High blood pressure - help!

[posyplum]

Hi there

I'm panicking a bit as I have just found I am pregnant, and keep thinking about my blood pressure. I had high bp in my last pregnancy, at the end, and it was quite stressful. Since then my readings have been 'on the high side of normal'.

I wondered if anyone could give me any tips for keeping my bp down as I am feeling really scared (already!) about having the very high bp happen again in my pregnancy. I found it really stressful. The nurse said maybe it's genetic (family history of old age HAs), but I would like to help myself if I can.

I won't bore you with the details of my diet, it's largely 'vegetarian', though I eat fish and meat about twice a month each. I do eat cheese and cakes (prob more than I should), but don't drink much alcohol at all anymore. I drink about 2/3 cups of caffeine a day. Would cutting this down/out help?

Thanks in advance.

It's really difficult, isn't it, because there's only so much you can do to try to prevent rising BP in pregnancy, if you just unlucky enough to have inherited a predisposition.

But ... reduced salt intake seems to be popular at the moment (again!) There's tonnes in most cheese and quite a lot in some cakes (do you make your own?). Fish is really good - eat more!

I'd suggest cutting out the caffeine, and also doing yoga breathing/meditation. I recently went to a very slow moving yoga class which really concentrated on your breathing, and my blood pressure was right down the next day.

Caffeine is a strong stimulant, and as such can raise BP. But is only temporary until out of your system. Do you know your readings? 120/80 is normal for young adults, at rest

Try not to worry. Quite often, high blood pressure in pregnancy only happens in a first pregnancy (where the father is the same). I had high blood pressure at the end of my first pregnancy too, but was fine in my other pregnancies. I did buy a blood pressure monitor to keep an eye on it at home for my no.2, and this did help stop me stressing to some extent.

I'm not sure whether high blood pressure in pregnancy can be brought down by diet modification in the same way as "normal" high blood pressure, but there's no harm in trying to cut down your caffeine intake.

Also, if it's monitored closely, at least you know that you can get on medication as soon as it goes up and then it should be fine.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone (posyplum here). Your comments really helped, even if I was too worried to reply at the time! Have had my cholesterol results back today (a result of the 'high side of normal comment'), and they were quite good so feeling a bit less worried I am about to collapse and die!

My blood pressure often reads about 130/85, so I guess not awful (though DH is more like 65/70). It was just easy for that to go over 90 in my last pregnancy (and higher post-birth), and that really stressed me out (which didn't help).

I have stocked up on decaf tea, and am definitely going to look into a yoga class. I am far too stressed in general. I am also going to cut out cheese, which I think is my main vice. I like the excuse to make homemade cakes though

I have also heard that about being less likely to have high bp in non-first pregnancies anywine. So hopefully I won't have the same experience again - hope not anyway. It really knocked my confidence.

Thanks again x

I had pre-eclampsia with my first and was induced at 36w when my BP reached something like 240/120! I was left with mild high blood pressure requiring medication afterwards.

My second and third pregnancies (with the same dad) were fine and in my third pregnancy my BP actually stabilised at a lower level without any medication. I went back on the meds when I stopped breast feeding at 16 months.