Flu Like Symptoms at 4 Weeks Pregnant

by 1st Time Mom
(USA)

Flu Like Symptoms at 4 Weeks Pregnant

I woke up one day feeling as if I’d had the flu. I ached all over. I didn’t feel feverish, just hurt as if I were bruised all over. Usually when I feel something like this come on, I take some Tylenol or aspirin, but this time I felt so badly that I made a doctor’s appointment. After all vital signs had been taken, I was found to have no fever and everything was normal; that’s when the nurse asked if it were possible that I was pregnant. I was only slightly overdue for my period, not longer than two weeks, and since I was rather irregular I didn’t think too much of it. I shrugged and said I guessed it could be possible and so a pregnancy test was run and came back positive. Right away I found an obstetrician/gynecologist and made an appointment. I was given an internal examination, and was told that I was approximately 4 weeks pregnant.

I was set up for regular appointments to monitor the pregnancy and went on my way. Other than the exhilaration of knowing I was going to be a mother, the pregnancy wasn’t very eventful. I had no morning sickness at all, and always felt wonderful, energized, in a generally great mood. I developed a craving for apples and needed to eat several a day which was strange because I NEVER eat apples! It’s not that I dislike them; it’s just that I can always think of something that I would rather eat, usually something that wasn’t as healthy.

The only discomfort I experienced since discovery at 4 weeks pregnant was in the last trimester. By this time the baby was growing much larger and he began rolling around, usually at night when I wanted to sleep. It’s always difficult to find a good position and remain comfortable during this time. It never seemed to fail that when I was tired and wanted to rest, the baby wanted to boogie! One night I had gotten out of bed and was walking to the bathroom, when a gush of liquid filled my slippers. My water had broken; except that when I got to the hospital as ordered by the obstetrician, he did a test and tried to convince me that my water hadn’t broken. They sent me home, while I was insisting that I knew the difference between urinating and having a gush come out. I finally started labor, but it didn’t seem to be progressing. Two days later I went back into the hospital, and was told that perhaps I was correct in determining that my water had, indeed broken and now they were concerned about the baby.

I was given medication to speed up the labor and delivery, but the contractions just didn’t get strong and my cervix wouldn’t dilate enough. Eight hours later it was determined that I would need a caesarean-section to remove the baby because it had been several days since my water broke. The baby had to be put in isolation at first because of the lack of fluid inside, he was slightly jaundiced but everything worked out all right. I experienced discomfort in my breasts because they became engorged and the nurses had to put on ice packs and give me medication. It was a long journey from 4 weeks pregnant to birth, but after that everything was fine and we both went home happy and healthy.