Labetalol, blood pressure and what is high?

[Winniepooh23]

Am 26+5 and blood pressure has been around 140/80ish since booking. I have a touch of white coat syndrome and also take blood pressure at home where it's around 120/75 mostly.

MW sent me to daycare today, after a routine appointment, for a blood pressure trace and I got a bit anxious at the speed of it all so pressure around 145/85. Having a 24 hour monitor Tuesday and been told to expect to be put on labetalol on Wednesday. Baby measuring well for dates and all well there. I'm not keen on taking any medication and would like to be monitored rather than take drugs. Anyone any experience of labetalol and high blood pressure. All experience gratefully received.

I took labetalol following high blood pressure readings and protein in my urine at 39 weeks. I also had a bad experience with my baby (born at 41 weeks) being readmitted to hospital as he was sleepy and unresponsive and I couldn't rouse him to feed. We only stayed overnight but it was very scary. His blood sugar was low and he had early jaundice, and I kept on waving the labetalol information leaflet at the doctors, reading the bit out about causing drowsiness in breastfed babies, but they kept on saying it wasn't related. I'm still not convinced!

My blood pressure didn't go down straight after delivery and I was on the labetalol for about 2 months. It did gradually decrease but I was back and forth to the dr for the first 2 weeks after delivery. You can't stop taking the tablets suddenly and have to gradually decrease the dose even if your bp does go back to normal after birth. Noone told me this and I was a bit fed up about it.

Hope this helps you

My blood pressure didn't go down straight away either and had the same thing , too ing and fro ing to doctors to reduce dose . I had a prem baby is scbu and had a horrible c section and I got the hump with it . I just weaned myself off them . I'm not very good at doing what I'm told though .

Just wanted to share my experiences very briefly.

DS2 - Hypertension from 35 wks+ medicated after an overnight stay in hospital, methyldopa aas1st line agent, unfortunatly discovered i am allergic to it, so changed to labetalol, all went ok, monitors x2 weekly delivered very quickly at home at 39+4 wks, had to be taken in to be sewn up and bp brought under control, can't remember the figures but very high. Was asked quite specifically whether or not I would be bf as if I was they would have to change my meds as you can't bf on labetalol.

DD1- Developed heart condition at 37 weeks and hypertention returned, back on labetalol and monitored closely, delivered after very quick spontaneous labour in hospital this time, again kept on labetalol, took longer for bp to stabalise this time, again advised not to bf on labetalol as unsafe to do so.

Really not sure why this hasn't been advised in your case Baby, very odd, hope everything sorts its self out for you though.

High bp in preg and delivery is v dangerous, v important to have it under control.

Should also say, both of the children, so far (aged 4.5yrs & 16mths) are fine and dandy

I will do Winnie - appointment is later on this month. I do think you need to take the high BP seriously (I didn't because I felt great - regret it now after a very stressful early delivery etc. Take my advice - nothing is worth getting stressed over at the min - if you have a stressful job go on the sick, sit with your feet up at home and generally do as little as possible).

JJW - no idea either, I asked several consultants / doctors and was told it was fine - hope what's happened with my little man makes the staff at our hospital more vigilant!

Thanks everyone for their stories, still hope the monitoring will show no need for drugs but I'll go armed with lots of questions anyway.

Hi I was wondering how you weaned off labetalol?