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High-Risk Pregnancy
Avoiding hospital bed rest? (pre-eclampsia)
Hi, everyone - I am 26w2d pregnant with our second surviving baby boy... we had our first baby just in February at 29 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia.
Our 29-weeker is doing GREAT now, but I'm afraid I'm on the road to pre-e again and another early delivery... my blood pressure has been elevated almost since the beginning, and now I'm on 2350mg of Aldomet daily and it's still creeping higher (140/90 and today I got a 150/100 reading).
Last time, I went to a routine OB check-up and was admitted straight to L&D from there. I'm terrified of this happening again... and scared of either an even earlier delivery, and/or an extended hospital stay.
My OB doesn't seem interested in putting me on complete home bed rest. He basically told me to expect to be checked into the hospital at any appointment.
I can't be away from my 10-month-old that long... he needs me, especially now that he's started to develop stranger anxiety. I would rather stay on bed rest at home with a child care provider coming to take care of him during the day... that way he could at least spend time with me playing, cuddling, etc., even if on our bed. There's so much I can do with him while lying down on my left side... feed him, sing to him, rub his back while he goes to sleep, etc.
Any ideas for convincing my OB to let me do home bed rest rather than hospital? I'm going to call my insurance provider tomorrow and see if they have an option for a home health worker. The thought of extended hospital bed rest is fueling my anxiety and making my BP spiral higher.
Julia
~ six miscarriages
~ our sweet miracle baby, Jack, due 5/3/12, was born at 29w1d on February 17, 2012, weighing 2 pounds 8 ounces
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Re: Avoiding hospital bed rest? (pre-eclampsia)
Thanks... you're right, but I can't help but think it would be so much better for both babies to do bed rest at home rather than the hospital. With my first baby, Jack, it was after I went into the hospital that his growth completely stopped the entire time I was there... I'm sure thanks to the horrible, nutritionless food they served at my hospital. I don't want that happening with baby #2.
And, Jack is so attached to me; being away from me for a few days would be one thing, but I'm only 26 weeks, so I could be looking at being away from him for weeks/months while strangers care for him. Knowing him the way I do, that would be traumatizing for him. Ugh... I HATE pre-e!!!!!
I know it's rough and I'm sorry. Pre-e is eeeevil.
Are you currently on home bed rest? Just do what you can right now to rest and take care of yourself. And if you need to talk we're all here for you. T&Ps! Keep us updated.
You are right, preeclampsia suuuucks.
Bed rest is tough enough on its own, throwing other children into the mix doesn't make it any easier. I have a 2yr old and it has been hard for me too. Do the best you can, seek out and accept help from others as much as you can. Sending positive thoughts your way!
DS1: Quinn - 10.22.10 and DS2: Cole - 01.18.13
Thanks again... I haven't been put on bed rest by my doctors; they seem to think they'll just send me straight to hospital bed rest without even trying home bed rest. That's why I'd like to put myself on home bed rest... in hopes of avoiding the hospital longer.
Anyway, the good news is, my husband only has 7 more work days in the year, and after that, my parents are coming for Christmas and my mom has offered to stay with us as long as necessary. If she stays through the end of January, that gets me to 33 weeks, which sounds fabulous to me after having a 29-weeker (though obviously I would love to get even closer to term). So at this point, as long as I can avoid being locked away in the hospital at my OB appointment this Friday, I think I'll be okay because then I can put myself on total bed rest at home and have family care for Jack for the most part (I'll at least let them do the "heavy lifting" and I can just feed and play with him!).
Thanks again for your replies... here's to making it as close to term as possible with minimal hospital time!!
Anyway you an put yourself on home bed rest now and have a friend come over and help with DS? I would try that and see if that helps lower the blood pressure. Obviously drink lots of water and try to rest. I hope you don't have to do hospital bed rest, but with pre-e I would feel much safer being at the hospital than at home. Praying for you and your little one.
Thanks! That's what I'm hoping to do, although I hate to impose by asking friends... BUT, one of my friends just emailed out of the blue and offered to come watch Jack. I think I may post something on facebook and see if maybe a few other friends would be up for coming for a few hours one day next week... that would at least get me through until Christmas when family will be able to take over.
You're right that with full-blown pre-e, the hospital is safer, but thankfully my protein is still okay; it's just my BP's that have been sky-high. So technically I don't have pre-e yet (I'm still about a week away from when I got the dx last time). Hopefully I can push off the pre-e monster as long as possible....