Failure to Pee, and Where is My Uterus?

Over a week ago, into Week 14, something strange happened. I went to pee, but my trudge to the bathroom was rewarded by a mere dribble. I still felt my bladder was full, but nothing else appeared.

With a preexisting medical condition that I've lived with for 13 years, and one that involves kidneys, peeing and urine dipsticks, I immediately got worried. What if my kidneys were acting up?

But the dipstick showed no protein in my urine.

I pushed down on my lower abdomen, feeling for where my bladder would be. Instead, my fingers encountered a hard lump the size of an orange, just above my pubic bone. I was 100% sure that was never there before. Now that got me really concerned. I prodded it. I pushed down hard on it. Was this my bladder - full, and hard? I read that failure of the bladder to empty can result in urinary tract infections and even spread to the kidneys.

Worse - was this some sort of tumor?? (You can see I have hypochondriac tendencies).

Guess what. That hard lump was actually Peanut.

Where is my uterus?
I feel a little embarrassed to be admitting this, but I thought Peanut was located somewhere near my belly button. Actually, the uterus starts way low in the abdomen, and only begins to rise out above the pubic bone around Week 14.

So all this while I was cradling my growing belly thinking that's where Peanut was, and I was actually cradling my small intestines. :p

In the coming weeks though, the uterus should continue to rise until it reaches my belly button and beyond. In fact fundal height, which is measured from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus, is used to quite accurately indicate fetal growth.

Back to Pee Problems
Towards the end of Week 14, Peanut was more noticeably peeking out of the top of my pubic bone. And with that, I guess the pressure on my bladder or urethra or such, eased. Now I pee just fine. (Thought you might like to know :)).