I've got high blood pressure

[Persephone]

At my last visit, it was 140/90, while I've always, always had a BP reading of 120/80. So, we're upping the cacium, I'm going to get some Epsom salts to take baths with, and we're keeping an eye on things.

Everything I'm reading says that PIH is the same thing as PreE, but I have NO other symptoms of PreE. Anyway, at least the baby isn't breech anymore. Golly, this pregnancy has been perfect up til week 39, and all of a sudden, I get all these complications. : Plus, since finding out about the breech, I feel all flustered and not wanting to have the baby. Not to mention, I was supposed to get my birth tub tonight, but the people who have it didn't clean it out (something about being too involved with their new baby to bother with it ) so, I STILL don't have it!

I've been an emotional mess since Tues finding out about the baby, and now the BP thing is worrying me to death, and I have too much on my mind to relax and have a baby, but the sooner I have this baby, the better things will be for both of us! I"m mad at myself for letting myself get high BP, and I'm mad at the baby for not being born yet, and I'm mad at myself for being nervous about giving birth, and not wanting the baby born yet, and a whole host of things I just can't explain. It's sort of like this: : :

[mamazig]

so sorry, P -- sending calm vibes your way -- I hope you can find some peace.

[AAK]

Add some protein too! But really, couldn't the stress of the breech have upped the bp a bit? Hopefully it is nothing to worry about.

Amy

Here is my edit. I just realized you also mention PIH too, so maybe the add protein thing isn't a good idea. My mw just keeps pushing protein!

[cathynmatt]

BREATHE!

I am sure it was the breech news that caused your BP to rise!!!! Just relax and know that your babe will be coming out head first and you WILL have that birthing pool if you have to go over there, during labor, and force them to clean it out yourself!

[MamaTaraX]

I've been thinking about you. IN fact, the whole reason I got online was to send you an email. I'm glad baby's not breech at least. If its any consolation, many women will have an increase in blood pressure during the last couple weeks of pregnancy that is perfectly normal and often it will spike just before delivery. Eat loads of protein, definately hang out with the epsom salts, lay on your left side a lot. I'm really sorry about your tub! I wish I was more coherent to say someting more profound. Suffice it to say, you've been on my mind a heck of a lot in the past few days.

Namaste, Tara
Namaste, Tara

[Peppamint]

Aw hugs Pers... that sucks. I tend to get a little higher readings during pregnancy too... Kyolic garlic tablets and Rainbow Light food-based Calcium is really helping me keep it down right now :. Hang in there mama, you're soooo close!

[ehsclt]

Persephone, hugs to you!

You sound just like a woman very close to giving birth. I am so glad that baby has turned...that's good news! Take good care of yourself and hopefully that bp will come down and/or you will remain free of other pre-e symptoms.

Hope that tub gets to you nice and clean and soon!

You're almost there, mama! Hang in there!

[Persephone]

Well, I've been taking calcium/magnesium for the past 3-4 days, and added to that cod liver oil today, as well as epsom salt baths, and something Susun Weed suggests, (which I haven't taken yet, but will before bed) which is cream of tartar in lemon juice and water. After my bath, I took it, and it was something like 138/106... that bottom number scares me. Earlier today it was 128/99, which I am counting as the official BP for today, since it was taken at the same time as I usually do it. But that's still a high bottom number.

Tara's comment about BP spiking in late pgcy made me feel tons better, but I still want to get it down... and I really just wish this baby could be born, so I don't have to worry about it anymore, but I worry about how we'll handle labor.

[MamaTaraX]

IF you have your b/p taken during your labor, I'd avoid hearing the actual number. I read my chart after my 2nd's birth...b/p was through the roof! I asked a nurse about it and she asked if I'd had a natural birth. I said I had, she said that's normal then. When I say through the roof, I mean it. I had readings that were 160/100, 149/103... crazy high stuff. I'm glad I never heard it myself though. I only had it taken a couple of times too. Just a thought

Namaste, Tara

[hypechick]

I also had high BP reading during my last 2 MW appts. My MW who is normally pretty clinical and instructive for a MW told me I needed to do some sould searching and redefine my priorities! I was pretty freaked out since i didn't really know what she meant. I consulted Susan Weed and tried the lemon juice and creme of tartar as well as the daily cucumber, garlic supplements, skullcap tincture, baths and swimming. DH thinks she was telling me to slow down and rest if I want this home birth to happen. Anyway, during the second appt, I had a reading of 140/196 but after a few deep breaths and lowering the lights, my bp was 126/84. Pre preg my bp is usually 112/70. While i know rising bp happens in late pregm ,y mw is pretty conservatice about home births. so far, we're still on track but stil...

SO, Per, i feel for you. just keep on relaxing, visualizing and bathing. we can only hope for the best right now. THe fact that baby in no longer breech is great!

[wmama]

I'm sorry to hear your bp is acting up. Mine has gone up at the end of all 3 of my pregnancies, but this time around I've actually ended up on medication as of almost 2 weeks ago. If it reassures you at all, I was induced because of my bp my 1st pg (it was going from PIH to pre-eclampsia), and baby and I handled a very difficult natural labor without any kind of medication for my blood pressure. Second baby my bp wasn't as bad, but still everything was fine during delivery. I'm in the same position as you now--I'm hoping baby comes soon, because of my bp. My midwives are okay with me going overdue, as long as the medication is controlling my bp (which it is), but the maternal fetal medicine doctor I also see doesn't want me to go overdue (which gives me 1.5wks more).

Your numbers do sound like you should be keeping a close watch on them. I hope the supplements and baths do the trick for you, and that your little one comes out really soon!

[Wugmama]

Persephone I'm so sorry you have this to worry about! I'm glad Tara is planning on being there for your birth - she seems like she would be so comforting - wish I would have had her at mine. I've been thinking about you and am waiting to hear your birth announcement - I know it won't be too much longer, hang in there honey!

s

~Tracy

[Persephone]

It's higher today. Tara, my bp is what yours was DURING your labor, but I'm not in labor! Wish I was! It would be the easiest, slowest labor on the planet. I just don't know what I can do to get it down! And I know that worrying like this isn't helping, but I can't help it. My cousin lost her baby last month at 7 months due to this. I"m so scared, for me and the baby... I don't want a section, and I don't want to lose the baby! Not when we've come this far! I keep telling the baby to come out now, but nothing yet.

[Persephone]

Good grief, how did I manage a TRIPLE post!

[Persephone]

[MamaTaraX]

Sweet little baby, you need to come out!!! I'll trade all my ctx and labor vibes in and cash them in for your mama if you'd just come out. I hope your little one comes really soon, I wish I could do something for you other than hope and pray. Beleive me, I am doing those things! {{go down b/p vibes}} comin' your way!

Namaste, Tara

[MuhajibahMama]

Persephone, do you have other signs of PIH or PreE? My BP is still within the normal range (or at least it was the last time they checked), but it's still very high for me. I'm usually 98/60 or 110/60...my last reading they were trying to decide if the bottom number was 80 or 88 depending on whether to count the 3 or 4th ____________ (I forget what they call it). But I have no other signs...the same thing happened with my 1st...high for me BP, but no other signs (only that time I had SEVERE edema as well).

Anyway, I know my numbers are lower, but they are still alarming to me. They told me that even if I did manage to reach borderline (140/90) they would still just monitor me and also long as it didn't shoot up too much higher and I didn't have any other indicators, they weren't too concerned about...saying that some women just happen to have higher BPs than normal at the end of pg and during labour.

I do hope you're babe decides to come out soon.

[Persephone]

Thank you, MM. I have no other symptoms, but my midwife is calling it Toxemia. I'm doing what she calls a "Toxemic Feast". A dozen eggs, a whole chicken, and two salads with cucumber as well as three tall glasses of milk with protien in them a day for two days. The goal is 200 g of protien a day. And then 150 after that, until the baby is born.

Since there's a bruhaha going on in IN right now with a midwife, my mw (who is not the one under arrest) is getting nervous about continuing to care for me. I don't blame her. But I don't think she expects me to deliver at home, but in a hospital. I"m trying to come to grips with that right now, should it end up happening.

However, when she took my BP, rather than when we used the one we got from Walgreens, it was lower... 140/100, which makes me feel better... maybe something is working?

[Peppamint]

Pers- how is your BP if you lie down? I always like my numbers lying down. Hang in there mama and try not to let the outside situations interfere with you and baby.

I was thinking yesterday about how Jennifer's situation may make the other midwives a little jumpier. It really stinks.

[Persephone]

The 140/100 WAS my lying down BP, but it was right after she told me I would prolly have to deliver in a hospital. Last night after she left, I took another epsom salt bath, and laid on my left again, and dh took it and it was.... 129/87!!!! Still high, but SO much better! I really think it was the epsom salt bath, which was nice and relaxing and happened after we watched a movie for some distraction from this horrible ordeal. So, I have some hope now of it getting down to a safe enough place that my midwife is still comfortable attending my birth.