An Update from JBNYC

[JBNYC]

Hello All:

DAY 18

Just a quick update on how we are progressing:

My wife was diagnosed with PE during her 33 week check up. BP's were hovering in the 150's/90's and the 24hr urine showed 600mg protein. By definition - we were classified as mild PE.

We spent the first few days of her diagnosis in the hospital (Aug: 8/10 to 8/13). We were released on 8/14 and ordered home for bed rest.

So far, we seem to be holding the PE at bay. Her BP levels have seemed to have lowered to the 130's/70's. We are awaiting the results from the second 24hr urine test.

I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist so take the below for what it is worth:

1. Bed rest is working for us. We saw the dip in BP's a few days after beginning bed rest and they seem to be leveling off. My wife spends 12 hours in bed and 12 hours on the sofa, laying on either her left or right side. Although I love her for her stubbornness she has given in to the idea of bed rest. And it is paying off.

2. Diet: We cut out salt and reduced carbs & full fat dairy. We've added more grains, fresh fruits and lean proteins. In the morning she will typically have a bowl of Special K or similar with a low fat milk. Lunch will be a salad or lean protein. In the afternoon we do a 20oz fresh juice (spinach, kale, carrots & beets - always include beet juice) and a bowl of either blueberries or raspberries. In the evening another lean protein (chicken or fish) and finally a little piece of semi-sweet of dark chocolate with a coco count higher than 60%. And a boat load of water!!

As I mentioned, I am not suggesting that we've found some type of regiment that holds this terrible disease at bay, all I know is it seems to be working for us thus far so I wanted to share. As we are all aware, the PE could change direction tomorrow and we'd be heading down hill quickly.

Tomorrow, when she awakes we will be 36 weeks. In the past two weeks the baby gained 1lb 1oz and now weighs in at 6lbs 1oz. Our goal is to hold on for another 7 days. Our OB, much like the advice shared on this fantastic forum, is on board with the plan to deliver at 37 weeks if we can make it. There has never been any discussion about going past 37 even if my wife is doing well.

So that's our story to date. Once again, thank you to all of you on this forum for sharing. This place has been a wonderful shoulder to lean on!

J and T in NYC

[littlebbigb]

Hi J&T,
Thank you for the information. I am also on bed rest at 32 weeks. I was wondering what people were doing with their diets.
I have done better on low/no sodium as well.

How are you coping with doing everything? My husband seems to be handling it just fine, but I worry sometimes that he sees me as a big lazy mess. I think I am just being paranoid, but I like the husband's opinion.

[JBNYC]

Littlebigb:

I can tell you, with all honesty, that you husband does not view you as a "lazy mess". We struggle because we can't fix you, because we can't make you better. All we can do is try to help you, try to make it a little bit easier. At times, as husbands, we feel helpless. Knowing that there is nothing that we can do to make it better is a tough realization. Trust me when I tell you, after the first few hours, we realize how terrible bed rest is; after a few days of talking with doctors we realize how serious PE is and how important bed rest is to you and the baby. He, like me, is just trying to figure out how to help you. While we try to pretend, we are scared too.

We got our second 24hr urine catch results today and I'm happy to say we went from 600mg to 230mg. While we are now under the PE diagnostic we are still PE. That will never change.

As for diet I can only offer what has worked for us:
Breakfast: Grain Cereal (Special K, Shredded Wheat, Wheatbex) or Eggs - yolk cooked through + a banana
Lunch: Salad (including kidney beans and chic peas) or a lean protein
Afternoon: bowl of berries (blue, raspberry or strawberry) - 12oz/20oz fresh juice that has spinach, kale, celery, and beet juice (always include beet juice)
Dinner: A lean protein with fresh vegetables (steam)
After Dinner: A little dark chocolate - semi sweet with at least 60% coco.
Always: Water, more than you'd normally drink per day. No more salt, no more full fat dairy, reduce the amount of carbs.

All of these foods have been proven to help reduce BP. This, in no way, is a diet that prevents or reduces PE, it's simply the approach we took and it seems to work for us. We were diagnosed at 32+4 and are now at 36+1.

The best thing you can do right now is own the fact you have EP. Take bed rest very seriously, take your diet very seriously.

We are now 19 days of strict bed rest. T now refers to me as man Friday and I think she is starting to enjoy the Wife - Butler relationship. This is our first and we never expected that we'd be on bed rest. As such, we did not complete all of the pre-baby shopping which left the final odds and ends to me. She was elated to hear my experience of shopping for nursing bras. I am not lying when I tell you the stores name was "The Upper Breast Side". I guess my point is, as husbands, we love you and will do whatever is necessary to make you laugh, make you safe, and make you smile.

Please let me know if you have anymore questions. I'm going to continue to check this site. So many on this forum have given me great advice and I'm excited to pay that forward.

Hope this helps

J

[caryn]

Glad to hear things are still stable! When things do stabilize in the hospital and you can be released to home bedrest that is a promising sign - one that lots of us who were careful with our diets and serious about our hospital bedrest didn't get...

How are the kickcounts? Do you have biweekly NSTs scheduled?

[MomTimesThree]

Glad to see an update and that you guys are hanging in there and doing well! You're in the final home stretch now! I hope the next 7 days are very uneventful and that you welcome your lil' one safely into the world!

Just something to be aware of- bed rest just kills your energy level when you're off it. Amazing how quickly muscles just loose their umph. You'd think you'd be all rested when you're done, but nope, it's hard to get moving again- but you do... just something to prepare for.

Congrats on 36 weeks, keep the updates coming.
Lauren

[JBNYC]

Caryn:

The kick counts have been good so far. Yes, we have NST's twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays). On Tuesday, in addition to the NST, we have either a BPP or a Growth Scan. We are very fortunate to live close to both our OB and the hospital.

[holly3372@msn.com]

Thank you for the update and sharing all your great info! I am thrilled to hear that her protein went down so much!!!! we lost our first son so this pregnancy we are trying to be as proactive as possible. I am only 18 weeks but already working part time . I nap each day, really watch mt diet and supplements.My husband has been so amazing with everything I am so grateful. Again thank you far sharing and please keep us posted!

[littlebbigb]

You really are on the home stretch! I can just imagine you shopping for nursing bras! I think you are correct about husband's freaking out underneath. He was not as cool today since my BP was up a tad bit. Now he is enjoying the fact that I let him turn off the TV and play classical music for the baby and me.

Keep up the good work. The diet sounds perfect. Sounds like a good weight loss diet for after the baby as well.