Can anyone explain to me the relationship between birth and subsequent heart
ailments?  I have a newly post-partum mother (6 days) who had a planned
C-sec for back problems.  To the best of my knowledge she has no known
history of heart problems.

I got a call today from her husband from our local community hospital.  His
wife (they are friends from church) was being airlifted via helicopter from
our podunk hospital to a medical center in Wash DC (about 90 minutes away).
He called while he was waiting for the helo to arrive!!

He told me she has fluid around her heart and lungs, an inefficient heart,
fast pulse and low blood pressure.  This is apparently secondary to
pregnancy/delivery.  The update I got later was a diagnosis of
cardiomyopathy.

Of course, she has been told that she cannot nurse her baby and she is
devastated.  Fortunately, our pastor called her shortly after admission and
convinced her to keep pumping anyway (thank goodness for a woman of the
cloth who is a former nursing mother!).  She told Pastor Meredith that she
could be on these meds for 3 months..."Then pump for 3 months" says
Meredith.

She was told she could nurse her baby "one last time" after they arrived
from the long drive.  I suggested that until we can check the meds that she
not toss the milk and I am hoping to get the list of meds tomorrow.  My
hands are a bit tied due to distance but will try to make sure she has help
nearby.

Mostly, I am curious as to what could have contributed to this condition.
Her presenting symptoms in the ER were shortness of breath and nausea.

TIA for any thoughts or suggestions.

Kathy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathy Koch, LLL Leader, BSEd, IBCLC
Great Mills, MD
mailto:[log in to unmask]
"Parents are often so busy with the physical rearing of children that they
miss the glory of parenthood, just as the grandeur of the trees is lost when
raking leaves. ~Marcelene Cox ~