Low Blood Pressure « Back to Group Discussions

[g&a]

So, first midwife appt yesterday.  Blood pressure is 120/60.  From what I am reading the top number is normal and the bottom one is low.  Not sure what that means.  Not sure why the two numbers would be so different.

Also thinking maybe this is why I'm feeling so crappy and sleeping all the time.  Can anyone with medical knowledge shed some insight?  The midwife said "normal" and then I went and looked it up when I got home thinking it sounded low.  I've had low blood pressure before related to Adrenal function which I've been able to remedy with herbs which will be off limits for a while now.

[talldarkeyes]

Maybe rainbownurse can answer this?

[coalifetime]

You have the same blood pressure that I have, and mine even can get to 110/60 or so as well.  It is normal, and it is healthy.  Your heart is resting well between heartbeats and the pressure during a surge of blood is not high.  

This article does not include the awesome physical state of pregnancy, but it gives a great description to the measurement of blood pressure

http://www.livestrong.com/article/524559-blood-pressure-range-for-athletes/

[rainbownurse]

your blood pressure is totally normal, don't worry a bit! I know people say "normal" is 120/70, but truthfully, normal blood pressure can be anywhere from 100/50 to 130/80. Mine is regularly 100-110  over 50-60. Except when I'm at work, lol

Okay, so, here's the quick low down on blood pressures:

the top number is how hard your heart is pumping (systolic) the bottom number is the pressure when it's resting (diastolic). That's a really simplified definition.  Personally, I don't get too concerned when the bottom number is a bit low, I get more concerned when both numbers are low (ie-the top number is below 100), or when both numbers are high (top number over 200, bottom number over 90), or when there's not a lot of space between them. (ie-110/100). 
The other thing with any type of reading like that is that one reading doesn't mean much, it's always better to have more than one so you can figure out what your normal trend is. It's good to know this so when it does go up a bit, you can say that your normal is xx/xx. 

here's my last bit-if your midwife/doctor/nurse tells you that it's normal and they're not concerned, believe them. And for the love of all that is holy, don't google stuff. Dr. Google doesn't know anything. 

[CountryMommy]

My blood pressure has been 90/60 during both of my OB appts so far and the OB said that was perfectly normal and is consistant with what it has been for my previous pregnancies. 

I experienced scary, scary low blood pressure during active labour with my first child (no food or drink or almost 24hrs and long hot, hot shower for pain management) but thats another story and I've been way more careful labouring since then!

[rainbownurse]

I was just about to add that I've had patients with blood pressures of 80/30 and are totally fine! 

[heyitskalista]

I have extremely low blood pressure.  As long as I stay hydrated and try to keep my iron levels up, it doesn't really affect me.  But I can tell when its dropping too low, I get dizzy (especially when standing up fast), the room shakes, I feel light headed, etc. 

[InLove2009]

I usually get low blood pressure in the summer and I will get super dizzy. But, I drink a lot and that helps. Right now mine is usually 115/62 ish.... Thats what it was the last couple of times. I am also very tired, but I think that is just the baby :) 

[ashleybrook]

Originally Posted by heyitskalista 

I have extremely low blood pressure.  As long as I stay hydrated and try to keep my iron levels up, it doesn't really affect me.  But I can tell when its dropping too low, I get dizzy (especially when standing up fast), the room shakes, I feel light headed, etc. 

i dealt with low blood pressure last pregnancy...though i don't remember the numbers--i was on the dizzy side, and i remember not feeling well. i took floradix to help with iron levels and increased salt a bit...and water a lot. it went away. it does tend to happen towards the middle of pregnancy. and i think some people can be really low and it not affect them and some be a bit higher and not feel well--but that's just personal opinion. 

[ashleybrook]

btw, if you're feeling run down in general--it might be anemia...i don't know if you've got that checked--or feel that might be an option.

[Ruheling]

Thanks for a good explanation of blood pressure. I wonder if any of the suggested explanations explain while I'm feeling so totally run down in the last week or so. Even during the first trimester, it was more off and on--like I was either feeling ok energy-wise or asleep. Now, I just feel loooooooooooow. Also having trouble sleeping, but that's a separate issue. I think.

[skycheattraffic]

Another mama here who has experience with low BP. My normal is between 125/70 to 110/60 but with my first pregnancy (especially in the second trimester) I got as low as 80/40. I felt a bit tired and got dizzy a lot but it wasn't too bad. It was pretty funny since everyone was worried about me having high BP due to my weight. I'm also borderline anemic (115 instead of the standard 120-160) but that's my normal. I am freezing all the time and can't decide if it's the lower iron or the baby or both. I'm about to start week 14 but food isn't easy yet and chasing little miss takes a lot out of me. On a tangent, we both woke up with a bad cold this morning although the runny nose isn't new to either of us. Nursing a stuffed up kiddo is the pits since she has to unlatch every dew seconds to breathe. DD cries every time I have to blow my nose. Ugh I'm so over early pregnancy in the winter. Sorry for the rant