19/09/2026
WHAT EVERY MOTHER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT PREECLAMPSIA
DON’T COMPARE — EXPERIENCE 3
The third comparison happened during ANC.
There was a woman I noticed who was also looking very swollen like me.
When I saw her, I thought:
“Oh, I’m not alone.”
And somehow, that made me feel a little calmer.
I thought maybe the swelling was simply one of those things that happened during pregnancy.
But guess what?
I saw that woman again after my emergency C-section.
She had developed postpartum preeclampsia.
And it was severe.
She had severe high blood pressure, headaches and blurry vision. She was still looking swollen, and she couldn’t carry her baby for over 4 weeks.
I had looked at her and thought:
“She looks like me, so maybe I’m okay.”
But we were both dealing with something serious.
That experience has stayed with me.
Because sometimes, comparison can give us comfort when what we actually need is assessment.
Your body is your body.
Your symptoms are your symptoms.
Don’t compare. Speak up. Get checked.