Can anyone talk to me about the reliability of at home blood pressure cuffs? My BP had been great at the hospital. Now that I’m monitoring it at home, it has shot back up. It doesn’t make any sense to me.
@LaceyBee522 I haven’t had an issue with mine yet but I was told you can always take it to the doctors with you or a drugstore and compare the accuracy. Have you tried googling the brand and seeing if there has been any quirks with it? Seems really strange it would be reading high again after just leaving.
Me: 28 | Husband: 39 Married March 2016 DD: born 7.22.16 DS EDD: 6.23.18
@sunshineandwhiskey That's a good idea. If they say I need to come back in, I'm taking this one with me to compare. I bought the brand my doctor rec'd - Omron. Maybe I should have just gone with Walgreens brand.
@LaceyBee522 be careful with the drugstore bp’s because sometimes they’re super off and need recalibrated or whatever they do to them to make them accurate.
I have an Omrion I’ve felt pretty happy with. I usually check it three times for consistency. They told me at the hospital that sometimes if the cuff is tighter like on a home monitor it will read high. They said to take it above elbow and also on the forearm (you can also switch arms) to check accuracy. My understanding is that the wrist monitors are largely inaccurate and a waste of money. Make sure the dang cord isn’t twisted too. So many weird little things can give you a false reading.
Finally, make sure you’ve been chill for a bit before checking it. Don’t talk, keep both feet on the floor, etc etc. If you’re reclining in a hospital bed it’s going to naturally lower itself because you’re relaxing. (NST=non STRESS test) Hence, it’s probably not going to be as low as it was relaxing in the hospital like you were because you’re up and about doing life and not confined to bed.
Did they ever give you any indication of what they think is going on? Or are they just calling it pregnancy induced hypertension at this point?
I used my parent's blood pressure cuff to self-monitor last time. I don't recall the brand. I did record the readings I received and brought those in when it was high. With my pre-e my blood pressure would be high and then go back to normal, it didn't stay consistently high @LaceyBee522 - so having a different reading at the hospital vs. home may not be that strange. Can you check it at a CVS or pharmacy as well?
First Son - born 2013
Second Son - born 2014 - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV). First open heart surgery at 5 days old. He's had 3 open heart surgeries and several other procedures and is currently doing amazing. Third Son - due June 9, 2018
@Austenista Yes, the doctor who discharged me said she would call it "gestational hypertension," not pre-E. However, I still don't have my results form the 24 hour urine thing, so I guess that would give more information.
@LaceyBee522 I hope they call you with the results today from your urine collection. Agree with what the ladies are saying. I'd think it would be higher at home since in the hospital you are laying down the entire time. An incorrect cuff size will also give you inaccurate measurements. Did they say what the plan is if it's just gestational hypertension? Will they put you on anything like labetolol or metoprolol?
@amys614 They haven't mentioned any medication. Maybe my OB will rec something like that when I talk to her. I'm just waiting today - I called the office when they opened at 9:00 and am waiting to hear back from a nurse.
@LaceyBee522 I've had my blood pressure flux like that pre-pregnancy. My GP will typically do it 2 or 3 times when it's been high. If she opts to do 3rd time, she'll often have me just sit there for a few minutes before doing it to see if it drops. Usually works for me.
Does anyone know what the requirements are for getting diagnosed with anemia? My CBC panel results are up on my portal but I haven't heard from my doc yet so I'm just speculating lol. RBC was lower than normal but hemoglobin and hematocrit were both in normal range (though at the lower-end of normal). Do all three have to be low to be considered anemic or just one?
Serious question: I'm starting to plan my hospital bag and rather than ruining any underwear I was thinking maybe I should pack some disposable ones? I know they provide mesh underwear, but the adult diaper type ones seem a little more substantial?
@silvergreen I was thinking I would pack my bigger sized undies {fuller coverage style} but that's a good question .... I would think it's worth getting disposable ones
@silvergreen@MissKittyDanger What about those Thinx brand undies? They're the period underwear that is constantly being advertised on my Facebook feed.
@LaceyBee522 I was actually going to ask about Thinx underwear when we do the official hospital bag next week (or this week if everyone is cool with me just posting all the remaining product spotlights). My only concern about the Thinx undies is that I own a few pairs from pre-pregnancy, and even their low rise is a bit... high rise? I don't know that it would fit super well with a larger belly? Maybe that's just my body type, though, IDK. Like my hips/butt are just so much smaller than my pregnancy belly, I have a hard time figuring out how they'd work at first. Certainly they would toward the end of PP bleeding, though, I suppose, as everything starts to shrink back down a bit.
@LaceyBee522 me neither but there's a part in the Thinx FAQs that talks about incontinence and directs to their sister site. Sister site mentions about maternity sizing {which they don't but they have a suggestion on style} so it'll sit under belly} So I'm kinda hopeful
@LaceyBee522 pre-pregnancy I had a very small waist, and the waist was the tightest part, and the butt/hips were sort of loose in some styles -- like so much so that one style in particular was basically ineffective if I wore it overnight because by morning it would be even more stretched out, and all the, uh, blood, would just run down my legs lol.
@silvergreen I bought those disposable ones before DD to bring to the hospital but honestly never even opened them and lived in the mesh ones the hospital gave for the first 3-4 weeks post partum. I actually was doing a lot of cleaning this weekend and found my bag with all the stuff I raided from the hospital last time and found a few extra pairs of them and definitely just plan on using them again the next time...so I guess I can't give you helpful info about the disposable ones but the mesh ones were much better than I ever thought
@elsie42 if your hemoglobin/hematocrit are normal, you are ok. They are mostly looking at our hemoglobin when looking for anemia. I believe my Dr had said that as long as I was about 11 or maybe 11.5 for my hemoglobin she was ok with that (because in pregnancy a lot of it is dilutional due to increased fluid volume.)
For the underwear- don't bother packing any! You will be in the hospital for 2-3 days and you will be wearing the mesh underwear and stealing as many of them as you can to come home with you. I wore the disposable ones once I was home to bed, as I didn't want to worry about staining my own sheets- but only wore 1-2 of them. I still have the basically full bag. Most of the time I was in the meshies. Save the room in your hospital bag to bring home the mesh/pads/ice packs/ ect.
Yes! Bring all the pads home you can too! And it super helps to either steal some padsicles from the hospital or make a few of your own to have in the freezer when you get home
For the underwear- don't bother packing any! You will be in the hospital for 2-3 days and you will be wearing the mesh underwear and stealing as many of them as you can to come home with you. I wore the disposable ones once I was home to bed, as I didn't want to worry about staining my own sheets- but only wore 1-2 of them. I still have the basically full bag. Most of the time I was in the meshies. Save the room in your hospital bag to bring home the mesh/pads/ice packs/ ect.
^^^ truth. Don’t fool with underwear, they’ll have you covered... literally.
On the subject of underwear: I would suggest having at least one of those sample packs of 2 of depends or a similar brand. You may not want to use them PP but if your water breaks at home you'll be glad you have a pair to wear to the hospital. The heaviest flow overnight pads I had picked up for PP were no match for leaking amniotic fluid. I was soaking those pads completely where they were leaking everywhere in about 10 minutes. I had a sample pack of depends I dug out of the closet to wear to the hospital. The depends I put on last the last 20 minutes or so of me trying to get my husband out the door, the 45 minute drive to the hospital and however long it took to get registered and admitted into L&D. I was impressed. I'm 100% planning to pick up some more depends so I at least have them on hand if my water breaks at home again. I'll probably try them PP but I may or may not prefer them to the mesh undies. We'll see!
Me: 28 Husband: 31 TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016 Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017 ❤️
So you know how they measure the fundal height at each OB check up appointment? Do you think they take body type/pre-pregnancy weight into account? I had a bit of a belly pre-pregnancy and I feel like my measurement would be different than someone with totally flat abs...
My OB never says much about the measurements except that they're fine, so I'm not worried either way. Just something I've been wondering about.
@katelynrae86 I was another dr in my obs practice last week since my OB was on vacation and I need to start making my way through the other doctors... he told me that he stopped using a tape measure years ago. He's only looking for signs that the fetus is growing. He felt my stomach for where the top of my uterus was and compared with where my belly button is and said I looked good.
@NamelessAria Honestly, when I saw the pickle discussion going on (smashing a jar of pickles if your water breaks at the grocery store) I was seriously debating wearing them as my due date approaches. I also have a two-week old mattress that I can't bear the thought of saturating and I only trust the waterproof covers so much, lol. I kind of wanted to see if they would be useful PP as well, which is why I posted the question. But that's great to know - thanks!
+1 for mesh undies. I actually think I wore them for a week or more postpartum. Then I switched to the granny panties. I honestly wouldn’t spent the money on the thinx type underwear for this situation.
@jsl82 That makes sense. I guess its more to get a general idea of size/growth. It just seems like the cm per week measurement wouldn't apply to everyone.
Actually, while we're on the topic of leaking fluids (sorry), what about nursing pads? Disposable vs non-disposable - which is better? How often are they changed?
@silvergreen I used disposable. Lansinoh brand was the best IMO - softer, more absorbent and better adhesive than others I tried. I didn't have good luck with reusables...I only tried type (don't remember the brand, just something I grabbed at Target) but I leaked through the pad onto my bra and shirt. No bueno
Ugh thinking about mesh undies and pads has got me feeling all rashy!!! At 8 weeks PP I was still bleeding and ended up getting a D and C for retained placenta (and insert eye roll this was after a c-section.) I’m really hoping this time they get all the placenta bc the pad rash from wearing pads for 8 weeks was terrible. I found myself using the diaper cream I had intended for the baby lol.
@silvergreen I'm the opposite of @katelynrae86 Reusables all the way. I couldn't live without them. I got a bunch on Amazon - I'll have to go back and look to see which ones. The disposable ones made me itch and irritated my boobs too much.
Me: 28 | Husband: 39 Married March 2016 DD: born 7.22.16 DS EDD: 6.23.18
@katie121209 I had a horrible rash from wearing a pad for 4 weeks- I moved my 6 week appointment up a week or 2 because I thought I must have an infection it was so bad. Just a rash and was told to use the baby's diaper cream. I'm probably going to use it pre emptively this time starting around 2 weeks. I just have super sensitive skin.
@silvergreen I was lucky enough to be able to stay home with DD until she was 9 months, so didn't have leakage issues during the day. But every night I would wake up at 4-5am having soaked through my shirt. The reusable always fell out of my bra and the disposables either bunched up or fell out too. I just slept on towels for months.
@jsl82 that’s a great idea to use it preemptively!
so I found wearing a nursing bra to bed was key to reducing my leaking. I used the disposables too but if I just tried wearing a nursing nightgown to bed that’s when I would soak through.
Re: Questions? [4/1]
Married March 2016
DD: born 7.22.16
DS EDD: 6.23.18
Eta: cropped out my zip code
Married March 2016
DD: born 7.22.16
DS EDD: 6.23.18
I have an Omrion I’ve felt pretty happy with. I usually check it three times for consistency. They told me at the hospital that sometimes if the cuff is tighter like on a home monitor it will read high. They said to take it above elbow and also on the forearm (you can also switch arms) to check accuracy. My understanding is that the wrist monitors are largely inaccurate and a waste of money. Make sure the dang cord isn’t twisted too. So many weird little things can give you a false reading.
Finally, make sure you’ve been chill for a bit before checking it. Don’t talk, keep both feet on the floor, etc etc. If you’re reclining in a hospital bed it’s going to naturally lower itself because you’re relaxing. (NST=non STRESS test) Hence, it’s probably not going to be as low as it was relaxing in the hospital like you were because you’re up and about doing life and not confined to bed.
Did they ever give you any indication of what they think is going on? Or are they just calling it pregnancy induced hypertension at this point?
First Son - born 2013
Third Son - due June 9, 2018
If she opts to do 3rd time, she'll often have me just sit there for a few minutes before doing it to see if it drops. Usually works for me.
DS born 9/24/2020
https://www.iconundies.com
So I'm kinda hopeful
DS born 9/24/2020
BFP#4- 9/26 edd 6/5/18
TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016
Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017 ❤️
Baby #2 due June 12, 2018
My OB never says much about the measurements except that they're fine, so I'm not worried either way. Just something I've been wondering about.
BFP#4- 9/26 edd 6/5/18
Married March 2016
DD: born 7.22.16
DS EDD: 6.23.18
@silvergreen I was lucky enough to be able to stay home with DD until she was 9 months, so didn't have leakage issues during the day. But every night I would wake up at 4-5am having soaked through my shirt. The reusable always fell out of my bra and the disposables either bunched up or fell out too. I just slept on towels for months.
BFP#4- 9/26 edd 6/5/18
so I found wearing a nursing bra to bed was key to reducing my leaking. I used the disposables too but if I just tried wearing a nursing nightgown to bed that’s when I would soak through.