18 March 2012

Growing pangs

This weekend was one of the first really scary, for me, moments so far in this pregnancy. Friday after work we had a combined birthday and going away evening for 2 co-worker friends. We had snacks and drinks, then we played pool and then to dinner. I had a huge bacon BBQ burger with fries. I knew this meal was going to make me feel bloated and uncomfortable, but I really wanted to eat this. It was so yummy and worth it and I knew that when I woke up in the morning the bloatedness and discomfort would be gone.

During the night I was woken up several times by Mr Siili snoring (he's been feeling a bit under the weather), Rusty whining, Mr Siili growling and grumbling at said whiny cat and my having to go pee. About the time that I woke up the first time, I had some sharp shooting pains in my lower left abdomen area. I wasn't too concerned at this time as I was quite sure it was just pregnancy growing pains (uterus and ligaments stretching). These pains continued throughout the night. I may have even woken up because of the pain, but I can't really be sure as the above mentioned things woke me up quite often too.

When I woke Saturday morning, I still hurt! It was a pretty constant pain, still mostly on the left lower side. The constant pain wasn't so bad, but the sharp pangs and twinges that shot through the area were enough to double me over at times. Also, emptying my bladder seemed to make the pain worse (but this pain definitely wasn't the same as a UTI or other stomach/bladder issues I've had in the past). Some of the most intense pain was during the times I emptied my bladder! Getting up or sitting down was challenging also, as it would cause twinges and discomfort. The pangs of pain did start extending to the middle of my lower abdomen, too. If I sat hunched in a ball-ish position in one of our chairs (watching TV shows) the pain was a bit better. Thankfully Mr Siili and I had plenty of things to watch.

Around 4pm we started getting hungry and I decided I really wanted pizza and green double sticked popsicles. (Thanks to see the popsicles on a Dexter episode and it giving reminders of my childhood.) I convinced Mr Siili to go get pizza with me, by car. I think the bit of walking, to the car and inside the mall, helped with the pangs of pain some. The rest of the evening wasn't so bad, but I would still get the occasional twinge and sharp shooting pain. I did call my friend, R, and talked to her a bit. She suggested I call the ER and/or possibly the Labor & Delivery department, before going in there in person, if that is what I was going to do. I decided that if the pains continued through Saturday night, I'd see about going to the ER on Sunday morning.

I did manage to sleep quite well Saturday night and no pains that I can remember. Bathroom trips weren't so bad and I only felt heaviness in my tummy, which seems to be normal for me with a growing Paxlet inside my body. And so far today, Sunday, I've had maybe one pang of pain and it is now just after 6pm.

I was and am quite sure the pains were just ligament pains from all the stretching, growing and expanding going on in my body. But since this was the first time I felt this much of anything for such a long time, I admit, I was sort of scared for a while. I did use the heart beat monitor just as I was going to bed. I found Paxlet's heart beat immediately, it was reassuring.

Anyone else have this sort of experience?
I am so glad I'm not hurting at the moment and I hope the pains don't come back for some time (or at all).