Pregnancy Problems Archives - Life with Gremlins

Preeclampsia Birth Story: Welcoming Aeris to the Family

She’s finally here! After 3 amazing boys, 2 miscarriages, and years of trying, we have a beautiful baby girl. Aeris Aurora June was born March 13, 2015 at a perfectly healthy 7.9 lbs, 20 inches. As much as I love to just brag about my gorgeous children, I do try to make my birth announcements helpful to people who don’t know me and don’t care that some lady on some website had a baby, and Aeris’s birth, and the preeclampsia that forced it to happen, is indeed a story worth sharing, because everything about it was atypical and stumped my doctors.

Preeclampsia without high blood pressure?

My pregnancy was full of not-so-fun symptoms, but one was new. I had “generalized edema” aka full body swelling. Swelling during pregnancy is fairly common in the lower extremities, but when seen in the upper body, particularly the face, it can be a warning sign of preeclampsia. I had swelling from head to toe starting around 6 months that progressively became worse. Its onset was not rapid like most preeclampsia warning sign lists state, and it was not accompanied by high blood pressure. I had no other symptoms of preeclampsia, so the general consensus was it was just one of those things. I just needed to drink more water—and I did. I drank water by the gallon, and it did not go away. Around 36 weeks, I developed itching and a rash on my abdomen, which I later discovered was PUPP, another symptom of high blood pressure—yet I still had flawless blood pressure. I took some dandelion root and things seemed to be improving on the rash front at least.

Then at my 39 week prenatal check suddenly the protein levels in my urine skyrocketed. My midwife got a +3 on the dip stick and ordered a 24-hour lab. My protein levels were 1,728. To put that in perspective, anything above 300 is diagnosable as preeclampsia, so my levels were almost six times even the high-normal level. I still did not have high blood pressure, headache, or visual disturbances. Protein levels that high were a sign my kidneys and liver were struggling though, and the only answer was immediate induction. Thank the gods my levels randomly spiked at 39 weeks when induction was a very safe option. Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of neonatal death, because the only way to cure preeclampsia, which can be fatal for both mother and child, is to deliver, no matter how far along you are.

Inducing at 39 weeks

I’ve actually been induced with three of four of my kids now, and the natural labor was scheduled for induction but came before we got there. However, my first three children were overdue, making this my first pre-due date induction. I opted for cervidil as it had worked well for me in the past. It worked again, kind of. I went in for induction at 8:30, had cervidil placed at 9:30, and started contracting around 11. Unfortunately, those contractions were too frequent and heavy. The cervidil was removed around midnight, and things might have proceeded as planned, except…

Magnesium Sulfate, I hate you.

Being classified as having extreme preeclampsia despite having no high blood pressure, I was still at risk for seizures during and after my labor. Apparently, what they give to prevent this is a nasty little substance called magnesium sulfate. Ironically, magnesium sulfate is also used to delay preterm labor. That’s right, they induced me, got labor going to a painful point, then gave me a drug that stops labor, and it worked. My labor stopped, and I went to sleep. The next day at 8 am I was started on Pitocin, something I’d had a very painful relationship with during my first labor. I delivered at 10:31 am. They didn’t even have time to break down the hospital bed. Why such a fast labor?

Well, magnesium sulfate makes many women sick especially if you mix it with high dose Pitocin. It turns out the fastest way to deliver a baby is to vomit through your entire labor. What else does magnesium sulfate have to offer? It sort of feels like someone has injected lava into your veins somehow. You feel feverish and cold at the same time, a bit dizzy, and oh yeah! It also causes your uterus not to contract after labor. I got to feel the awesome sensation of having blood clots pushed from my body (it felt sort of like worms sloshing out) and then had to be given even more medication to stop my bleeding so I didn’t bleed out to boot, but you know, it was worth it, because she is just…perfect.

The after math

I was very happy I avoided a c-section even if my labor was highly medicated. Over the next 48 hours, the tubes and monitors were slowly removed one by one. I felt much better just having the Pitocin pulled, but 24 hours later when they took out my IV magnesium drip I was ecstatic—for about 6 hours. Then I felt like I’d been hit by a Mac truck driven by an obese elephant. My entire body hurt, and not like normal I-just-had-a-baby hurt (I’d had 3 already remember). I assume that must have been magnesium’s parting gift. To add to my misery, I got the dTap shot after my labor to protect my new liebling from pertussis and had my first ever vaccine reaction adding injection site pain, rash, and alternating fever/chills to my recovery. We still have no idea why I developed severe preeclampsia without high blood pressure during a fourth pregnancy with the same father and no risk factors whatsoever, but it happened.

Lumps in Armpits During Pregnancy or While Breastfeeding

Pregnancy is full of surprises, some of which can be a bit frightening. Towards the end of my first pregnancy, I began to notice lumps in my armpits. I suddenly realized I actually had what looked like armpit fat, so to speak, on both sides. They started small and slowly became larger. My immediate thought was the big C word– cancer. I was terrified, but I was also incorrect. While a lump in your armpit can be a sign of cancer, if it’s on both sides, especially while pregnant or breastfeeding, that’s not normally the case.

What were the lumps in my armpits during my pregnancy actually caused by?

My mid-wife explained that breast tissue actually extends well beyond what we call the breast. Breast tissue can run all the way from the armpit to the crotch in two lines called milk ridges. In some cases, there is an unusual amount of breast tissue in the armpit or tail of spence. This tissue is called Hyperadenia, or the presence of excess breast tissue without a nipple. During late pregnancy as the breasts prepare to lactate, this tissue forms milk glands and enlarges like so many other things during pregnancy. This enlargement was my lumps.

What happened to the lumps after I had my baby?

The lumps engorged with the rest of my breast after I had my baby. They were painful, baseball sized, and very swollen. However, once engorgement passed they resided to their usual size and remained intact until I stopped breastfeeding. Once I had fully weaned my baby and my milk supply disappeared, so did the lumps. They were not seen again until my second pregnancy. I was told this was normal.

Unfortunately, during my fourth pregnancy my armpit lumps actually developed small nipples and dripped milk like tiny boobs (you can read about that here). After that pregnancy I was left with lumps even after I weaned my baby. It’s currently been 3 years, and they are still there. They aren’t huge, but do seem impervious to weight loss and exercise alike.

How can I tell excess breast tissue from cancer?

You should make your health care provider aware of any lumps in the breast area whether after reading this article it sounds as if you have excess breast tissue to you or not. Until then, some signs a lump may be cancerous include the lump being hard, firm, indiscrete, and/or unable to be manipulated or moved. If the lump is soft, can be seen easily and/or has a matching lump on the other breast, it likely is not cancer, but you should still have it checked.

What if after engorgement the lumps in my armpits still hurt?

In rare cases, this auxiliary tissue will produce milk and not drain while nursing. This trapped milk then causes pain, swelling, and even infection. This often means the mother will have to stop breastfeeding so that tissue can reside. Occasionally, the milk can be successfully pumped. In any case, you should see your health care provider.

Pregnancy Weight Gain: Normal, Not Normal, and What to Do

I can’t count how many times during my pregnancies people commented how cute and “small” I was, and then in the same day, had someone ask me if I was having twins because I was so “huge.” Obviously, perspectives on how big or small a pregnant woman should be are rather relative, but is there an ideal number for weight gain during pregnancy? Let’s explore the ins and outs of pregnancy weight gain a bit more.

How much weight gain during pregnancy is generally considered normal?

Notice the word, “generally” there, I want to begin by adding that the number on your scale is by no means an accurate judge of the health of your baby. Some women experience very little pregnancy weight gain while others gain a ton—not literally hopefully—and most of those women go on to have happy, healthy babies. It’s important that if your weight gain during pregnancy is below or above the estimates presented here, that you don’t go freaking out. It simply means you might want to stop and evaluate your individual situation to ensure that your baby is getting the best possible environment to grow in.

Average healthy pregnancy weight gain estimates are based on your pre-pregnancy BMI (body mass index calculator).

For a BMI below 18.5: Pregnancy weight gain should be roughly 28 to 40 lbs. in a singleton pregnancy
BMI between 18.5 and 24.9: 25 to 35 lbs.
BMI between 25 and 29.9: 15 to 25 lbs.
BMI above 30: 11 to 20 lbs.

On average, with a twin pregnancy you can add around 10 lbs. to these pregnancy weight gain estimates.

Most women gain between 1 and 5 lbs. during the first trimester, followed by a pound or two a week during the second and third trimesters. By full term, you can expect a 7.5 to 8 lb. baby, a 1.5 lb. placenta, 2 lbs. in amniotic fluid, 4 lbs. in increase blood flow, 2 lbs. in uterine weight, 2 lbs. in breast mass increase, 4 lbs. in other fluids, and 7 lbs. in fat and nutrient stores for an average of about 30 lbs. Naturally, as even baby weight varies greatly, it then makes sense that weight gain during pregnancy also varies.

Why does my pregnancy weight gain matter?

While you might think the major concern with too much weight gain during pregnancy is you’re going to have to lose it later, under and over pregnancy weight gain can actually have an impact on your baby and the ease of your pregnancy.

If you are not gaining sufficient weight, this could lead to poor fetal growth resulting in low birth weight. It’s also possible you’ll be not only neglecting your baby proper nutrition if your caloric intake is too low, but hurt your own health in the process. For example, if you aren’t getting sufficient calcium during pregnancy, your body begins to “steal” it from your bones and teeth. This can lead to dental problems and a weakened skeletal structure. Any nutritional deficiency can have a negative impact on your health and your child’s.

If you are gaining too much weight, you put yourself at a higher risk for preterm labor as they baby may become too large for your womb before he/she has fully developed as well as increase your chance of certain pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. The additional pregnancy weight gain also places additional strain on your body, which may exasperate pregnancy symptoms.

What should I do if my pregnancy weight gain is out of normal range?

As I mentioned in the very beginning of this page, please don’t assume if you are gaining more or less than you should according to the “experts” that there is something wrong with you, your baby, or your pregnancy.

First, have a look at your diet. How well are you eating? Is your diet balanced with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins? How often do you eat out or processed foods? It can help to track your caloric intake for a little while to get an idea how much you are eating and make yourself more aware of what you are eating. I highly recommend MyFitnessPal for this. It’s also great for dieting after your pregnancy. If your caloric intake is more or less than about 300 to 400 calories in addition to your pre-pregnancy needs, that could be your pregnancy weight gain issue. If your caloric intake is great, but full of empty calories or heavily processed and/or fatty foods, that could be the issue.

Second, consider your activity level. The main thing here is to consider two factors: your activity level pre-pregnancy vs now and your activity level vs your caloric intake. For instance, if you were super active prior to pregnancy then went all couch potato, that could explain over gaining or if you were kind of low activity and got on a healthy kick when you became pregnant and started exercising, that could explain under gaining.

If everything is peachy and your weight gain during pregnancy is still under or over the average significantly, chances are nothing is wrong and you’re just one of those folks that gains more or less, but you can bring it up with your care provider to be sure. You may be given an ultrasound to measure the baby and fluid levels or blood testing to check your iron levels and blood sugar, but again, in many cases, it’s just one of those common instances where someone falls outside the range known as “normal.”