Hey Mamas,
I've been breast feeding my daughter for a little over a year now; so I have only had 3 or 4 periods since I gave birth. I just recently started having sex again. I have been experiencing abdominal cramping, like I'm starting my period, on and off for over two weeks now. I also have had increased milky white, non smelly, discharge for the past two weeks. I thought it was ovulation pains, but I don't think ovulation pains and discharge last for over two weeks. Last night I had a low grade fever and my nose got all stopped up, but today it is gone. I don't know if I might be pregnant or if it is something else entirely. I can't get in to see my obgyn until the 17th. I don't know when to test bc my periods are so irregular. Could you ladies please give me some advice?! I know you hate am I pregnant questions, but I don't have anyone else to ask.
TIA
Well, if you weren't using b.c. and had sex, you very well could be pregnant!
IF you are not *wanting* to be pregnant and this is NOT pregnancy--you should start using some form of birth control!
All the best!
I have never been pregnant and have spent my whole life avoiding being pregnant (thank goodness for adopting my niece!!). I sell laboratory services to physicians and if the low grade fever and stuffy nose are not present, I wouldn't go to the doctor/urgent care for this.
Are you using birth control??
I see lots of mamas here suggesting the Dollar store for pregnancy tests. You can't go wrong with that in my opinion. Keep the appointment with your OB/GYN to address the issues. You could try to get on your doctor's cancellation list to get in sooner.
PS - Your husband is a saint!!
Since it has been so long since you've had sex, maybe you weren't lubricated enough and ended up with some little tears inside your vagina. That can cause infection.
This happens with women in peri-menopause and menopause. After my husband was away for 6 weeks on business, he came home and we had relations, gently, not rough. I ended up with an infection. I had to go to the doctor for help - it's not the same as a yeast infection. The doc told me that the best thing I could do was have sex more often. Now that I am in menopause, I use Vagifem vaginal suppositories, also from my doctor, to help from getting vaginal dryness problems. No more sandpaper sex! It is truly wonderful!
You need to call on Tuesday morning and tell the gyn's office you need to be seen for an infection. DON'T say you might be pregnant. They won't get you in quickly. Tell them you have an infection instead. Your gyn needs to do a culture to figure out what meds are best for you. Talk to him/her about the issue of not having had sex for so long. That is important for the doc to know. It will make a difference in how you are treated. I would ask the doctor about the Vagifem. I don't think that it's only for menopause.
If indeed you are pregnant, the doctor will figure that out when you are there. The most important thing for you to know right now is if you have an infection (which I really think you do!)
Good luck!
Dawn
I experienced what you're describing for months, right at about 1 year of breastfeeding. I kept thinking I might be pregnant and took a few pregnancy tests, even went to the doctor's. I wasn't pregnant and eventually got my period about 15 months after giving birth.
Your symptoms do sound like early pregnancy symptoms. Especially if you haven't had those throughout the breastfeeding. The feeling of period-like cramping without any signs of your period are a decent indicator - although everyone is different. The pregnancy hormone shows up quite early in pregnancy for many women, so I think you can test as early as now. BUT...I would test every day for the next 10 days unless of course it comes back positive. Those tests can be REALLY pricey so here's a link to a website that sells the test for uber cheap!! You only get the little test strip and not the fancy plastic holder and digital read, but who cares! I have used these several times and they worked great! I got a positive test 5 days after my embryo transfer from IVF. Good luck! (And they deliver quickly!)
http://www.babyhopes.com/generic_pregnancy-test-strips.html
S-
Go to the doc for the fever and other stuff and while there have them do a pregnancy test or go to the local health department and get a free one.
My body acted weird from the moment I got pregnant until 6 months after I weaned my son when it finally found a new "normal." It's good to rule pregnancy out, but it would not be on the top of my list of possibilities.
I agree with Simone. You very well could be pregnant. I thought I was getting my period for 4 days and it never came. I had mild cramping like you describe. I was pregnant. I think you can take a test now and get a definitive answer. Go to Walgreens and pick one up! Whatever is on sale.
Have you taken a home pregnancy test? Seems like that would be the quickest way to get an answer to your question.
