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December 2024 Babies 🇺🇸

Postpartum Preeclampsia: Coming to terms with it

I’m three months pp… I developed a few complications in my pregnancy that I feel like I dismissed either based on my own ignorance and positivity or lack of education from my provider. Probably both. I’m starting now to realize that I actually could have died and it’s a weird feeling. I think my husband thinks I’m being dramatic though he’d never say that. Maybe I am????
Here’s my quick rundown:
Early: high risk for preeclampsia but BP was always beautiful and very minimal swelling.
Nov: developed itchy hands, diagnosed with liver issue. Too much bile proteins, I think. Fetal death was a risk. Told to monitor movement and take meds. Movement was never hourly but always felt him periodically and always all evening.
Dec: My OB was adamant about 37-38 weeks induction. At NST was asked if my OB was going to retest my liver and they thought it was interesting when I said no.
-at NST, was told that at a previous ultrasound I had not enough fluid but my next was fine. No one ever said anything.
-During induction, was told I had an anterior placenta. Had no idea. Monitoring was hell; each RN preferred a different method; traditional or bluetooth. I was covered in adhesive scars. Then was told I had too much fluid so I was a risk for hemorrhage. I needed an extra IV line; all in all, I was poked over 30 times for all my hospitalizations (50%+ were unsuccessful pokes)
-Induction failed. Three days of no progress, maybe 2cm but that seemed generous. Excruciating cervical exams. Foley balloon in and out in an hour which removed mucus plug. Went home for Christmas.
- Went in five days later, with moderate success. Opted for internal monitoring when able to avoid difficult tracking. Water broke with just misoprostel, progressed to 7cm, no pain with checks, got epidural, progressed to 9cm and got stuck. He wouldn’t advance and his head and my cervix began to swell. Waited for a while then did c-section. Went well. He was face up. Had hematoma on head from being stuck. He also had tongue tie and a circumcision needing follow up postpartum (poor guy). Otherwise healthy!
-Post op; RNs mentioned concern with my fluid output and I developed some swelling in my legs for the first time right before discharge but they raised no concerns.
-1st full day home, felt increasingly uncomfortable. Pressure in chest. A slight wheeze. Both increased when laying down. It felt like my brain was telling me “if you fall asleep, you’ll die”. When I inhaled, I couldn’t get full breath and felt like my kidneys were being squeezed. I wasn’t sure what was normal with c-section but was in tears from discomfort. Next day, called OB and was sent to ER.
-Postpartum Preeclampsia: BP, oxygen and pulse all over the place. My weight was the same as prior to delivery. Started lasix and magnesium. Had fluid in and around lungs. Lost 20lbs of fluid and felt amazing after another two days in hospital.

It’s a lot. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of the fear and lack of preparedness I felt.

Did I not ask enough questions in my pregnancy? Was I too laid back? Or did my provider not educate me like she should have? Was my PP preeclampsia overlooked before I left the hospital? Why did my OB not retest my liver? Could my induction have waited the extra week like I wanted? Maybe my body would have been more prepared.

I’m mostly venting because I’m frustrated and scared now because I was too ignorant to be then. To top it off, my insurance then denied me all of the PP at home medical support. We went on to struggle with nursing and the tongue tie but that all worked out; fed is best.

Any advice is appreciated as I try to get the answer to these questions and reconcile them along with my feelings.