Nothing like a trip to the hospital to kick off the first day of maternity leave!  I'm somewhat relieved I went, but still worried about the swelling.  They seemed more concerned with preeclampsia than cholestasis, which for me was the other way around.  I learned today that you can actually be preeclamptic without having high blood pressure.  When I first arrived to labor and delivery my blood pressure was slightly elevated, but that could've been from the way I was sitting or anxiety from being there.  The nurse raised the back of the bed up and my readings were normal there after.  They ran a urinalysis to see if there was protein in my urine and blood tests; everything came back negative, except for the bile duct test, which can take up to two weeks, depending on when they pick up the test since they have to send it out.  I was prescribed a medication to decrease the level of bile until my results are complete.

Fortunately my non-stress test was excellent and Kingston sounds really good!  I never saw the on-call midwife, but did talk to her over the phone after she heard all the results.  She wants me to increase my non-stress tests to twice weekly so I have one scheduled on Wednesday with my OB and they added a NST Saturday at the hospital.  She wants me to call if anything changes, even in the slightest bit with the swelling or if I develop a headache that won't go away or blurred vision.  I asked if preeclampsia can come on suddenly and slowly and she said it could.  I still feel very nervous about all the swelling in my legs.  I told the RN after I hung up the phone that this amount of swelling isn't normal and she agreed. 

I am home now and despite there being a million things to do, I am following orders and have my legs propped up in bed.  I wish signs in pregnancy were more black and white and not so gray, but I guess that's the way it goes.  As the midwife says, my maternal instincts are kicking in and I will know when something isn't right.  I will keep everyone updated!

XOXO,
Chelle

Flintstone feet

 2 weeks ago

 37 weeks, 3 days