What's with my bp? Am I ever going to relax at prenatals...

[phatchristy]

I guess what I really want is reassurance that I am normal. I can't seem to relax at my prenatals...I think a bit of it is because I am not 100% comfortable with the people who are there. My first two were homebirths through another location of the same birth center, this time I am going to a different location of the birth center and having a homebirth. Anyhow, at home, my bp is like 124/74. Which is relatively normal for me. At the birth center, it usually is 128/80...still fairly normal, right.

Anyhow, I worry as a couple of times it crept up to 138/85 at the center...usually when something stressful happened (the past two times it was higher I had stressful events...bleeding first, policy change second...). Well, we deduced that it was always better at the end of the appointment so we started doing that a couple of prenatals ago.

Today, I got some bad news, my midwife was in a car accident (irony, the day after our last appt) so I come in today to find one of the other midwives from a different location. The midwife may or may not be here for my birth....she was hospitalized for a week and had a rod put in her leg and will have a rather long recovery...sigh. So, at the end of the appointment I was still tense (high pulse to top it off) and the assistant took my bp, she got 12something over 80. She figured, well she couldn't hear it that well, so redid it with the automatic. That came out 114/86. Then she thought that was weird, so then went and got the other midwife, who took it and got 138/86!!! Another one of my high readings...so great they wrote down the worst reading...she said, don't worry it's fine. Whatever. But, the first two were better....so? What do I make of this? Was I just tense by the third time I took it?

I am already sensitive about my bp as it is always good at home when I am not at the office...now, with everyone taking it multiple times that makes me even more tense that the readings varied so much...KWIM? They didn't seem worried about it, yet of course, now I am.

I have this to think about now, and the knowledge that I will probably have someone completely different at my birth than I expected. It will just take some getting used to. Sigh...on the other hand the midwives are happy that I am having a homebirth because their drive to my house is a half an hour shorter than the drive to the birth center (since they live by the other birth center...some irony there LOL).

So, I guess I just need some suggestions on relaxing...sigh. Anything I can do to naturally keep my bp lower as well...I want some mental reassurance...KWIM?

Just a vent...UGH!

[Geofizz]

Do you really need to take your bp at the appointments? Since it seems you monitor your own pressure at home, why don't you keep a record of your measurements and just bring them in to the appointment? Since changes in bp is what's most important to monitor, knowing that each measurement is taken in an consistent, calm, familiar setting by the same person each time (you) would actually result in a better record.

[phatchristy]

Hmm...I will have to ask them about it. If things don't go back to my normal next time maybe I will. The thing is, I think I may have mentioned that with a prior pregnancy and they said that technically labor is a time of stress so even if taking it at a prenatal is more stressful for me it would be more "accurate" of a stressful time. Though, at my births it was good both times (probably 120/80 if I am remembering right).

Though, that was previously, I could ask them that. Though, they seem to think it is fine as it is now. Sigh.

[crsta33]

I had the same thing happening in my first pg, except my numbers were a little higher (they were often getting 90 on the bottom even in the 1st trimester).

But, it really was just stress related. I saw a reproductive endocrinologist, then a group of midwives I wasn't comfortable with, and finally when I was around 20 weeks a couple of midwives at a birth center. It wasn't until I got comfortable with the new midwives and relaxed about my birth options that my bp was lower at prenatals.

The midwives were not worried about it. They asked me to have someone check it once a week or so between visits once and when I reported the lower numbers at the next prenatal they said I was fine, just nervous.

Also, I'm not sure on this, but I think taking BP repeatedly like that can give you varying numbers...esp if they are taking it back-to-back in the same arm (not to mention the fact that they can't take a BP can really drive your BP up! )

Christa

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by crsta33

Also, I'm not sure on this, but I think taking BP repeatedly like that can give you varying numbers...esp if they are taking it back-to-back in the same arm (not to mention the fact that they can't take a BP can really drive your BP up! )

Christa

I think you are right about that as well...another RN and mom on another list said the same thing to me! So, yep, that could have definitely explained why the last reading was the highest!

I think I am just going to have to get comfortable with the new situation. My BP had really gone down nicely the last two visits as I was comfy with things...then, wouldn't you know it, I have a new "normal" to deal with again. My first midwife went on maternity leave, then I got used to the second...then, you guessed it...now this!!! A little drama and chaos. My births typically go smoothly and quickly...hopefully that will be the same, as so much has been different already! LOL (trying to have a sense of humor about things!)

[Hemiola]

I was induced with my DS which turned into a C-section Every time they came in to take my blood pressure (which was all the freaking time!), they would say "Has your blood pressure been up towards the end of your pregnancy?" and every time I would have to say "No, just wait a minute and take it again." Apparently anytime someone walked in the room my BP went way up but once I had a chance to adjust, it went right back down. Obviously I wasn't relaxed there which is why I'm planning a HB for my next DC! I think some people are just more sensitive to change and have more fluctuations in their BP but I don't think it is abnormal.

Good luck!

Laura

[Sleepymama]

I have serious "white coat hypertension" too. Have them wait and take it at the very end of the appointment, last thing after everything else is done. Also, have them try taking it while you lie on your left side. I totally agree--once they take it once and it didn't work, it's all over. It just gets higher and higher. I especially hate the automatic machines because they never seem to work on me--I think my pulse is buried or something. When they just leave it on and let it keep pumping up again and again until it works...well I've learned my lesson about that. I give them 1 try with the automatic and if it doesn't work, get out the manual.

I have the same problem--it's 140/90 at the doc, 110/70 at home. I do take it at home everyday and keep a log just in case anyone gets antsy about it.

I also do conscious relaxation before and while they are taking it. Slow deep breaths with slow exhalation and I imagine my heart slowing and relaxing. It does help a bit.

Also, if you are overweight make sure they use the larger cuff. You'll get higher readings with the regular size one.

[applejuice]

Get some minerals, as Magnesium Oxide or Calcium lactate with magnesium.

Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and it will give you diahrreah, but it will also lower your blood pressure.

If you do not believe me, the drip that is given to women with high blood pressure is magnesium...a cheap form of magnesium is epsom salts..., but it works!!

[lakshmi*mama]

I would not worry about it. Your midwives are right not to be concerned. It sounds like a classic case of white coat syndrome. Along with that, it is completely normal and is actually a sign of a healthy functioning placenta to have some increase in BP towards the end of pregnancy. A healthy placenta delivers blood to the baby, which puts a higher demand on you to produce and pump it, so naturally it is going to cause some amount of rise. Those things, together with your perfectly 'normal' readings at home give every reason not to be worried. Additionally, an elevated BP by itself in pg is not an immediate cause for concern. When they are looking for signs of Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia a high BP is just one piece of a sign/symptom picture. Its presence alone is not automatically an indicator of a problem.

I know it is easier said than done, but truly - relax and don't worry about it. Take it all in stride.

[applejuice]

Let me add that my blood pressure went up at 38 weeks during my first pregnancy; it was 129/91. I had been jogging that morning and it was the first day of a two week long heatwave and smog alert. The FHT were low...I guess she was just tired!

I was told to rest and take it easy.

She was born fine, fifteen days later...we all laughed in the pediatrician's waiting room that the babies were waiting for the heat to let up! There were five newborns there!

[phatchristy]

Just my little update...since then I ended up talked to the head midwife. Anyhow, she totally understood how everything was completely mishandled. She said there is no way that the assistant should have taken the bp three times in a row. And, not to worry about my bp. That, there was enough stress last time finding out what I did about the midwife who I thought would be attending my birth.

I had been taking it at walmart and our local grocery store, among other places and it was always good (around 118/74). Anyhow, I decided, to ease my mind, that I would get a monitor for home. I purchased one with a large cuff (as I measured my upper arms and I know I do require one...I am non-pregnant a size 14 and have always had really large upper arms even when i was thinner so no getting around it), and took it a couple of times. It has always been around what I listed above, the last two times being 116/74 and 114/77. So....I KNOW that I am normal, healthy.....whatever. I will just take in my recorded bps if there is a problem at the office. And, I know after talking to the last midwife that if I am still tense about it she will let me just take it at home anyhow. After all, home IS where I am having the baby LOL!!! I had my last two babies at home through the same center....so they know me and know that I do all the good stuff (loads of protein, calcium, magnesium, etc.) to prevent this stuff.

I was just totally thrown off last time...and I was really upset about it. At the end I seem to worry about that stuff...sigh. You know...any last thing that kicks you out of the birth that you want. But I feel a lot better about everything now. I just needed to process.

HUGS

Christy

[jerawo]

I'm glad it seems like white coat syndrone. It's so annoying to have possible high bp hanging over your head when you want to homebirth. I had PIH and was afraid I wasn't going to be able to homebirth, but at a certain point I said this will happen for me and my bp never went over the cutoff count. My labor turned about to be so fast, we never had any time to check my bp much less leave the house.

[phatchristy]

My little update...on our appointment today, it was still higher than home. I went in one of the other sitting areas, tried to relax and it went nearly back to normal...from 130/80 to 115/79. My pulse was high both times. I seem to have just some stressful stuff going on. Anyhow, the MW just said that all of this was just ridiculous, and that my bp shouldn't cause me this much stress...so I should just bring in my bp from the previous day and go by that. So, no more taking the bp at appointments!!! Thankfully, now I will just continue monitoring at home like I have been. Then I can at least relax some at my prenatal appointments for the remainder of this!

Of course, there are now some other stressful things I found out at my appointment...so that is probably what made it a bit higher (everything is OK with baby, but now as my midwife was in the car accident it looks I have a good chance that they may want me to come into the birth center to actually have the baby as they have only 2 midwifes covering 23-25 births that month..sigh...they also are losing another midwife to a long distance move this month which is another problem).