet because of clots. it was very messy, and very painful. I tried to compare the physical pain to that of my first live birth, and some how, it was more painful than a pitocen induction.


----------



## myfairbabies (Jun 4, 2006)

Thanks. Is it ok to use my diva cup? I also don't have much cramping yet, is that normal? It's been about 6 hours since I noticed I was bleeding (woke up with soaked pants), and my diva was half full when I just changed it.


----------



## jaclyn7 (Jun 9, 2005)

I'm not sure I would be comfortable using anything other than an overnight pad or mama pad.

Everyone is so different, I am so sorry because no matter what it sucks!


----------



## EllasMummy (Dec 10, 2003)

I'm so sorry Mama.

I had a m/c at 5 weeks in feb this year.
It was worse than a heavy period. I had contractions for a couple of days that were similar to early to mid labour contractions. I passed a number of clots and then after about 5 days of heavy bleeding I was standing in the kitchen when I felt something fall out of my vagina.

I rushed to the bathroom to find I had passed a thick piece of tissue, sac shaped, about an inch in diameter. I wanted to be sure that it was what I thought so I popped it open. Inside was a tiny fetus, about the size of a small grain of rice and shaped like a cashew nut.









Again, I'm so sorry. Take care of yourself.


----------



## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

I would expect worse; at least for me it was always much heavier and more painful.







I'm sorry.


----------



## myfairbabies (Jun 4, 2006)

Do I need to see a doctor/midwife? I still feel fine mostly. Physically anyway


----------



## Mama Rana (Aug 18, 2004)

I'm so sorry.

I was at the end of my 5th week when I m/c last month, but I think the baby may have died sooner cuz I was spotting for at least a week. I was crampier than usual, and had more clotting. Strangely, I did most of my bleeding on the toilet; that is, I wasn't filling multiple pads, but as soon as I sat on the toilet, lots of clots and blood would fall into the bowl. I dug many out, and never found a sack or baby, further supporting my idea that babe died or never really formed.








anyway, it wasn't overly painful, nothing like labor for me, I just belly-breathed to ease the cramps. I did stay on the couch most of a day, but that was as much in depressed defeat as anything. Well, I say that, I felt crampier upright than I did lying down.

Good luck, and more







s


----------



## Autumn Breeze (Nov 13, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *notyetamommy* 
Thanks. Is it ok to use my diva cup? I also don't have much cramping yet, is that normal? It's been about 6 hours since I noticed I was bleeding (woke up with soaked pants), and my diva was half full when I just changed it.

I wouldn't use the diva cup, simply because the standard "when to go in" is when you soak a regular pad in less than an hour.

The cramping will probably intensify like labor does, I started with mild af like cramps around noon, in full blown, must breath, omg this hurts, transition like pain. Which is some how more intense when your uterus is so much smaller.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *notyetamommy* 
Do I need to see a doctor/midwife? I still feel fine mostly. Physically anyway

Totally your discretion. I went to the ER when I soaked an overnight disposable pad in 30 minutes, and nearly fainted. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have seen anyone for a couple days/a week.


----------



## jenniferlynne (Jun 17, 2006)

I just went through this myself this past weekend at about five weeks, I think, and it was pretty much just like a normal period -- maybe with a bit more cramping and more clots. I would imagine that it would change pretty quickly the more pregnant you are. So I'd think that a m/c at 4.5 weeks would be WAY different than at 9 weeks. I'm not planning to go to the dr. or MW as long as everything feels okay. I figure, if I hadn't tested I probably wouldn't even know it wasn't just a period.

Hope you're feeling okay!

{{HUGS}}


----------



## turtlewomyn (Jun 5, 2005)

I am going through a six week miscarriage right now (well, the worst was Sunday, so I am past that). For me it has been like a very bad period. I was having cramps on Sunday that were coming in waves. I have never been in labor (my first was a scheduled c-section) so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I think they were kind of like mini contractions. I probably had a blighted ovum, and I was passing blood clots and pieces of placental tissue (the largest of which was about the size of a quarter).
I did call my HB midwives and will be going in for a follow-up next week to get blood work done (make sure HCG is back to normal, if not there could be retained tissue). I do not intend to go to a doctor unless I have a reason (start soaking pads like crazy, fever or signs of infection, retained tissue, etc.)
For me doing it by myself and at home was a very healing experience after having an unnecessary c-section forced upon me the first time. My body recognized that this was not a viable pregnancy and did exactly what it needed to do (imagine that, I wasn't broken after all).


----------



## myfairbabies (Jun 4, 2006)

It's been about about 37 hours since I started bleeding, and I don't have so much as an AF cramp. No pain, no cramping, nothing. Is that normal? This is no where near like my periods, when I usually have pretty bad cramps the first day. The amount of blood is more than a normal AF though.


----------



## bellesmom (Feb 22, 2005)

So sorry you are going through this, Mama! I am actually going through the same thing as you - almost exactly - no cramps, pain and minor bleeding at this point. Sorry I don't have any advice, only hugs!


----------



## because (Sep 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *notyetamommy* 
Thanks. Is it ok to use my diva cup? I also don't have much cramping yet, is that normal? It's been about 6 hours since I noticed I was bleeding (woke up with soaked pants), and my diva was half full when I just changed it.


I'm so sorry for your loss. My chemical in March was also my first PP "AF" and it was exactly like a period for me. I used my Mooncup and was fine. I think that a menstrual cup is easier to measure flow than pads, IMO.


----------



## uncertain (Mar 13, 2006)

I'm so sorry for your loss.

For me, my m/c at 4w2d was just like having my period, so I think what you are describing sounds ok.
If you want this pregnancy to be "recognized" in your medical file, you could try to get a beta HCG test done, however your HCG will most likely be very low by now. My HCG was at 7 when I had it tested after I didn't see a second HPT line anymore, and so I imagine it was even lower when I started to bleed two days later.

I hope that you have good support around you, and I'm sorry that you are going through this, it plain sucks.


----------



## Talula Fairie (Jan 7, 2005)

I've had two miscarriages, one was a blighted ovum that never released so I had a D&C for that. But I did have another one a long time ago where I just started bleeding. I was about 5 weeks. It was worse than a period. Very very heavy. I ended up going to the ER when I started soaking pads in about a half hour. They did an emergency D&C at that point and loaded me up with pitocin, which was very painful :/

I'm so sorry for your loss







:


----------



## myfairbabies (Jun 4, 2006)

I thought I would update on my experience in case anyone else is going through it.

Starting about 10 days after I ovulated, I had beginning AF-like cramps that came and went. I still had them when I found out I was pregnant, but when I started bleeding, all the cramping went away. I only bled heavily for about 36 hours, then medium for a day, and then really really light for a day, then a few days of spotting. I did use my diva cup, and since I knew how much I bleed with AF, I think it was fine. I didn't have any problems. It was completely painless, and shorter than my regular periods. I did feel "off" and got dizzy often and occasionally nauseous (not a symptom before bleeding), but I took things very slowly and rested a lot and I think that helped. It took more than 3 weeks to ovulate again (I'm usually right around day 14). I was 4 weeks, 5 days when I lost my baby.

Thanks everyone, the support here is fantastic!


----------

