White Coat Syndrome Advice Needed Please

[SunshineStarMama]

Hi everyone,

This is my fifth pregnancy. I've always suffered from White Coat Syndrome, my BP has always been a bit high when being checked by a midwife or doctor. Then always perfect at home or in the car.

I do my BP at home every day and it's really good for me, usually around 117/73 or something similar.

Had midwife appointment yesterday, I'm 35 weeks tomorrow. Horrible experience, was kept waiting for an hour in a roasting waiting room with loads of people. Had to take my one year old with me. I was so hot and so stressed by the time I went in to see the midwife! My baby had also had enough and decided to cry and scream his eyes out. Was a really stressful appointment! I was also worried I was going to be late to collect my older children from school.
My BP was slightly raised 137/96. She measured my FH and told me I definitely need a growth scan because baby was measuring a week big one month ago and now not measuring a week big (I am plus size and baby has dropped quite a bit). She then did my BP again (whilst I'm holding my crying one year old) and it was 144/97.

Not big numbers, I don't think, considering the stress I was experiencing right then!!

Anyway she starts insisting I run up to the hospital to be checked, advising me to leave my baby at home. I refused, as I know this would make me mega mega stressed and my BP even worse, I'd end up on monitors, separated from my velcro baby, all because of stress. Been there before in previous pregnancies! I was basically bullied into agreeing to go to hospital tomorrow.

I don't want to go in tomorrow. My BP is normal again now I'm at home. It's supposed to be very hot and I'll have to take my baby again, I find driving in town incredibly stressful, my car doesn't have air con, parking at the hospital is awful (I've bumped my car before there), I have no childcare for my other children, I have bruised my butt bones sitting on a fold out chair waiting for midwife yesterday and it's sooo painful.

Can I just tell them no? I have a scan on Monday, I do urine test strips regularly (all normal no protein or anything). Midwife again in two weeks. I'm taking my BP multiple times a day now, all fine. I'm "low risk". How do I refuse this appointment and not annoy the midwives/doctors? I know for a fact it's going to make my BP sky rocket and they really ignore my White Coat Syndrome. Help?

Thank you xx

Can’t you tell them you’ve checked it at home and it’s fine? If I were you I wouldn’t go in. Like you say it will just be more stress. Sorry you went through that.

I'm only 23 weeks but can sympathise- I was left with white coat syndrome after it shot up in the days after having my first. Must have triggered some fight or flight response to hospital settings. First appointment with the midwife this time my bp was 150/100! It's
always normal at home (110's/60's), and I've taken to writing all the home readings down in a book and taking it to every appointment.
I have no advice I'm afraid as I feel like all this is yet to come for me. But in your shoes, I'd cancel today, or go in and show your readings at home and refuse to let them take your bp there- force them into a proper conversation about it

I had it throughout 2 pregnancies, it has annoyed me so much cause I know logically there is nothing to be afraid of and I check my BP at home and it's always within the normal range yet every single time they put the cuff round my arm I felt my heart rate doubling and it was always 136-150 over at least 90.

The threshold for medication is if it's regularly 150/100 the doctor told me. Having white coat syndrome also increases your risk of developing pregnancy induced hypertension and I ended up on a low dose of labetalol from 36 weeks and 38 weeks.

The consultant also told me that they "aren't allowed" to only allow me to take home readings, but she was satisfied with higher readings in clinic as long as they didnt exceed 150/100

You can just say no. Your midwife should know better really.

Thank you all! I plucked up the courage to ring the community midwives office (at lack of knowing who to ring). Explained everything as calmly and clearly as I could. She seemed to really understand and is ringing the people I was supposed to see and letting them know the situation. Hopefully they'll see sense! Thank you for saying I can just say No! I find it difficult! I need to stand up for myself!