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A Bright Light Before a Dark Journey – My PPCM Story

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New to This Mommy’s Heart? Check out my story from the beginning here – My PPCM Story

I had a fairly normal pregnancy but now, in retrospect, there are a few symptoms that were likely indicators of my impending peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) diagnosis.

There was one incident where I almost blacked out in a parking lot. I had my toddler in the shopping cart and I had to kneel down for a few minutes until the darkness in front of my eyes and dizziness passed. When I told my doctor about this plus the fact that my heart rate always ran high at my appointments, he ordered an EKG which came back normal. I didn’t worry about it after that.

*Side Note: An echocardiogram is needed to help diagnose PPCM. An echocardiogram is basically an ultrasound of your heart that can measure your ejection fraction (EF). EF is how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction. A person with an EF less than 45% is considered to be in heart failure.

During the last few weeks of my pregnancy, however, I started experiencing even more PPCM symptoms including what felt like unending nighttime urination (I was literally up every 1 to 2 hours going to the bathroom), extreme swelling of feet and ankles and a ton of weight gain (I gained less than 30lbs with my first pregnancy, with this one I gained over 50lbs). With my first pregnancy I didn’t experience any of these things at the extreme levels I was with this pregnancy. I was a little concerned and brought these issues up at each OB appointment. Everyone just told me it was normal, so I believed them. I mean, what do I know…

My baby girl was due on November 20, 2017 but decided to come 5 days early on the 15th. It was the fastest and easiest delivery I could have asked for. My daughter was 8lbs 1oz of perfection and she had blue eyes! I love my son’s big brown eyes but it was just crazy because I never thought I would make a blue-eyed baby. I guess that is what I get for marrying my blue-eyed husband. Anyway, she latched immediately and was a pretty good sleeper from the start. She was just a fabulous baby.

This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - Meeting my daughter
Meeting my daughter minutes after she was born
This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - My husband holding our daughter
My husband holding our daughter after she was born.
This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - Welcome baby girl
Welcome to the world baby girl
This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - Breastfeeding champ
Rocking breastfeeding from the start

After 24hrs, as per the norm for moms that had previously had a baby at my hospital, I went home. My parents from Indiana were visiting to meet their newest granddaughter. A 10-day stay to help me out especially with my toddler. Everything felt normal. My confidence grew quickly. I could do this, I could be a really good mom to my two babies. My daughter breastfed like a champ, slept most the night in the crib, her brother adored her and we would snuggle together all of the time.

It was perfect…

This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - Leaving the hospital
Discharge day from the hospital
This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - At home with my babies
At home with my babies
This Mommy's Heart - My PPCM Story - My little baby girl
Staring at my little baby girl after her first sponge bath

…until it wasn’t.

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