When Taylor-Marie Leman was pregnant with her daughter, Reyna, she expected a normal birth and a normal trip home. Most of her pregnancy was normal, even though she dealt with a lot of morning sickness at the start.
Everything changed when she reached her third trimester.
At about 28 weeks, Taylor-Marie began to notice new symptoms. She recalls she had a terrible headache that would not go away. Even after attempting Tylenol, the headache stayed. Then, something else happened that felt scary. “I started seeing spots in my left eye and I thought, 'That is not good.'”
Important Action: Act Fast, Don’t Wait
Taylor-Marie decided to reach out to her women's health provider using MyChart. She explained why she sent the message: “I had the inkling that this is something to send a message about.” The nurses checked her lab results and told her to come in for monitoring.
At first, Taylor-Marie did not think it could be preeclampsia, which is a serious pregnancy condition linked to high blood pressure. “I had always had this impression you had to have a lot of swelling and a bunch of other symptoms for preeclampsia to be a concern,” she shares. But, she learned that it can show up in other ways. “I found out that it could just be a severe headache.”
A Rapid Progression, But a Necessary One
When she arrived at the Labor and Delivery department, the team checked her blood pressure. The number was so high that Taylor-Marie couldn’t believe it. “They took the first reading and I didn’t think that the numbers were right. They were so high,” she notes. Even though things were serious, she noticed the staff stayed calm. “A lot is about to happen very quickly,” the nurse told her. But, Taylor-Marie also remembered that the nurse maintained very calm and didn’t look “panicky.”
The team tried medication to bring the blood pressure down. When it did not work well enough, the plan changed fast. “They decided to take my daughter out and do an emergency C-section,” Taylor-Marie explains. She appreciated how clearly the team guided her through each step. “They did a very good job of explaining everything that was happening,” she adds.
Next Steps: Taking Care of Both Baby and Mom
Because Reyna was born early, she needed extra care. Riverside has a partnership with Comer Children’s Hospital, and a team from the University of Chicago helped with the transfer. “It was the most seamless transition ever,” emphasizes Taylor-Marie. She reinforces that everyone worked so close together that it was a bit hard to tell who was with Riverside and who was with the University of Chicago.
Soon after the birth, Taylor-Marie faced another hard moment. Reyna needed an airlift to Chicago, but Taylor-Marie had to stay at Riverside until her own blood pressure was under control. “It was a big concern,” she mentions. Still, she was grateful that the team prepared her and kept her informed. “They were very communicative and were able to let me see her and explain everything that was going to happen.”
Taylor-Marie stayed at Riverside for about a week while her doctors worked to stabilize her blood pressure. She describes it as “kind of a game” of adjusting medications. She also felt like her voice mattered during her recovery. “It felt like I was able to contribute some of my thoughts and feelings. I felt heard and listened to,” she assures.
Mom and Baby, Reunited
Reyna spent 59 days in the NICU. When Taylor-Marie received her discharge, she went to Chicago right away to see her baby. Looking back now, she feels deep gratitude. “It’s amazing. It’s incredible.” And today, Reyna is six months old and doing well.
Taylor-Marie hopes other moms will learn from her experience. “Definitely listen to your body,” she urges. “Even if it feels minor, send a message.” She also offered this advice: “Don’t Google everything. Get going and call the people that are here to help you.”
Most of all, she wants her care team to know what they meant to her. “They truly saved my life,” she beams. “They saved my life, they saved my baby’s life, and they were simply amazing.”
For more information about the Riverside's Partnership with Comer Children's Hospital, visit, myrhc.net/PedsHospitalists.