Help Lowering BP

[Gunter]

My BP has been 100/60 then it was 110/70 for weeks. Last night at my prenatal it was 125/85. That is not super high, I realize but I would like to avoid it going any higher. I am having a homebirth so I need things to continue smoothly over the next few weeks. I am 35.5 weeks now. I am vegetarian with a good diet but always have room for improvement. I am only working part-time and setting up my own hours during the week. I can stop at any point but didn't want to sit around the house plus I love what I do.

Any tips for lowering BP or just for keeping it low? TIA!!!

[MamaFern]

i find the MOST important things for me to maintain a normal BP are..

1) enuff protein everyday in my diet.. i dont necessarily count how many grams but i try to eat protein rich foods with each meal, or even a glass of milk or a smoothie with protein powder or yogurt if im not feeling very hungry.

since you are vegetarian i think its harder to maintain a good protein level.. i found it VERY hard when i was pregnant with elwynn.. things high in protein were not what appealed to me AT all.. tofu made me want to barf, eggs as well..cheese was okay sometimes.. i tried to eat a lot of beans and nuts but it wasn't that easy.. i drank a LOT of soymilk, but IMO soy isn't great so i drink organic cows milk now.. i do eat some organic meat now and i feel much healthier for it, but i understand being vegetarian! i was for all of my life up until a few years ago. i think this change in my diet was really the huge factor that helped me maintain a normal BP this time around..

2) 1000 mg of calcium/magnesium daily (and half a banana for potasium)

3) enuff rest and time to deep breathe and relax myself

4) exercise! a nice walk in the evening or morning really helps to keep me centered and my body feeling stress free
there are also other things that ive eard help..

cucumber (eat one daily)
skullcap & hops tinctures also help ( my MW had me taking them when i was pregnant with elwynn and my BP was a bit high near the end)

i hope that you find something that works for you!

[BensMom]

Well for me, it was quitting work (but I worked a job I hated FT with a 2hr commute) and restarting my exercise program. I also took garlic and hawthorne tincture. But I really think it was the reduction in stress and exercise that helped most of all.

Oh yeah, and taking my BP at home where it was always much lower than the MWs office.

[2tolove]

Garlic - Fresh or Tablets

Good Luck!

[flyingspaghettimama]

I agree with Bensmom - can you take your BP somewhere else and see if it's consistently high (i.e. the local pharmacy, etc)? I second the exercise and stress reduction, if you can hack it.

I would watch that business carefully, only because I had preeclampsia before and it turns south in a fast way.

[AmyGirl28]

What has worked for me this time is...
*Daily walks
*Daily naps
*Extra Calcium

Try not to work too much, you are pregnant, you deserve the rest!

Good luck!

[MrsMoe]

Take it easy- keep the legs elevated, lay down at least once a day on our left side and read a good book... (this helps me) and pamper yourself. It is normal at the end of the pregnancy for the BP to rise a bit. Avoid stress at all costs.

[Gunter]

I had my blood pressure taken today (at the homeless shelter where I do research) at it was 139/85 then two hours later it was 125/79.

It was funny how encouraging the Detox staff guys were...the are used to having alcoholics who struggle with high BP. They were like, "Stop eating salt." I will bet I am the first pregnant woman to have her BP taken in the men's detox center! I will have it checked by them, again tomorrow when I go in.

I have been paying more attention to my protein intake since yesterday and boosting it! My feet are propped up.

Next week will be my last week of work, DH and I decided. I have a team meeting tomorrow where I will tell everyone. I talked with my supervisor today about how far down the baby is and about my BP. I told him I would probably be done in the next two or three weeks. When I told him about the +1 station, he asked if my water broke, yet. Funny how some people just don't know a whole lot about birth. I was like, no, I wouldn't be standing here in your office if it had. How fun to get to inform these men about pregnancy and birth!

[BlaiseW]

Hello - I've been lurking here for a while, but since I'm in pretty much the same boat as you, I thought I'd add my say. Yesterday when I visited the doctor my BP, which has been about 120/70 all through pregnancy, was up to 137/80. Like yours, that's not worryingly high, but if it keeps going up...

I'm 36 weeks and also planning a HB here in England and the doctor mentioned that high blood pressure was one of the things that would make them advise me to come in to hospital instead. So I shall also be trying all the good suggestions here, and adding a few of my own. I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that music & singing were good for lowering BP (can't hurt!), and I know lavender oil is supposed to have a normalising effect i.e. it lowers BP when it's too high and raises it when it's too low. Massage is another good one if you can find a volunteer to give you one, or even try self-massage anywhere you can reach.

And if anyone can explain why protein helps I'd love to know! I think I get a pretty good diet, but fine-tuning it can't hurt either.

Sending you low-BP vibes!

[Ryver]

My midwife said protein, protein, protein and it lowered mine!

[Gunter]

Today my BP was 117/80. Yay for the lowering. I am still upping the protein intake and taking it easy. We are having a big halloween party/my dog's b-day party tomorrow night though. I have tried to prepare in advance so I can remain chill tomorrow.