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Natural Birth
shainamarie
member
Natural Birth with High Blood Pressure?
shainamarie
member
I've been planning for a natural birth since before I got pregnant. I'm now 37w3d and I'm doing the Hypnobabies home study course. I absolutely LOVE the program and have really been looking forward to the birth experience. However, on Monday I was put on bed rest for high blood pressure. It's not preeclampsia yet, but my midwife wants to watch it and make sure that things stay under control. I had another appointment today, and my blood pressure was normal again (after 2 weeks of it being elevated), so bed rest is obviously working.
She mentioned that it can be difficult to have a natural childbirth with high blood pressure, because pain can cause a spike in BP and the epidural can lower BP. I'm upset about the possibility of not being able to have the birth I wanted, but at the same time know that all I want is to have a happy, healthy baby - and if I need to get an epidural, so be it.
Anyone on here have experience with successfully having a natural childbirth despite dealing with blood pressure issues? Any tips to keeping my blood pressure down during labor? I think that Hypnobabies is extremely helpful with relaxation (obviously) but I want to do everything I can to try to stay cool, calm and relaxed during labor.
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Re: Natural Birth with High Blood Pressure?
My BP was elevated the last month of pregnancy (though I was never dxed with pre-e). When I was admitted to L&D, my BP was 160/120. My normal BP is 110/60, so that was crazy. It didn't interfere with my delivery at all. I studied Bradley, not Hypno, though. I have no tips for keeping it down, obviously, since I sucked at that. Mine was still elevated 2 weeks after delivery, but it was back to normal at 6 weeks pp.
ETA: They did draw blood and ask that I wear a fetal moniter continuously after they realized my BP was so high. I consented to both, but baby's HR was fine the whole time (when she wasn't dodging the monitor).