Hi, Amber.
I had preeclampsia, too. My blood pressure was creeping up the last couple of weeks (38 and 39), but immediately after delivery it was out of control. I could barely speak or walk and having a lot of bleeding. Many people believe that preeclampsia goes away after delivery (even medical professionals), but I've met so many women here for whom it got worse after delivery.
Please talk to your family about helping you keep an eye out for symptoms that are new or get worse (see below). Sometimes we are so focused on caring for our newborns that we don't focus on ourselves. My family thought I felt and looked as bad as I did from having a natural delivery and just being tired. I ended up at the ICU a week after delivery with kidney failure. No one knew what to look for, so please share this with your family and don't wait to go to the hospital. Symptoms are:
High blood pressure
Protein in your urine
Headaches
Changes in vision
Nausea
Swelling of your face, hands or feet
Pain in the abdomen, shoulder or lower back
Shortness of breath, feeling panicked or like something just isn't right
I'll be thinking about you lots for a safe delivery and recovery from preeclampsia. Keep letting me know how you are doing. Keep 'em cookin'!
