Hi , I had no signs at all of pre eclampsia during my pregnancy. My blood pressure was always perfect and for the most part I felt pretty good. My bub was 9 days old and I was laying in bed waiting for her to wake for her morning feed and got a really,really bad migraine,I don't really remember anything after that but I had one seizure at home and then a 2nd seizure while I was at hospital. ( I was waiting for my b/f to bring the car around as they were going to send me home) I am so, so lucky that the 2nd seizure happened while I was still at the hospital as I was later told it is very rare for a person to survive a 2nd seizure. I then vomited and swallowed it (sorry for too much info) which gave me neumonia and ended up in an induced coma for 3 days on a ventilator while everyone was hoping my body could recover.I don't know how but I managed to wake up and slowly come out of the coma. Someone was watching over me I'm sure because there is no other explanation as to why I am still here today. No one ever told me you were still at risk up to two weeks after your baby is born and there were absolutely no warning signs to suggest this was going to happen. Until I come across this website I had never even heard of anyone that had gone through what I went through.I'm not sure what it is like in other countries but here in Australia it is a real letdown on our health system that expectant mothers aren't informed about this before it ends up happening to them

Did you send me a FB friend request? I haven't seen it and still couldn't find you in search.
This pregnancy is going great! We thought in the beginning that we would have to worry about baby's blood - during my crazy c-section last time I was given blood that had antigens that I don't normally carry in it, so now I produce antibodies. It could've affected the way my body reacts to the baby's blood, but (long story short) hubby was tested and it is no longer an issue. Other than my baby is measuring really big, like 2 weeks ahead, and that is fine with me! My BP has stayed 80s/50s the whole time and just this week has been consistently 90s/50s instead, so that is still fabulous. I'm 29 weeks today, so 10 weeks or less! I'm just uncomfortable, which is hard to say knowing how much more uncomfortable I was carrying twins. I have been worrying a little about preterm labor - I have already been having contractions for several weeks, just not hard labor contractions. I know that I am at more risk because I had preterm labor with the twins at 30 weeks.
I'm sorry to hear about Florence having muscle tone problems. I don't know if that would have anything to do with delivery or blood flow at the end of the pregnancy - that would be a great question for the doctor. I have a couple of friends whose babies have muscle tone problems, but it's the opposite with them - they have too much. But it will ultimately cause the same milestone delays, I believe. We have a free service from our state that sends physical therapists to the home to work with babies who have any kind of physical developmental delays. I wonder what they will do for her?

Hi Anna, hope the pregnancy is progressing well with no problems. Are your boys getting excited? Found you on FB.
Having a few worries with little Florence here. She's now 15m old and a beautiful if very stroppy little girl. However she has been delayed in all of her milestones, can't even stand and bear weight on her legs yet or crawl, but does a really cute bumshuffle.
Saw a peadiatrician a few weeks ago, who said she has lower muscle tone and hypermobility in her joints. Don't expect her to walk till at least 2 or later, he's going to see her again in a couple of months as she was mid meltdown in her appt. She definitely has 1 stronger leg and 1 weak one, part of me wonders if some damage was done during the run up to her birth and/or during it. Just have to play the waiting game now, and see how she continues to develop.

Odette! I'm so sorry I'm just now seeing your post from March!! I searched your name on facebook, but couldn't find you - look for me, Anna Jordan Alaniz.

It looks like PE (or PIH or anything other version) is going to hold off pretty well this time for me. My BP is super low and has been since I got pregnant. (Like 80s/50s... so strange!) But I've read lately that's what is supposed to happen during pregnancy - BP should drop from conception to the halfway mark and then climb slowly back up to normal around delivery. I would never have thought/known that! I wonder if that kind of ultrasound is the kind we would have ordered here in the US for IUGR - it would be a high resolution u/s probably. This big boy I'm having is measuring 5 days ahead (again, unheard of!), so that's probably not an issue for me. I'm still being seen at 4 week intervals, but the OB said this week that I'll get sick of her pretty quickly after my next appointment. So I'm assuming she's just waiting for my BP to start creeping up in the 3rd trimester. But so far, so good.

I hope the counseling you got was helpful. and I hope your sweet #5 had a happy first birthday!!

Everyone has their different normal BPs and BP tolerance levels. My normal BP is in the 130s/80s, and I went as high as 170/110 during my pregnancy without feeling bad at all or having any seizing issues!

Hi, just checking in to see how you're doing. I thought of you yesterday when reading online about a fellow PE sufferer in the UK who is pregnant again. She had an umbillical doppler to measure how good placental blood flow is and to see if there are any notches.
Unfortunately there are so she is at increased risk of PE again, but has got through to 30w now so is feeling slightly more relieved.
Has your doctor spoken to you about this? Is it something you could request?
Hope you're ok over there. Waiting for a referal here to talk to someone about birth trauma, think it's time! Not sure whether you're on facebook or not, if so, have a look for me, Odette Ralph, picture of little Florence not me though. Take care.x

I hate that you felt that way just seeing the midwife. I've heard a lot of people say they have those feelings just driving by the hospital and things like that. I've not had that experience. My worst days are when I'm talking with friends about childbirth and everyone shares how amazing it is and how they did it without drugs and what a beautiful experience they've had (several times for each mom). I just can't even add anything to that conversation - I just get tears in my eyes knowing what I missed out on. It's much worse now that I'm pregnant again, too. I have only seen another OB in the practice, not my actual doctor, so I haven't talked to her about it... but I want so badly to have a vaginal birth!! I believe it's possible, but it will all depend on my BP and how my body handles this baby. On the other hand, though, I'd gladly take a c-section where I'm concious and will remember the birth of my child over what I had last time. It's just hard not to be thankful to God over all the little things He provides everyday!

I know what you mean about changing the way you view life. I used to work part time, a couple of days a week, but I'm not going back now. Just want to be with my baby, and the other kids as much as possible. It means a fair few sacrifices financialy but it's definitely worth it!

Have you come across any situations that have brought back unpleasant memories or feelings from your eclampsia?
I got a big shock yesterday, took my daughter for her 10m check and the midwifes (pre-natal) clinic was on at the same time.
I haven't seen the community midwife since just before the birth, she was strangely unavailable after and they sent someone else out to do my post natal care. She came out to waiting room to collect her next patient and we just looked at each other, she asked me how I was and said Florence was beautiful. I felt physically sick, when the Child Health Visitor came out a few mins later I was nearly in tears and shaking. Don't know where that extreme reaction came form but I felt awful, HV thinks I need to talk to someone about birth trauma.
I think I feel she should have maybe picked up on something during the end of my pregnancy. I kept telling her I felt awful and was really uneasy and scared about this pregnancy. I kept telling her that my BP was really high for me at this stage of pregnancy, but it was within normal guidelines so she said not to worry. I had no ideas about PE then, just felt awful.
Trying to have a positive day today, will take my 2 young girls to soft play with a friend for company and support.

I'm hoping I can talk to my OB about this great new PE website and get her onboard with the rule about not going 15 over your normal BP. I will definitely be speaking up if I get uncomfortable with my numbers. But being my second pregnancy & only one baby my chances *should* be less. then again, since I've had the problem before, it raises my chances. But I'm very comfortable with my doctors - they did save our lives!

that is so strange that your case was so totally unpredictable. Mine definitely made sense in hindsight, but I'm not even sure the doctor knows how everything fits together, really. From reading over the posts on this board, it happens so many different ways. I guess just like we're all different, our bodies all handle it differently.

I was definitely a mess for about 6 months after the boys were born, too. It took me a long time to come to a peace about the delivery. It truly changed how we view life!

OOh, just noticed you're due again. Good luck with this pregnancy, take it easy and I hope they are watching you like a hawk to keep you safe.xx