Hello, lovely readers! It’s been a while since I have done a blog! The last one would have been about finding out we were expecting!! So here is one about the journey so far.
For those who don’t know me, I’m an osteopath, a women’s health specialist, and, oh yes—currently 39 weeks pregnant. That means juggling hormones, high blood pressure, a busy work life, as well as the usual house stuff in between. If you’re a mum, expecting, or just enjoy reading about someone else’s “what else could possibly go wrong?” moments, this one’s for you.
The Joy of Blood Pressure Surprises
Ah, the first midwife appointment—when you walk in glowing (from anxiety, not the “glow” you expected) and leave wondering, “Wait, was that a blood pressure cuff or the machine that controls my fate?”
I arrived at 8 weeks, excited, but feeling like someone was already monitoring my every move. Then, bam! High blood pressure reading. Cue the deep breathing. As a health professional, I understand that blood pressure is important—but did anyone warn me that every single pregnancy concern from then on would revolve around that one little number?
I have never had any blood pressure issues before, so when it was reading quite high, I put it down to nerves – the first appointment, not knowing what to expect, getting asked all sorts of questions. However, the midwife didn’t put it down to nerves.
Very clearly bothered about it, she printed off a letter for me to take to the doctors and then I had to monitor things at home for a week. During this time, it was all normal. When I went back to the next midwife appointment, it was high again. Brilliant. From this point onwards I would have to attend the hypertension clinic at the hospital. I can’t complain at all though as she has a job to do, and she was doing what was the best thing.
It’s a good thing I am self-employed because trying to get time away from an employed job would have been a nightmare!!!
The 20-Week "Oops" Scan
Now, let’s talk about the 20-week anomaly scan. It’s the one where you think you’ll get a nice peek at the baby’s nose or toes and leave with some solid reassurance. Instead, I got... drama.
The sonographer raised concerns that baby was “on the smaller side.” They didn’t really give much more information than that other than “we would expect it to be around this mark, and yours is down here”. So, there I was, imagining my baby the size of a tiny gerbil, wondering why it is smaller than it should be! Why was it like that? Is it something I have done?? Due to this, they booked me in for extra scans (which was actually quite reassuring as I would get to see our baby more often and know that things were getting checked.)
At the next scan – about 2 weeks later – the consultant noticed that the growth chart that they were using had the wrong due date on. So this all got changed and the estimated weight/growth was put on and the baby was within the normal limits and the consultant was quite happy with where it was at. Turns out we didn’t need to worry for those 2 weeks! Even though the measurements they take aren’t always accurate, and different people will get different readings, having someone tell you that your baby isn’t growing to where it should be is still worrying!
Becoming a Lab Rat: The Blood Pressure Trial
Somewhere between the is-baby-too-small saga and my growing resentment of maternity jeans, I got an invite to participate in a blood pressure medication trial. Yes, that’s right - I’m an “ideal candidate” for some cutting-edge meds. Why not? Maybe I could multitask by balancing my blood pressure research commitments with running a busy clinic and mentally preparing for motherhood. So, at the hypertension clinic – which I was attending every 3ish weeks – my blood pressure had come down but they still wanted me to take part in this trial.
Sometimes blood pressure can rise in pregnancy but usually doesn’t happen until around 20 weeks. As mine was up almost straight away, they wanted to put me on some medication anyway so I may as well take part in the trial as well.
Though, I must admit, the scientist in me did think it was cool. And as long as the trial might actually help reduce any blood pressure risk to my little one, it felt worth a go. (Plus, they gave me extra growth scans!)
The trial itself doesn’t have that much of an impact on my life. I got assigned to a particular medication, have to fill out a questionnaire every few weeks and attend the hypertension clinics, which I still would have had to do anyway.
The Induction Dilemma and the Perks (?) of Being 35+
I’m probably what they call an “older” mum. For the record, I am just over 35. Because of this, a higher BMI and having high blood pressure, they recommended I have an induction at 39 weeks. I get it. Pre-eclampsia is no joke, and I take the blood pressure checks seriously. However, my blood pressure is normal now, I have very regular midwife & hypertension appointments as well as regular scans. All was fine and on track.
The consultant at the hypertension clinic suggested the induction. She told me about the various ways they can do it and when I asked if I needed it, she said she would strongly advise it. To be honest I felt as though I had been put on the spot. I wasn’t expecting it to be suggested and I have never even considered an induction. Maybe that’s my own fault. After this I went and spoke to Dave about it. He was of course up for it – they know what they are on about, and if it helps baby from getting into any serious problems then why not. I could see his point. But something in me was not agreeing with it.
I started doing my research – talking to other people about their experiences, looking at research papers and speaking to a midwife at one of the clinics I work at. After all this, I cancelled the induction. To me, there seemed to be more risk to the baby because of the medications they use during the induction which would potentially lead to further interventions. I am all for intervening and doing what needs to be done if something is going wrong. But to me, if everything was ok, then why start messing around??
I’d like to think my body knows what it’s doing, and frankly, I’d prefer a calm, natural arrival over a rushed induction if possible.
The induction pressure hasn’t ended, but for now, I’m working hard to trust my instincts. The team at the hospital have all been lovely, and they’re not pushing—just nudging—me toward the induction path. But I think we all know that, given the choice, I’m sticking with my little one’s timeline.
(a big thanks to Dave for this pic. Probably the only pregnancy one I have & looking very tired) 🤣
Keeping the Clinic Running (Or Trying to)
And as if navigating this pregnancy weren’t enough, let’s not forget the clinic. Being an osteopath means being hands-on, literally, and figuring out how to modify treatments as my belly grows and my body develops its own quirky aches. I’ve actually discovered some rather creative stretching and positioning techniques as a result!
My patients have been so supportive, (probably more concerned about me than what I have been) but it’s definitely been a juggling act. And there’s always the entertaining daily debate of whether I can manage another round of the day’s appointments or if it’s time to sit down with a cup of decaf coffee.
So, What’s Next?
As I look ahead to the last couple of weeks, I know the surprises probably aren’t over, but I’m hopeful that it’s smooth sailing—or at least less eventful than the first 30 weeks. There are still midwife appointments, baby kicks, and growth scans. But through it all, I’m staying positive and, let’s face it, a little amused by the twists this pregnancy keeps throwing my way.
So, to all the expecting mums, mums in waiting, or those supporting us on the sidelines: keep laughing, keep breathing, and remember to enjoy the ride (high blood pressure and all). And thank you for letting me share mine—warts, trials, date miscalculations, and all!
My Final Gripe...
Although I have always tried to keep these posts funny and real, I think that comes talking openly about the realities of the financial burden of child birth whilst managing a clinic and being self-employed...
For some reason, our magical system which is in place to support us as self-employed people in the way of 'Maternity Allowance' uses some archaic system to calculate what we are entitled to and results in extra payments should we have shortfalls to meet our full obligation.
Throughout the journey, I submitted my request and as somebody who is self-employed my tax returns have not fallen flush with my application which means, I have had to pay a chunk of money to HMRC which they will inevitably be reimbursing me at the early part of next year or if not my consequence is to receive the grand total of £27 per week to try and support our household raising our new baby...
So I guess, although I'm grateful there is some support there at all, it feels a little ridiculous in 2024 we still have such a disjointed system to be entitled to benefits that me and Dave have both actively contributed towards for the better part of 20 years!
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