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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

In hospital atm with pre-eclampsia...

21 replies

jadef · 11/04/2014 17:06

Hello - I'm 34+2 with twins at the moment and have been holed up in hospital for the past 9 days. I am being taken exceptional care of but slowly my testing results are starting to slide on blood pressure, protein in urine and headaches starting to creep in. Drs are balancing health and well-being with the call to deliver our little girls. I would love to make it even to 35 weeks, but each day is becoming tougher and tougher and the blood pressure tablets are really having an effect. Not sure how much longer I can persist! I guess looking for advice - or even motivation to continue hanging in there, achieving longer and longer for our girls in 'the oven'... Thanks for reading x

OP posts:

fluzle · 11/04/2014 17:20

Sending you good wishes. Mu first was born at 34+3 after I developed severe PE very suddenly. I can't pretend that having my newborn SCBU was ideal - she was in for 3 weeks - but she was absolutely fine; perfect, just tiny and by the time she was 3 months old it was all a distant memory as she had caught up totally with other babies of the same age. I think this is absolutely the usual prognosis for babies born at this gestation these days. Good luck - I absolutely hope your babies are born as late as possible but please don't put any pressure on yourself to 'hang on', I don't think you can have much say! Relax as much as you can - sending positive vibes your way

Original poster

jadef · 11/04/2014 18:36

Thank you fluzle, yours is a great story to hear. How lovely that your little girl is perfect and healthy. I just want what is best for our babies but it's a very trying time. I suspect they will probably deliver next week and just pray that we are all ok! Pre-eclampsia really is such a tough condition, not least because most don't realise how dangerous it is. Thank you for your message and wishes, Jadex

OP posts:

curiousgeorgie · 11/04/2014 18:38

My friend had preeclampsia and her baby was delivered at 29 weeks, he spent 10 weeks in the NICU and is now absolutely perfect, you would never know he was early. 34 weeks is a great gestation to get to.

DoItTooJulia · 11/04/2014 18:41

My friend delivered her twins (planned elcs) at 35 weeks and they were fine, I think that's about normal for twins, so you're doing great!

Hospital is so boring, isn't it? What are you doing? TV? Books?

Princessolipops · 11/04/2014 18:41

Good luck and hope things go smoothly. I had pre eclampsia too, wasn't pleasant. Seeing things floating in my eyes, protein in urine etc etc, got to 37 weeks tho and the wee man was perfect. We were kept in for another week which was hard cause you just want home!! But before you know it it's just a distant memory and you and the wee ones will be home and in your own home comforts! Lots of good wishes!

bruffin · 11/04/2014 18:44

I went in at 32 weeks and ds was born at 38 weeks. It was 7 weeks in all. In those days the didnt do bp tablets. Ds 18 now and should be off to uni in september.

tiredoftrains · 11/04/2014 18:50

Another here with a prem baby due to pre eclampsia,Ds was born at 31 weeks due to sudden onset foetal distress but after 3 weeks in neonatal is now a happy, normal 3yo.you've done brilliantly to get so far with twins, the only thing you can do is to try and relax (I know it's not easy in that situation!)

Good luck x

Errrr2012 · 11/04/2014 18:54

I agree curious, 34 weeks is really good. I take it they have given you steroids and they will have had chance to work their full effect on your babies lungs. I had sudden onset of severe PE and HELLP at 31 weeks and my baby was in hospital for 5 weeks but you really wouldn't know it now, nearly 2 years on. Don't worry about hanging on, you will be fine. Just trust the doctors, which I know is hard cause it's so scary. And don't be alarmed if your body doesn't go back to normal straight away, that's really common. I actually got a lot worse for 48 hours after delivery and was eventually off all BP medication a couple of months later. I'm not saying that to scare you, just so you have an idea that it might take a while to get back to full health. Good luck with everything and take care x

GimmeDaBoobehz · 11/04/2014 18:58

Not much help as I had one baby and although had symptoms from end of second trimester wasn't diagnosed until 39 weeks, the day before DD was born.

She was born on time but they said they couldn't have waited.

I think 34 weeks is a perfectly acceptable amount of time with twins to be honest, as they often are born between 34-36 weeks so you're nearly right in the middle of that figure.

The doctors/nurses know what is best in this situation and will decide when they think it could have an adverse affect on the babies. But ultimately it's not nice for the mother to endure for days and days on end either.

I was so scared I was going to have a seizure as they said that could happen that every time I felt a bit woozy I thought it was the start of a seizure.

I hope your babies come soon (but not too soon) and you're feeling better soon.

The good thing with pre-eclampsia is the risk to you and the babies is gone once they are born - although the chances are you'll still have to take blood pressure medication as there is such thing as eclampsia. I was off the medication at 8 weeks post partum. I was on Lobetalol.

I wish you the best of luck. :)

MrsGiraffe12 · 11/04/2014 19:06

Another lady with previous pre-eclampsia here. DS was born at 32 weeks weighing 2lb 4oz and spent 6 weeks in scbu. He never received the steroid jabs as it was so sudden and such an emergency to deliver me they never had time. He never needed the ventilator either luckily. We spent 6 weeks in scbu and he weighed 4lb 8oz when we came home. You wouldn't know it now, he's nearly 6 but is so so tall he needs age 7 trousers for the length. You would never know he was premature. Good luck xx

Original poster

jadef · 11/04/2014 19:18

Thanks everyone, after a particularly tough day it's lovely to have support. So many positive stories as well. My dr said 34 weeks was the magic number and anything we can add to that was a bonus, but I do like the thought of a bonus! Apparently I don't need steroids now that I am past 34 weeks as lungs should be developed. Trying to stay relaxed and piling through books/magazines/box sets/films - my husband has properly loaded me up! I guess it's just scary knowing how quickly the condition can go from being manageable to there being talk of taking you 'upstairs' to deliver. I saw it happen to the lady in the bed next to me. She was absolutely fine and in the space of 10 hours her blood pressure shot up, she had crippling headaches and was being sick and they didn't mess around and delivered her immediately at 34+5.

You are all so right, I do know this time will seem like such a tiny blur in the grand scheme of things, so it's great to get a boost from you all to remain positive. State of mind is such a huge factor and I really have been so good up until today, and am bouncing back reading your comments. So thank you! xx

PS the nurses, midwives and drs have all been so great here at Queen Charlottes. They've even given me a lovely private room (I call it the presidential suite) and I have a great view where I get to see all the new dads coming into the hospital with their empty car seats to collect their bubs. Makes me smile every time...

OP posts:

Andromaca · 11/04/2014 19:30

I was admitted in hospital with pre-eclampsia at 34 weeks and my DD was born 37+6. The doctors and midwives will take a very good care of you and if they will try to do what is better (the last week in hospital i was on a 30 min watch and they asked me not to close the door so that passing in front of the room they could check on me) and my DD that was a premie severely underweight and soooooooo tiny is now the tallest of her class at nursery

I know it is scary and i realise it will be almost impossible to stay calm and relax and that days are sooooo boring but you are now 35 weeks already. Do you have any veeeerrrryyyyyy long book that you always wanted to read??

neversleepagain · 11/04/2014 20:04

I had my twins at 34+5 (waters went). They spent 2 weeks in SCBU mainly to establish body temperature and feeding. They were healthy and a good size (5lb4 & 5lb8). I was given steroids the day before as scan showed low amniotic fluid.

You have done well to get this far, I would however question the consultants reasoning behind not wanting to give you steroids. Although mine needed no breathing assistance, twin1 was grunting and almost needed CPAP. I think the steroids made a big difference.

Good luck, twins are just great :) I have girls too :)

Original poster

jadef · 12/04/2014 10:03

Thanks neversleep - I'll ask again about the steroids. I've always had very good levels in amniotic fluid, so maybe that's a factor? Can't actually believe we might be meeting our little aliens soon, all feeling very surreal!

OP posts:

fluzle · 12/04/2014 14:38

Glad to hear you sounding so positive, it's a scary time, but all will be well! I had to have steroids when it became clear that my baby would need to come early - I remember being appalled that they were administered into my bottom! I would expect that you'll be having some quite soon as premature babies need the help with developing the lungs and both doses will generally be given (4? hours apart) before you're induced. I think anyway! Glad you've been given a private room! I have to say that in some ways, with excellent care we were both given, the experience of having my first baby in quite dicey circumstances was more positive than having my second baby which was entirely complication-free and we were left to fend for ourselves! Best of luck to you - enjoy the magazines while you can

Errrr2012 · 19/04/2014 22:31

How are you doing jadef??

mumandbubs · 26/09/2014 09:04

Update!! Just over 5 months later and we have two gorgeous happy and healthy little girls. I was given two times steroids 24 hours apart and delivered at 35+1 weeks. Our girls weighed 4lbs each and after initially coming back with us ended up in neonatal due to blood sugar levels mostly. They were there for 6 days, after a HUGE turnaround in condition the minute they started receiving my breast milk. We were home another 4 days after that and my goodness it's been pretty full on. I managed to breast feed for 3 months but now on formula, starting weaning (on advice) and settling into a routine. I just read back through this thread and remembered all that I went through, and yes it does now feel like a blur - but I do very clearly remember how grateful I was for the support. Thank you again!!! Now I'm off to have a very quick shower before my sleeping beauties wake from their nap and it's all systems go again!!!

LineRunner · 26/09/2014 09:08

My DS was induced at 35 weeks, and I was given the steroid injections when it was clear he needed to come out.

He was fine - 5lb - and didn't need any special care.

Good luck.

LineRunner · 26/09/2014 09:10

How did I not actually read your update??!

That's great news. Congratulations.

mumandbubs · 26/09/2014 09:44

Sounds like good news all round LineRunner :) xx

Errrr2012 · 26/09/2014 10:49

So pleased to hear that all is well x

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