Pregnant and Having a Few Pains plus Other Questions.

Updated on October 16, 2008
M.T. asks from Pflugerville, TX
21 answers

Ok I'm trying not to be peranoid. I'm pregnant with my second child although my first is 7 so it's been a while. I've been having some pains off and on and I don't remember if it's normal if I should be worried. In the past it's just been a little discomfort which I figured everything was just stretching and moving. Today I'm having a pain on my lower right side every now and then. Not sure if it's something I need to bother the Dr about or if it's something that's normal. It's not bad enough that I'm doubled over or anything but every now and then when I feel it it almost feels like I've pulled a muscle but then it goes away. Is this normal. Also at what point should you no longer have sex with your husband and or is it dangerous for the baby to have sex at a certain point. And last one when do you start feeling the baby. Every now and then I think I feel something but I think it may be too early and I'm just imagining it. Msybe I'm too anxious to start feeling our baby. I'm 15 weeks now and I know next month is when the dr said we would check the sex but it's been so long that I don't remember when everything starts. I plan on getting what to expect when you are expecting although I haven't seen it at the few places I've gone. I'll be checking larger book stores this weekend but if there are other books that are good please let me know.
Thank you,

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K.H.

answers from San Antonio on

I had sharp muscle pulling pain at the beginning of my second pregnancy. My dr said it was muscle and not to worry, he said to take tylenol but the pain never lasted long enough to need medication. I'm in my third trimester and that pain has totally gone away.

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S.T.

answers from Houston on

Do you have a Half Price Books? If so, definitely go there. I bought my 'Expecting' books at Walmart but they are cheaper at Half Price.

17 weeks is the norm for first time moms to feel the baby, but you could feel the baby as early as 14 or 15 weeks. I've had 5 and #5 I felt it about 16-17 weeks.

Most likely the pain is normal as others have said. However, if you get a fever and/or chills go to the hospital. My husband had that (lower right side, along the pubic area) and it was appendicitis! He's been in the hospital for a week.

Sex should be fine, but you might have to change some positions. :)

S.

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D.

answers from Houston on

What you're describing sounds pretty normal to me. Have sex often throughout pregnancy, it's not dangerous. With your hormones in overdrive, for some women it's the best time of all to have sex. After the baby gets here you'll probably be too exhausted to even think about it.
I can't stand the "What to Expect" series...it's way too negative and fear inducing. Look for more positive authors that believe in the process instead of focusing on every horrible thing under the sun that "might" happen and where the answer to everything is not "do what the doctor tells you."
Blessings.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.B.

answers from Corpus Christi on

The pain that you feel is your body stretching from the inside making room for this little one. This will continue til you have it. There will also be back aches again the mussels, hips will hurt the bones will spread to make room for delivery, Oh the pleasure of having a baby. However the prize after 9 months is worth it. Everything else is not that important later on. Have husband give back rubs, Sex that should not be a problem, however check with your Dr. he will be more able to advise you as to when you will need to be more careful.

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M.V.

answers from Houston on

You've gotten great advice so far on the pains and sex so I have nothing to add there. As for feeling the baby, you most certainly could be feeling the baby right now. If it were a first-time pregnancy, it would be much later before recognition of what was being felt would happen. However, you are in your second pregnancy and your body is much more attuned to what a baby feels like. Some will say that it is still too early to feel the baby but I know for a fact that it can be. I felt my first at about 20 weeks. My second felt like I was body slammed and I had to stop and determine if it was a gas bubble or the baby, and that was at 11 weeks exactly. With my 3rd, I felt her at 9 weeks but didn't put two and two together until 9-1/2 weeks.

Round ligament pain stinks but sex while pregnant can be fun. Enjoy what you can and enjoy feeling your little one moving around inside of you!

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S.A.

answers from Austin on

Hey there..more then likely the pains are normal and probley are some type of streching although it is always safe just to let your Dr. know were they are and how frequent. I am due in 2 weeks with my 5th child, and recently starting experiencing the worst pain in my life...it feels like my hips and bones are ripping out of sockets at times..which they said is normal because the more kids you have the more of the natural hormone your body produces and the more your body streches...so I would just run it by your doctor since every woman is different. As far as having sex with your husband, it is completely safe to have sex throughout your entire pregnancy unless otherwise advice by your physician if you are at high risk of premature delievery ect ect...So good luck with the rest of your pregnancy....and your new buddle of joy coming...:)...

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S.O.

answers from San Antonio on

I had similar pain. It can be a ligament being pulled on or pushed on by the baby. It can be your lower back radiating pain down the front right side. Make sure you are hydrated and keep a watch for any changes. The pain can be normal, but stay aware of what's happening, just in case it changes and you need medical attention, you have something to tell the doctor. / You are probably feeling the baby! / Book: have you tried Babies R Us? Also, Barnes and Noble should have it. I found one at Half Price Book Store. / Sex should be fine all the way until the end unless you have complications and the doctor advises against it. (You just don't want to get into positions that may push air inside of you.) / Enjoy! I envy you that you get to experience it a second time around so far away from your first that it all seems new again. It's a wonderful experience, twice!

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T.C.

answers from Houston on

WOW - ok let me see if I can help you.

As for the pains, I would mention them to the doc, just in case. I was having pains off and on for a few months in the beginning...come to find out they were CONTRACTIONS. I had been having them since 12 weeks.

As for the baby moving, MOST start to feel the baby around 15-17 weeks. I felt a few flutters around week 13, but I'm on my 4th baby.

If you are in a SAFE and HEALTHY pregnancy, there is no reason you should stop having sexual relations with your husband until the end. If you start to experience pain or bleeding after having sex, I would mention it to the doctor immediately.

Good Luck

T. - Mother to 4 Blessings
Wyatt born on October 1, 2008 :o)

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P.Y.

answers from Houston on

Hi. I too am pregnant with my 2nd. It's been 6 years for me. I am experiencing more pains and a pulling sensation on my muscles. My doctor said it's normal to feel more during the 2nd pregnancy because your muscles are not as tight as they used to be. One time I was sitting at my desk and had severe pain for about 30 sec. after sneezing. Still, you should mention it to your doctor.

I bet you are going to feel the baby very soon. :)

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L.B.

answers from El Paso on

Hi, Congrats on the new baby. Most likey it is stretching muscles and ligaments, but, at your next appt, mention it to the Dr. You are probably starting to feel movement and if you're not sure, it should be more specific in the next few weeks. I was about 16-17 weeks when I felt my 3rd move around. You can have sex up until just before you deliver, as long as yuo haven't started dialating or your water breaks, or if your Dr. says no more. I had sex with my husband up until a few days before I had our daughter. ( She was a scheduled C-section) On a different note, what is the weight loss patch? DOes it work? I'd love help loosing my "baby" weight!!!!!!
Good luck and congrats again.

L.

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D.J.

answers from Austin on

Usually that pain is something called "round ligament pain," and is nothing to worry about. I had it a lot. You can look it up on the net and read all about it. Of course, always check with your doctor too. You can also have sex as long as you feel comfortable. My husband and I had great sex all the way up until the baby was born! It doesn't hurt the baby and it's just up to how you feel. As far as the baby moving, everyone is different, I felt little flutters real early on, some moms don't feel anything until 4 1/2 months or so. Congrats with everything.

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D.B.

answers from Houston on

Congratulations. I am not passing off your comments as frivolous by any means. If something seems wrong then have it checked out. If it seems different or your not sure of the time frame ignore it. I think your simply older than before and have a normal sense of worry. So quit it. Relax and go with the flow. Your pregnant, be happy, calm, and have a good time.
Lower right side you could have an appendicitis. But that's not going to be noticeable for more than about a day before it is really bad and dangerous. If it is several different days and comes and goes you may need to eat more fiber. Muscle tightness and pulling are not uncommon in the abdomen when pregnant.
God Bless

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M.H.

answers from Houston on

I also agree with the two PP's...The "what to expect" books, I found, were awful. My favorite book was "Your Pregnancy, week by week" I cant remember the author. The other books seemed to subliminaly cause you to think that something was always wrong!!!! Who needs that added stress!!!

Congrats!!
Margaret :)

C.G.

answers from Waco on

I would go and ask the doctor just in case. I had some weird pangs every so often when I was preggo and I honestly think you need to take it easy. I wound up in the hospital 3 times having contractions but it was waaaaay to soon so they gave me meds to stop them. He wound up coming into the world 6 weeks early anyway! But he is now a strong and healthy 15 month old! (: I'm not trying to scare you but seriously, it's not something you should just let be. Besides, it doesn't hurt to ask the doctor right? I don't think it's too soon to start feeling the baby either. Sometimes I'd forget and lay down a certain way and i'd feel a faint flutter like it felt like I had bubbles in my tummy but I was suprised to see how active the baby was! Good luck and God bless you!

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A.J.

answers from Killeen on

the pains sound normal to me, but if you are worried, don't hesitate to ask your doctor! i promise they won't think you are silly LOL
most women start feeling little movements around 17-20 wks, but if you know what you are feeling is not gas or something then it might just be your baby =) could be you are just more sensitive to the movements or you could be a little further along than you think! if you want to feel the baby move, try drinking orange juice and then reclining on the couch, you might just feel some movement! (orange juice also helps right before the ultrasound...the sugars make the baby active, which gives you a better chance of seeing between the legs!)
it is perfectly fine to have sex during the entire pregnancy! sex can actually help your body spark natural labor when the time is right, so when you get within a couple weeks of your due date, and you just can't stand to be preggo any longer, try having sex regularly, even if you don't think you feel like it LOL
as for the books, i would look on ebay, you can probably find them a lot cheaper! also try amazon.com
good luck and congrats!

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J.B.

answers from Houston on

I had that same thing with my second child. My OB/GYN told me it was the muscles stretching to adjust for the baby. I explained that it wasn't always on both sides and he said that that was normal. The baby could be on one side or the other at any given time. But I would definitely check with your OB/GYN to be sure!! As far as when you stop having sex, that's up to you, your husband and your doctor. Mine was a bit of a high risk pregnancy, so he had us stop at the end of the second trimester with the second one. But with the first, he said we could go all the way up to due date. As for feeling the baby move, some time during the second trimester. As for the sex of the baby, they generally can't tell that until you are about 20 weeks. Good luck and enjoy!!

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K.H.

answers from Houston on

I had those same pains. They are normal. I am not looking at a book, so I'll do my best. ;) There is a muscle that forms or strenghtens in your lower abdomen that helps support the weight of the baby. That muscle growing is what causes the pain. I know it is scary! There is a book called, Your Pregnancy Week By Week that I enjoyed reading. I don't remember when I felt my daughter move the first time, but I remember it felt like it took forever! Good luck!

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H.F.

answers from San Angelo on

First of all, unless you are having serious pain or cramping or bleeding, you should be fine and all should be well. There are a lot of changes as your uterus swells and you may be getting some gas pains which will be sharper and up near your rib cage. This is also normal. You can try simethecone drops (like little tummies or mylecon) for babies or get some higher dose pills...ask the pharmacist...these are not absorbed into the blood so are safe for baby. Also, you don't ever have to stop having sex. The only issue is after your water breaks and you are in real labor...only then is it not safe because of the introduction of bacteria to the baby who is unprotected. I have known women who have sex constantly to try to induce birth. If you are having any other problems with the pregnancy or are high-risk, your dr may recommend that you not engage in stressful activities, otherwise you are good to go!

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H.H.

answers from Houston on

1. Congratulations!
2. Never worry about bothering the doctor. You should mention ANYTHING to him/her. That said, that pain on your lower right side is probably round ligaments stretching. It hurts, for sure. Mention it anyway, for peace of mind.
3. Unless you are high-risk or have a history of miscarriages (or your doctor has told you not to have relations) sex is never a problem during pregnancy. In fact, it's a great way to get your labor going at the end! Talk to your doc on this one, too, but unless she/he has EXPRESSLY said NOT to have sex, then you are fine right up until the end.
4. Many women (even with their second and third babies) don't feel movement until 18 weeks or so. It's perfectly normal not to feel the little one before now. You're only 15 weeks, so I would say what you're feeling is probably baby. I felt my first at 17 weeks, my second at 13 weeks. This one I didn't feel until 15 weeks.

Enjoy this pregnancy! I am not much of a fan of the "What to Expect" book series, but there is decent info in there about what each week and month bring. Any online site (American Baby, Baby center, Babyzone, etc.) usually have Your Pregnancy Week by Week things you can sign up for, and receive weekly email newsletters about your week and trimester. All of these are offered free. Good luck, and YES, you're completely normal! I loved receiving these each week, right when I was going through something, to have my fears put to rest right in the knick of time. EAch thing I was experiencing was usually the topic of that week's newsletter! Now that I'm on my third pregnancy in 4 years, I STILL enjoy reading them.

***I just read other responses. Yes, the Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth is the most awesome book on birth out there. BUT it is not going to help you understand your pregnancy and what you are going through right now. Though I highly recommend reading it (especially if you are interested in natural labor), find something right now that will help you know what is going on in your pregnancy. THe Business of Being Born is very good, too, but be forewarned that it might be shocking to you. It is an awesome documentary about the business (i.e., money) surrounding labor and delivery and will probably open your eyes. HOwever, I have found that it offends some people. Just fair warning. I loved it, though.

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J.H.

answers from Houston on

Everything you've mentioned is something you should discuss with your Dr., that's what you'r paying him for. Every pregnancy is different so nobody but your Dr. can accurately answer your questions.

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

That book has all the answers to your questions. I did see it at Target when I was prego last year. I did have pains almost like cramps that were just sharp and quick then everything was fine. I think at five months is when you really fell the baby moving around. Congrats on your new baby. Good luck and hope you find that book!

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