Blood pressure

[dcgrl]

sigh. Had an appointment with the midwife today and bp was way up (145/90). It's been creeping up most of the 3rd trimester. They did full labs last week (all fine) and a 24-hr urine (also fine), so this is gestational hypertension, not pre-e. I know it could possibly go that route, but I feel pretty confident that I won't develop pre-e.

I've got to go in for NSTs twice a week, and the midwife I saw today recommended induction at 41 weeks.

I've been eating celery like crazy, but it seems to have stopped working for me. I started the cream of tartar/lemon juice remedy yesterday, and maybe it hasn't a chance to work.

So I've got two questions for you all:
what are your recommendations for bringing down bp?
what are your recommendations for encouraging this baby to come out on his own? (I haven't felt any contractions that I know of yet, no mucus plug, no nothing--due on Thanksgiving)

And a bonus question:
I've also been taking cal-mag supplements for restless legs. They don't seem to be doing anything for the legs, and I've heard that magnesium can stall contractions. Would you go off the cal-mag?

The past few weeks have been pretty frustrating. I FEEL perfectly fine and healthy, but my bp is going up. I haven't measured it outside the midwive's office, so it could be white coat, but somehow I doubt it. The midwife today told me how complicated my pregnancy has been, but seriously--it's been completely uncomplicated. I haven't been sick, I haven't had any pain or discomfort. I feel a little picked on for being overweight and daring to have my first baby after the age of 35. From my perspective, this pregnancy has been exceedingly easy, and the only complications arise when I go to my appointments...

Thanks for any advice.

[ComfyCozy]

You might want to consider monitoring your bp at home to make sure it's not "white coat syndrome". Certainly her talking induction and manufacturing "complications" aren't going to reduce your stress levels and help your bp.

It sounds like you know more than I about natural remedies for high bp, so I'm not much help to you there, but I wanted to encourage you to maintain confidence in yourself and your body. High bp, pre-e, induction, etc...is a lot to sit there and digest, especially when all you really know you have at the moment is a high bp at your appointments.

Have you checked out the sticky thread at the top about natural ways to "get things moving"? It helps if your body is already making some steps toward labor, i.e. if you're effaced somewhat or even a tiny bit dilated. You're more likely to respond to the natural induction measures. If nothing is happening down there, the first thing you'll probably want to do is try to get your cervix to ripen, and to do that you'll need prostaglandins, which are very present in semen. It's best to get it in there, and then continue to lie down so you can, well, marinate. Having them strip your membranes also produces good amounts of prostaglandins, but you might consider that too invasive. Or not

But when it comes to induction, don't discuss it until YOU are ready and discuss it on YOUR terms. Remember what a good job your body is doing!!

[GinaRae]

One of my MWs is making a big deal out of my weight and what-not too. Luckily the other is more grounded. She has concerns, but not the same way.

If cal-mag is doing nothing, stop taking it. Check out the natural inductions sticky at the top of our DDC for helpful ideas.

ask the MWs or someone here on MDC about using black and blue cohosh. I don't know if that's in the sticky yet. Also, you could try haveing your membranes stripped by the MW. Also can you go for regular swims?

Good news is, I had PIH like you with my last pregnancy, but during the labor and delivery my BP was just fine and there were no complications. They want to monitor you of course because you don't want to stroke out during labor. Are you laboring in water? That might help too.