Cramping during early pragnancy at night

Hi everyone,
I have been experiencing the cramps that you have all been describing. I have dull normal cramps throughout the day, but at night I have unbearable pain! It only lasts a few minutes each time. I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. I have polycistic ovary syndrome but have never felt this pain. Could it be that it's just costs? Could I have taken the test too early? Could it be something else? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Xx

I am 5 weeks pregnant and am having bowl movements very frequent and cramping but not like period cramps it just fill werid . Is this normal?

So I am still subscribed to this thread and have seen a few more comments get posted (I'm Penny from about 5 months ago!), so thought it would reassure ladies going through the cramping right now if I came on and posted an update.

I am now almost 26 weeks pregnant, with a little boy! Everything has gone wonderfully since the cramping episodes. Scans have been normal, and all tests normal etc. A happy healthy little boy will be arriving fairly shortly, which is just amazing!

I now have a large baby bump, I feel baby moving daily, and we have just about got the nursery ready for him. I can't stop buying clothes every time I go somewhere that sells baby stuff! Lol!

It seems such a long time ago when I was sat on the bathroom floor in agony, but after reading my post from back then I remember it as clear as day! I was so so worried, but it seems that it was just a normal part of pregnancy. There's lots more to look forward to once you get past that stage too! I had pretty bad sickness every day during the first trimester, although I wasn't actually that bothered as I know it's a good sign. I also have just recently started suffering from what I think is SPD where I have hip pain and it's making me waddle when I walk! Heartburn, spots, food aversions lots of fun things, but you know what? I actually am enjoying every moment of it! When I feel that baby move around in my tummy it's the best feeling ever, and I can't wait to meet my son in about 14 weeks time!

Hey Georgie, as you were only on here 6 months ago I'd be interested to know how things turned out for you? I hope you are healthy and in your 3 rd trimester now! I am currently 6 weeks (just) and have been experiencing symptoms of cramping, after lying down on my back, right side or sitting too long. My sleep is very disturbed even though I try to sleep on my left side. I can only think the uterus is pressing down and causing discomfort along with gas, as usually when I get up I always pee and then eventually have gas before the cramping goes away. Interesting that your OH didn't think you could be having symptoms at 5 weeks - I bet things have changed now! :)

Hello im 8-9 weeks pregnant and around 5 weeks i started having extreme cramping, it got so bas that i thought i was having a miscarriage but it turned out to be a urinary tract infection starting to go into a kidney infection, also i have extreme gas problems and problems digesting so my doctor told me i can take stool softners and gas-x but never NEVER TAKE A LAXITIVE EVER!

Hi all!! I'm now 7 weeks pregnant and started out with cramps throughout the day and had a few days of waking up at early hours of the morning with excrutiating menstrual cramp like pain! It would only last about 20-30 min. Not long enought to take Tylenol. I was soo worried. It seemed like laying in my left side was the worst! I ended up going to the hospital and havin an ultrasound finding out that everything was normal. I did read somewhere that a shortage of potassium can cause these cramps. So last night when cramps came on I had half a banana and my cramps went away. I don't know if it was just coincidence but I will definitely stock up on bananas..a frit I normally don't eat. Hope tis helps you ladies, best of luck!

Hey, it's quite crazy that this post has been continuing for a number of years! I'm soooo glad I found it as all your symptoms are exactly the same as mine.  I first experienced the cramps last Saturday and again last night.  Unfortunately it was a tad worse last night/this morn as the pain did actually cause me to faint.  Obviously scared the bajesus out of me.  Spoke to the hospital and they said they can't really do much at this stage but as long as there is no bleeding then not to worry.  I have a 6 week scan on Monday and cannot wait - just for piece of mind.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Lyss, I will try the banana thing, funny enough I fancied one earlier and again it's not my type of fruit.

Dear All,

This is a very useful thread.  My wife is currently 5 weeks pregnant and for the past 3 nights, in the early hours, she has had 30mins of severe cramps and a need to poo.  This has been associated with sweatiness and shivers etc.  Its amazing how many people have experienced exactly the same.

We are both doctors (generalists/family medicine).  The medical literature on this phenomenon does not appear particularly comprehensive.  I feel the 'uterus-stretching' story a little unsatisfactory and incomplete.  I wonder if it is (at least in part) due to the natural dip in the hormone cortisol that occurs around 3 hours after sleep.  Cortisol generally acts to reduce prostaglandin (PG) synthesis, and PGs can cause inflammation and uterine cramps.  Therefore, the dropping off at cortisol at this time would allow PGs to do their thing and cause the symptoms described in the early hours.  

This is entirely just a personal theory - apologies for not being able to give a definite answer, and I would love to hear from someone who has a more substantiated view.

The key is to differentiate it from ectopic pregnancy pain - which generally speaking is one sided, tends to just get worse and worse (rather than clearing after 20-30 mins) and is often associated with bleeding.  Please see/speak to your doctor to run through the symptoms.

All the best to everyone, and thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

Thanks to the Drs who added their answer to this. Kind of reassuring re your comment on ectopic.

I have another theory. I suffer with IBS but havent had a flair up for years. Based on what I ate the 2 nights I've had these severe pains they are foods that had previously caused me upset. I am so bloated I actually look 4 months rather than 6 weeks.

I then did some searching on ibs and pregnancy and apparently pregnancy can cause ibs symptoms because at this stage the digestive system slows down so the baby can absorb as many nutrients as poss. I also read that people who suffer with ibs can have severe abdominal cramps and pass out, to which I did, and the whole episode only generally lasts up to 30mins.

I've since started eating foods that are not likely to upset my stomach such as dough, brocolli etc and start eating things like chicken, rice, mint tea etc and things have improved. So even if you do not suffer with ibs I actually think the pain Is gas.

Hope this helps

Dehydration, to much salt, over extending yourself in the day. Majority is normal for growing. I'm 5 Wks with my 4th baby, happens every night when I lay down to relax. Especially in a deep, comfy sleep when my body's at rest. That could be 90% why.

I am 12 weeks and 6 days and have endless cramping this is my second child don't know what to think

Hi, my wife is going through the same things described here - huge cramps mainly occurring when she is in deep sleep but it happens in the daytime too up to 4 or 5 times a day. She's around 5 weeks pregnant and we've been so worried that we've had an early ultrasound today which showed (not conclusively) that she isn't ectopic and fingers crossed the pregnancy is going to plan.

 

It's our first and we want to be getting excited but she's in agony when the cramps come and nothing seems to help. She has in the past suffered from IBS but had healthy digestion until we found out she was pregnant and the pains arrived. Painkillers and different sleeping positions don't seem to make any difference and we're still really worried. I'd love to hear how some of the previous posters got on - IBS sufferers, how long did your cramps last for etc? I don't think she could cope with knowing that we have 8 more months of these symptoms....

Wow, I have searched the internet for weeks and this is the only thread I've found that even comes close to what I'm experiencing. I will share my research in case it helps.

I am 7 weeks pregnant and have had these excruciating cramps for the past 3 weeks. However, unlike everyone else on this thread, mine come 2-4 hours after eating. I do think that somehow, these cramps are related to digestion. I am wondering if food or gas passing through the intestines is causing muscle spams in the uterus, which is right next to the intestines. That would explain why the pain is not always relieved by passing gas (because the real pain is caused by uterine cramps).

In any event, mine were so bad that I put myself on a special diet designed for IBS sufferers. It's called the low-FODMAP diet and it basically limits any food that is not digested by the stomach and has to continue to the intestines. If you google it you'll see the types of foods included.

I certainly wish there were another way, because the diet is very restrictive. It's so odd to me that there is no explanation for why this happens to some women - my OB had never heard of such a thing and neither had my gastroenterologist.

I just had a normal period 4 days not heavy or light, but during this time I have has extreme cramping waking me up for hours at night. Meds and heat pad helps. Now I'm off my period and woke up again always around 2am. Haven't had cramps like this since I was a teenager. Took 2 pregnacy test both negative. Could this be a sign of pregnancy?

I also have been searching high and low for these symptoms and only found it here! I am 4 weeks 2 days and have had mild cramping off and on during the late afternoon, until last night. The weird thing is that I have woken up every morning around 4am since implantation. So last night I woke up assuming it was just my normal wake up. NO. It was 1:30 and I had extremely severe cramping. So much sweat I was dripping. I was screaming in agony, and I've dealt with a lot of cramps. So I thought I'd try using the restroom. As soon as I had a bowel movement. Boom, the cramps subsided. I still had to lie on my back and bend my legs up all night to feel comfortable. But I think it has a lot to do with gas/constipation. At least I hope so! I definitely didn't eat as well/drink as much yesterday either.