Midwife won't let me eat like I want...

[Fujiko]

I'm getting so frustrated...
I love my midwife to death, and she is so experienced and I feel so comfortable with her and safe with her, but she's getting me down.

My blood pressure is up (about 120/80) and if it goes over 140/90 I'm automatically risked out. Which sucks, and there's nothing she can do about that, as it's the law here I guess. She's super worried and is trying everything she can to get it back down (or at least prevent it from going up). She's making me take three different types of tinctures (dandilion root, nettle and hawthorne berry) and garlic capsules and pregnancy tea. Which I can handle, but not only that she's basically making me take out all the foods which I love to eat out of my diet! Now I can't eat bananas or orange juice (which was my method of taking the tinctures and protein shakes) or breakfast cereal. Apparently they all have too much sugar and that's not good for blood pressure (my GD test came back perfect, though).

Basically all I can eat is meat, eggs, dairy (no ice cream), and vegetables. I'm SO SO FRUSTRATED. I love to eat my fruit. : It's not like I ate BAD foods! I don't eat ice cream or soda or bakery goods, but the sweets I like (fruits and my morning bowl of LIFE cereal) are now BANNED!

And also I'm just SO DONE being pregnant, I can't move, my feet and legs swell up at night, my back hurts and my head has been KILLING me for the last week. DONE DONE DONE DONE!

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant. I feel a little better now.

[habibekindheart]

I'm dealing with more serious BP issues because I didn't pay attention, and I'm now on the Brewer's Diet to get my BP down. It's HELLISH, and my midwife won't let ME eat what I want!

I'll sulk with you.

[wanderinggypsy]

I feel for you both. My blood pressure is always on the low side, so that's no concern, but I'm getting freaky paranoid about how much sugar I'm consuming, because I"m ENORMOUS. I refused to be weighed at my last appointment, but I can see myself getting chubbier and chubbier every day when I look in the mirror. I want to eat well for the baby, but I'm a fruit addict, and between trying to get my weight gain onto an even keel and trying to create a healthy vaginal flora (read no yeast, no GBS, no whatever), I do feel that my sugars need reducing.

It is rough though, being in the house as much as I am these days, just going for a walk seems a feat of strength... and it's easy to mindlessly snack when I am here. I just hope I don't go late with this one!

[MamaBug]

[J's Mombee]

Aww mamas, I sympathize with you all... and I just wanted to share a "just hang in there" its worth it... and you are all doing a great job providing housing, food, love, life, and everything else to your new additions... Hugs to you all...

-L

PS:

Originally Posted by wanderinggypsy

I feel for you both. My blood pressure is always on the low side, so that's no concern, but I'm getting freaky paranoid about how much sugar I'm consuming, because I"m ENORMOUS. I refused to be weighed at my last appointment, but I can see myself getting chubbier and chubbier every day when I look in the mirror. I want to eat well for the baby, but I'm a fruit addict, and between trying to get my weight gain onto an even keel and trying to create a healthy vaginal flora (read no yeast, no GBS

What is GBS?

[crunchy_mama]

well, I have been on a yeast diet here, so no dairy, grains, no artificial sugar and very limited natural sugar. Yes, it is very, very frustrating. However, like wandering gypsy I am trying to keep my flora in a good balance and thankfully I have just got the yeast in better check. I have told everyone that after the baby is born I am sitting back in the recliner(as for 2 weeks at least I have done nothing but make sure I sit up perfectly straight to make sure the baby is in good position) and I am having some pizza. I am not usually a big junk or sugar eater either, but when your diet gets restricted it sure can bring the cravings.

LJ's Momma- GBS is group beta strep. It is tested for around 35 weeks or so. It is a bacteria normally present in our intenstinal track, however sometimes our vaginas become colonized with this as well. Generally this isn't a problem but sometimes the baby then gets colonized as well, this can led to some serious issues with baby, and even death. The standard protocol for ob care is to administer IV antibiotics during birth- at least 4 hrs before birth. There is much more info out there- do a quick search about it- we were discussing this just last week on here and there are many threads on MDC about it= rates of transmission and alternative methods of treatment.

[koofie]

My BP is low, but I did have a pos test for GD, so I am also off ALL fruits and juices :

I know how you feel - I am also miserable without the foods I love. Luckily, cottage cheese for breakfast is ok and I love it, but after about 6 weeks of cottage cheese for breakfast almost EVERY DAY I am kind of sick of it.

[xtara2003x]

GBS = Group B Strep

Goggle it and you'll find what it is. Many women get this in pregnancy. It's usually tested for around 36 weeks or so.

[babycatcher01]

140/90 or higher on two occasions, six hours apart, is what Anne Frye might call prehypertensive.

Things to help get it down/keep it in check: cucumbers, water mellon, pineapple, lots of garlic, nettle, dandelion, and hops teas. Also passion flower and skullcap tintures, the things your midwife is trying. Resticting your diet from fruit, water mellon and pineapple, canalope are some of the best things to eat when b/p might look alittle high. In our practice, I wouldnt be overly worried with 120/80, thats nothing I would feel is an urgent concern. Bottom number is a little high, but that can be due to you lot getting enough water/liquids(kidney function is linked with the bottom number), the nettle and dandelion should clear that up pretty quick.

Dont worry about it most of all, the more you focus on it the more it will become an issue. Just love yourself, get enough rest and enjoy your last couple weeks of pregnancy.

[treemom2]

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. I've been dealing with a midwife who thinks pg weight gain is very bad so every visit I am lectured about how I just need to stop eating all together: (really, last visit she asked me if I knew how to stop gaining weight, then said "stop eating"--ugh)

[srbushey]

Originally Posted by babycatcher01

140/90 or higher on two occasions, six hours apart, is what Anne Frye might call prehypertensive.

Things to help get it down/keep it in check: cucumbers, water mellon, pineapple, lots of garlic, nettle, dandelion, and hops teas. Also passion flower and skullcap tintures, the things your midwife is trying. Resticting your diet from fruit, water mellon and pineapple, canalope are some of the best things to eat when b/p might look alittle high. In our practice, I wouldnt be overly worried with 120/80, thats nothing I would feel is an urgent concern. Bottom number is a little high, but that can be due to you lot getting enough water/liquids(kidney function is linked with the bottom number), the nettle and dandelion should clear that up pretty quick.

Dont worry about it most of all, the more you focus on it the more it will become an issue. Just love yourself, get enough rest and enjoy your last couple weeks of pregnancy.

Yes, that's great advice! I've also heard that avoiding unnecessary fat helps. And exercising, like walking or swimming always gets the b/p down. And my doc says my average b/p of 120/70-80 is good. I've been told you can tell if a person is vegan or vegetarian or an omnivore by their b/p. A vegan's is around 100/60 (for non-pregnant. don't know for pregnant) So maybe try cutting out some of the dairy or meat??? If you're worried about protein, there's a ton in Quinoa, Lentils, Soybeans, Tofu, and other whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Your choices are endless, and many of the things on a vegetarian's pallate are meant to lower b/p anyway.

I also feel you about the fruit... I LOVE fruit and can't have much because of my GD. Ugh. But yay, only a couple more weeks... then it will all be over.

[heathenmom]

Originally Posted by srbushey

I've been told you can tell if a person is vegan or vegetarian or an omnivore by their b/p. A vegan's is around 100/60 (for non-pregnant. don't know for pregnant) So maybe try cutting out some of the dairy or meat???

I've never heard of that. I'm as carnivorous as they come, and my b/p is usually in the 90's/50-60's. I think there are a LOT of factors that play into bp issues -- not saying diet isn't a factor, but in my experience, a higher-protein/lower-carb diet improved bp, bG, cholesterol, and just about every other measure.

[crunchy_mama]

my bp is usually 95/70, and I definitely eat meat.

[firstwomantomars]

Hi!

My BP has been at or around the 140/90 mark the last few weeks of my first two pregnancies and started going over that after abour 25 weeks with this one! We have the same cutoff for legal reasons here and I was quite worried because I am planning a homebirth.

But now, for the first time, I have finally managed to stabilize my BP and it has been great for the past 5 weeks (I'm 39 weeks pregnant). It took a while though to see the first results (over a month) and my BP does go back up if I stop any of these for a few days:

-garlic capsules (the max dosage per day on the bottle - but someone said to be careful about this if you have had hemorrage problems during birth before...)

-lemon in water - this has helped TONS! I put lemon juice in the water I drink all day

-rest and lots of it - I stopped working and just stayed home and that seemed to help a lot

-relaxation - I have had to greatly slow down my pace and incorporate different ways to relax into my day...

-taking my BP at home at different times (because my BP is always high at the birthing centre!) - my neighborhood pharmacy let me borrow a hand-held digital BP machine for a few months for free

Wishing you the best in your pregnancy and birth!