A few ?'s, my third time around!

[tribud]

This is my third baby and I have posted here several times. I just want to thank everyone that has ever answered my questions, but I have a few more! For the last three weeks I have been going to the doctor twice a week for an OB Check-Up, AFI and NST's. So far everything looks pretty good. I have done 3 24hour protiens and they have been 439, 658 and the last one was 400 something. I am doing another one this Sunday. I have been checking my B/P at home several times a day and the highest it has been was 154/99 and after a half hour it was 126/72. My B/P today at the doctor's was 100/69! I find this hard to believe! I have been taking my B/P monitor with me to check it against theirs and until today it was pretty accurate. I think this nurse doesn't know how to check B/P. My OB says that most of my numbers at home have been great and as long as they go back down after a high number we won't do anything. He said that we will worry when they get high and stay high. Is this the right attitude? My Protien has been running +1 in his office and he said that I'll be doing a 24 hour study once a week until I have the baby. Plus doing the pre-eclamptic profile! So far, all of those numbers have been perfect! I guess my question is: Are we doing everthing possible? I had my 2nd at 36 weeks and I'm wondering if I can get past 36! I am 34 weeks 5 days. He feels he can get me to 38 atleast, if not 39! I am having a hard time believing that I can really get that far, because the I have never gotten past 38 weeks(my first was born at 38 weeks-induced)! Has anyone here ever gotten that far with other pregnancies after having PE with the first and PE and HELLP with the second! I am so nervous about taking chances. I have heard about babies dying very fast from this and I'm nervous about everything! Any Advice?

Trisch
Hubby
DD 12-6-1994 38 wks HB
DD 2-20-1998 36 wks GD, HB, Pre-E, HELLP
Baby #3 EDD 1-2-2004 GD

[akemt]

Sounds like you have a pretty great doc...who knows about the nurse?

I think you are doing a great job and being well cared for. I hope you do make it all the way to 39 weeks!

Congrats!

Catherine (22)
DH Britton (27)
Emma Margaret (03/02/03) 37 weeks from PIH & oligo

[laura]

The best possible thing you can do is of course take it easy and keep an eye on emerging 'danger' symptoms (headaches, visual disturbances, etc.) but also, do your kick counts! Preeclampsia is rough on babies, and your reporting of movement are a good indicator of baby's well being.

The NST's and AFI's will also help keep you on track, too. I noticed that my NST's and AFI's got worse gradually, and I could see myself when things started to change for the worse. A reative NST is supposed to be predictive of baby's well being for up to three days (which is why you usually get them twice a week) Now's not the time to be tough- if you suspect anything is amiss, go in! you can go back to being invincible after the baby's safely here! best of luck and please let us know how you're doing!

Laura-28
DH Jack-30
Allie 5-13-98 (35 weeks-pre-e)
Baby Camille 4-17-03 (36 weeks- htn and oligo)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/c/camilleandallie/

[mada]

Hey Trisch,

Well I made it until 36 weeks with my first and 39 weeks and 4 days with number 2!! I didn't have any rises in blood pressure with the 2cnd until 37 weeks and it was mild like 136/86. So, hang in there!! If you get to 37 weeks your term!!! And I don't have to tell you 36 weeks is great too as you've had one at 36 weeks.....Goodluck and keep us posted!!

Mada Harpster

Sam 6-29-00 36weeks P.E.
Ben 11-03-01 No P.E.

[catherine]

Hi Trisch, congratulations at finally entering the home straight! I understand how nervous you are, as soon as you think that you are at a point in the pregnancy where the baby could do well outside then that is where you want him or her to be. Strangely ironic isn't it. I felt just like you did in July, I was terrified at the prospect of carrying my baby past 36 weeks and entering the danger zone. My husband even came with me to an appointment at 35 1/2 weeks to beg the OB to deliver! [it was baby #3 for us and DH hardly knew the way to the office and only showed up for the level II]. I think that your OB really seems to know what he's doing and you know the symptoms to watch out for. I'd say that he's ready to jump at the first sign of a problem and so are you. That is as good as anyone can hope for.

I'll cross my fingers for you and hope that nature puts you out of your misery sooner rather than later[;)]. In my case my water broke the day after the appointment I described above. Big champagne high to go to L&D knowing that I was going to have that baby and no preeclampsia! Here's hoping that you feel that buzz!!!!

Catherine (37)
DH, Dave (40)
Finn (6)
Lucy (2)
Chloe (7/2/03)

[joanne]

Trisch

I know exactly what you feel like. Im also 35.5 now and just wish they would take the baby out while we know its ok. Ive got no real symptons except I dont feel teh baby move much. However when they do NSTs the baby is always fine. I know its paranoia but Id love my waters to break and get it over with asap. Well done Catherine - any tips on how to trigger early labour?



Jo 30
Sandy 33
Kit 31 weeks
EDD 12/28/03

[catherine]

Boy Joanne, you are really hanging on there, would you like a Christmas baby? No hints on how to push yourself over the edge as it were.. sorry. All of my kids have been delivered at approximately the same gestational age, 35 weeks and 4-5 days. In the case of Finn and Chloe, membranes ruptured, Lucy was the preeclampsia star. I guess I just can't stretch this uterus of mine over a baby any bigger than 5 lb. My OB was pretty nervous when he realised that I'd never gotten to term with either pregnancy.... he wasn't there when we showed up for Chloe but he told the chief resident to just "get that baby out of there. I've been looking for any old excuse for the past two weeks"!!

Trisch and Joanne, I'll be thinking of you guys, take it easy over the holidays won't you? Make someone else straighten out the tree lights and do the baking OK. Eat some mince pies for me please Joanne. I'm pining for pudding and christmas cake[:(].

Catherine (37)
DH, Dave (40)
Finn (6)
Lucy (2)
Chloe (7/2/03)

[tribud]

Thanks Ladies! You all have been very helpful! I had another NST today and the baby was kicking up a storm! I am now at 35 weeks! I am just trying to stay calm and positive! I am hoping to keep this baby and myself healthy, until the week of Christmas! I will keep you all posted!
One more question: I have been getting a few headaches! But, when I get them I check my B/P and it is good! Is this the start or just normal headaches?

Trisch
Hubby
DD 12-6-1994 38 wks HB
DD 2-20-1998 36 wks GD, HB, Pre-E, HELLP
Baby #3 EDD 1-2-2004 GD

[season]

The headaches aren't going to necessarily be directly related to blood pressure. But, they also say that a pre-e headache is severe and doesn't go away with tylenol and laying down in a dark room. Pay attention to the headaches (how severe, how they go away) and mention them to your doctor (just in case.)

SueAnn
dh Kwame
ds Ezekiel 1/2/02 (34wks due to pre-e)