Pre-Eclampsia... How Early Did You Deliver...?

[LuLuO]

I delivered 37 weeks 6 days via c-section. I was on BP meds since week 23 and I was put on bed rest at about 32 weeks. I also had pre-term labor and my son was breech.

 

[krcit]

I also had HELLP. I was at 23 weeks and I was induced. My daughter didn't survive, and I barely did. Call your doctor immediately if you start feeling weird.

At 35 weeks, I'm sure the baby will be fine.

I'm so sorry for your loss.


I second the 'call the Dr if you feel weird' My friend had a headache and was vomiting. She thought it was a virus but it was HELLP and she delivered her dd at 26 weeks.

 

[ZachnElli]

37 weeks. I was diagnosed at right around the same time, end of my 34th week. I didn't feel too bad except for the swelling. Iwas so swollen my skin hurt everywhere. I also delivered my 2nd at 37 weeks without pre-e, so I don't know if that's why I did the first time or not. I do know my doctor was very happy to hear it was me headed to the ER.

 

[focusondisney]

Meg, I am an OB nurse & I see 34 -35 week babies all the time. We have a few extra precautions we take with these late term premies, but they do very well all things considered. Very few even go to our ICN, most come right to our regular nursery & go home with their moms.

Just want to reinforce what a PP said about taking your bedrest seriously. You should be lieing on your left side as much as possible. Not feet up in a recliner, but down on the couch or actually in bed on your side. No housework, laundry, dishes etc. Up for the bathroom & a shower. That's it! Headache, blurry vision, nausea or vomiting, pain in your abdomin: call the doctor or get to the hospital.

Oh, one more thing: try to keep a calm environment. No In Law dramas!

I'll be thinking of you & sending prayers for you & your daughter!

 

[Caropooh]

I had preeclampsia and delivered 8 weeks early due to a placental abruption. (emergency c-section) She was born at 4 lbs 3 1/2 oz and 16 1/2 inches long. She spent 19 days in the NICU and came home on her sisters 5th birthday! She is now 12yo and about 125 lbs and 5' 4", almost as tall as her 17yo sister!
My BP went up about 1 1/2 weeks before I delivered. When I had the abruption I was already in the hospital luckily, having a 24 hour urine test. I was told if I had been at home, it's possible neither of us might of made it.

 

[phillmolly]

I had lots of symptoms of pre-e but wasn't officaly diagnoised until 33 weeks, at my 36 week check up my BP was 190/120, I was admitted to the hospital right away and my DS was born 3 days later. They were going to induce but my water ended up breaking on its on, water broke at 12:30 am and he was born at 8:30am, so I was pretty lucky. He was 5lbs 13oz, and was just fine, he came home with us. Just try to take it easy and really do rest, that was my problem, I didn't follow the Dr.s advice to stay off my feet and went to the mall the day before I was put in the hospital.

 

[mommasita]

I had this with my firstborn also. I was hospitalized from 20 weeks to 35, when I was induced. I was on total bedrest, and it was not a fun time. They did give me some help for my son's lungs to develop faster, as every week the Dr's were never sure. It was a watch/see approach.

I did deliver at 35 weeks, and my son was fine. Not an easy delivery, and it was harder on me during the labor, and after, but thankfully the Dr's are aware of this high risk. I wish the same for you. Also, my next pregnancy was 100% FINE, which was a HUGE fear of my Dr, and myself.

ETA: If you are not fully prepared at home, I would see who can do what. I was not able to brush my teeth standing up, and was hospitalized, so had the family finish up the baby's room, etc.

 

[m&m's mom]

I had my 1st DD at 24 weeks for completely unknown reasons. (Well why is I was pregnant , the 24 weeks part was the mystery)
When I was pregnant with 2nd DD I saw a high risk OB and a Perinatologist weekly from 20 weeks on.
At 30 weeks I went into premature labor and stayed at home on bedrest. At my week 34 checkup they found protein in my urine and my blood pressure spiked, basically out of nowhere. They sent me home to do the 24 hour urine collection and my water broke that night. 2nd DD was born at 34 weeks and she never spent a day in the NICU. My poor Pediatrician probably had a lot to do w/ that. I told him during my whole pregnancy that I so badly wanted to leave the hospital with my baby this time.
Bottom line- you have very little to worry about since you are so far along.

 

[saradela]

I delivered at 34 weeks. My daughter was small, but she didnt need to go to NICU. I took her home 2 days after.

 

[mumloveseeyore]

delivered at 31 weeks, DD was tiny but perfect and is now a stroppy 15 year old with attitude

 

[johnsontrio]

Our 17 yo DD was born at 35 weeks via C-section, 6 pounds 10 ounces, after being on bedrest since 18 weeks. I had 3 hospital admissions between Thanksgiving and Dec 16th when she was born. Had many office visits that resulted in more testing etc.. during the pregnancy. On December 13th we were sent to the hospital to deliver. They did Pitocin drip during the day and prostaglandin gel at night. I never had one contraction the 4 days they did the Pitocin drip. That said, the doctor told us that one of the functions of the Pitocin and another drug (steroid, I think) they give, is to tell the baby, "time's up", and they have a sudden maturation of their lungs. DD spent 4 hours in the NICU, all breathing on her own, and we went home 4 days later. Although she was big in size, her gestational age assessment corresponded with 35 weeks. She might have been a 10 pounder if she had been given a little more time.

Do everything you can to give her more time. Take your bedrest seriously. The doctor sent me to the hospital because I was home alone and letting the dog in and out during the day. Ask what your limitations are. I would have more peace of mind if I knew that the hospital had an NICU so to avoid the baby being transferred out. We made our hospital choice based on that. Those are really the only two factors in your control. Most 35+ week babies do just fine. Good luck to you both.

 

[sunnyday123]

Meg, I am an OB nurse & I see 34 -35 week babies all the time. We have a few extra precautions we take with these late term premies, but they do very well all things considered. Very few even go to our ICN, most come right to our regular nursery & go home with their moms.

Just want to reinforce what a PP said about taking your bedrest seriously. You should be lieing on your left side as much as possible. Not feet up in a recliner, but down on the couch or actually in bed on your side. No housework, laundry, dishes etc. Up for the bathroom & a shower. That's it! Headache, blurry vision, nausea or vomiting, pain in your abdomin: call the doctor or get to the hospital.

Oh, one more thing: try to keep a calm environment. No In Law dramas!

I'll be thinking of you & sending prayers for you & your daughter!

What she said!! ( Except I'm not a OB nurse!!) Lay on your left side, drink a LOT of water. Pay attention to your body-headaches, heart pounding, nausea-call your Dr. It's what they're there for.

Not pregnant, but I was just recently diagnosed with high BP. My Dr. took me out of work because it was so high. The first thing she noticed were my ankles. I just thought they were fat. As soon as I started taking my med's, they went down. So pay attention to your cankles!!!

 

[skuttle]

With my first DS, I was put on bed rest at 32w for PIH. My water broke at 35w6d. DS was healthy and didn't spend a second in NICU! 6lbs, 7oz, 19 inches long. We were amazed and so thankful.

I took the bed rest seriously. Dr told me that if I didn't, she would know and would make me do it in the hospital! I did NOT want to do that!!

I was worried that our second DS would come even earlier since I heard that the second baby usually comes earlier than the 1st. Not true for me. I didn't have any blood pressure problems with my second pregnancy, just gestational diabetes. I ended up having had an elective induction at 39w.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I had HELLP syndrome also. It was a tough predicament because induction was difficult - with a twin pregnancy they can only give half the amount of pitocin they give to singleton pregnancies, and it didn't even cause a contraction with me let alone any cervical changes. My platelet count was very low which made the prospect of a C Section dangerous due to the risk of bleeding.(They were even hesitant to give me a spinal.) I spent 4 nights in L&D trying to get those babies out. Pure torture. Nurses were coming back after several days off going, "You're still here?"! It was ironic considering I'd spent so much of the pregnancy worrying about keeping it - but when the time came, they wouldn't come out. Finally they *jammed* some laminaria into my cervix which enabled them to get in enough to break my water. Once water was broken, nothing happened either, so we had no choice but to go ahead with the section. Needless to say, I lost over half the blood in my body in 30 minutes - not just because of no platelets but because one placenta was an accreta but nobody knew about it because the two placentas had fused into one big one and it was just a big ol mess. On the OR they actually took my uterus back out, patched it, and put it back in again. I was wondering what was taking so long. Then all hell broke loose once I got back to the room. I am lucky to be alive after that and to have two healthy babies delivered. I like to remind those babies of mine what I went through to have them when they're being mean to me, lol.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I had pre-eclampsia with my first son. I had 1 month bed rest... blah! But they wanted to make sure he got to the 37 week mark. He had a bit of jaundice, but it wasn't too severe. I had to stick him in the window and let the sun shine on him!


Good luck to you...make sure you have your bags packed. If the doctor feels the baby isn't ready yet, you will be parked in a bed at the hospital for a week or two. Make sure you do the lay on your left side thing... its boring, I know... but its for a good cause!

Let your hubby and the soon to be grandparents fuss over things like getting the nursery ready, washing the clothes, etc. You just take care of "cooking" that precious angel!

Best wishes and prayers your way!

 

[AristocatFan]

I had pre-eclampsia with my first, high blood pressure throughout the whole pregnancy. At 7 and 8 months had to lay down on my left side for four hours a day, was allowed to be up but if I got a headache or started swelling had to lay back down. Also went in for weekly stress tests then put on bed rest for the last month. I had to stay on my left side all through delivery, which got DH on the bed helping. They induced 5 days before my due date. Just follow doctors orders and everything will be fine. My son is now 19 and I would do it all again!

 

[sue and co]

With my son (first born) it was 35 weeks, with my twins it was 32 weeks - one was 5lbs 2oz and the other 3lbs 10oz. All are now very healthy and large, DS20 and DD's 17.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I had HELLP syndrome also. It was a tough predicament because induction was difficult - with a twin pregnancy they can only give half the amount of pitocin they give to singleton pregnancies, and it didn't even cause a contraction with me let alone any cervical changes. My platelet count was very low which made the prospect of a C Section dangerous due to the risk of bleeding.(They were even hesitant to give me a spinal.) I spent 4 nights in L&D trying to get those babies out. Pure torture. Nurses were coming back after several days off going, "You're still here?"! It was ironic considering I'd spent so much of the pregnancy worrying about keeping it - but when the time came, they wouldn't come out. Finally they *jammed* some laminaria into my cervix which enabled them to get in enough to break my water. Once water was broken, nothing happened either, so we had no choice but to go ahead with the section. Needless to say, I lost over half the blood in my body in 30 minutes - not just because of no platelets but because one placenta was an accreta but nobody knew about it because the two placentas had fused into one big one and it was just a big ol mess. On the OR they actually took my uterus back out, patched it, and put it back in again. I was wondering what was taking so long. Then all hell broke loose once I got back to the room. I am lucky to be alive after that and to have two healthy babies delivered. I like to remind those babies of mine what I went through to have them when they're being mean to me, lol.

Can I just say - interesting as your story is - do you think its really necessary to be quite so graphic on a thread started by an expectant mother (especially a first time mom!) who is concerned about the health of her baby?

I know when I was pregnant and trying to keep my BP down the last thing I wanted to hear was other mother's 'horror' stories!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Can I just say - interesting as your story is - do you think its really necessary to be quite so graphic on a thread started by an expectant mother (especially a first time mom!) who is concerned about the health of her baby?

Well, let's see... prior to my post there were three other posters with HELLP syndrome and additionally we've heard here about kidney failure, seizures, a baby that didn't survive, heart and liver damage, swelling all over till skin hurt, and a placental abruption (which my sister died of). Yet you chose my post to pick on?

Meg, if my story scared you, I do apologize. It wasn't the intention. I thought the thread was about how serious preeclampsia can be.

 

[cm8]

Can I just say - interesting as your story is - do you think its really necessary to be quite so graphic on a thread started by an expectant mother (especially a first time mom!) who is concerned about the health of her baby?

I know when I was pregnant and trying to keep my BP down the last thing I wanted to hear was other mother's 'horror' stories!!!

I'm sure that she was not trying to scare the pants of AKL MEGS

She was just sharing HER experience. I'm sure that Megs won't be falling out anytime soon over something she read