Diabetes and Pregnancy

Forum Post: Re: *** feeding questions????

Kelly — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:36:00 GMT

Good questions and advice, I was wondering the same things, so thank you Jenna for the advice. I am 36 weeks along and I am worried about my milk coming in. I haven't started leaking collostrum yet, and it seems like every other pregnant friend I have that is less farther along than me IS. When does that usually start happening?

Forum Post: Re: Is an induction really necessary?

Kelly — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:21:00 GMT

Hi Tracy!

I am also 36 weeks along and the doctors haven't said anything about induction. It sounds like they will let me go to 40 weeks, as long as our little guy keeps passing his NST's and BPP tests. MY last A1C was 5.1 and baby boy is measuring at 50th percentile. I am being seen every week now and things are going great for me too (knock on wood). I am hoping for as normal of a birth as I can have, but preparing myself for the worst as well. Isn't it crazy....in a few weeks we are going to be mommys!! I am so excited!! =) Good luck.

Forum Post: Re: Cleared to start trying to conceive!

Nikki — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:27:00 GMT

So I have had 35 lows anywhere from 70's- to as low as 32 in the past 14 days. Yuck! It totally wipes me out. I just sent my numbers off to my endo and waiting for them to call me back from my voicemail. I have no idea if I am pregnant or not, a few tale-tell signs, but as of a pregnancy test on Saturday -I was not pregnant. If I'm not pregnant, I have no idea what is going on with my diabetes or my body, but it needs to figure itself out pronto! I had a really weird period last week that only lasted for 2 days, heavy enough to wear tampons but nothing like my normal periods -not to mention it was 2-3 weeks earlier than my period would normally start. This waiting game is killing me! Not so much for the fact that I obviously hope I am pregnant, but the fact that I don't know what is going on with my body. Ugh.

Forum Post: Re: Pregnant.....UNEXPECTEDLY!!!

AlisonF — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:53:00 GMT

My endo said she's not worried about my thyroid now, but it will be a concern when I do get pregnant. I am definitely thinking of getting a second opinion. I want to make sure I have all my facts straight before getting pregnant. Thank you so much for all your input. It really has put my mind at ease to hear it from people who have experienced this.

Forum Post: Re: OMG! 40+ & unexpectedly pregnant

kmet13 — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:25:00 GMT

Thanks Keara and Katherine for your kind words and envouragement! I am almost 7 weeks now - had my first OB appt and everything going well so far. U/S next Tuesday. I hadn't given much thought to dietary changes re: preeclampsia. But I am willing to do whatever I can to avoid it this time! Have either of you heard anything about low dose aspirin or calcium supplements to help avoid it?

I couldn't tell if either of you are expecting right now, but if you are - best of luck and health to you also!

Thank you!!!!

Forum Post: Re: Breastfeeding after baby has been in the NICU and had formula-- any experience/advice?

KatherineW — Fri, 11 May 2012 01:15:00 GMT

First of all, if you have a good A1C prior to the birth, there likely will be no problem with low blood-sugar. My baby's BG never dipped low enough to require glucose. My A1C, tested a month before birth, was 6.2.

However, my baby girl apparently had an infection and was kept in the NICU 7 days for antibiotics. During that time, I was allowed to stay in a room in the hospital for nursing moms, so I basically lived there and ***-fed her, but unfortunately, could not be there for every feeding, so they did give her bottles also. This made ***-feeding very difficult and frustrating for both her and I. It took about an hour (instead of half an hour like it should have been) for each feeding.

(Also, for some reason, they thought she should be supplemented with bottles even when I was there, before my milk came in. They wanted her to drink 2 oz. at each feeding, which for a day-old baby is just way too much. Babies naturally are not too hungry for the first 2-4 days, and mommas naturally make just the right amount of colostrum for them. Then the milk comes in right around the time that babies are needing more food. So if the baby's BG is fine, don't let the hospital trick you into supplementing because "the baby's not getting enough"!)

She latched on just fine, no problem, before the bottles, then like night and day, had trouble after her first bottle. But with a little determination and refusal to give up, I kept feeding her as often as I could, frustrating as it was, and it got better, especially once we finally left the hospital (Hallelujah!). Now ***-feeding is all she wants and it's hard to get her to take a bottle!

So, my encouragement to you is: don't give the baby bottles if you can help it, but if he/she is given bottles, stick with breastfeeding anyway, and if you have to, read books, talk to consultants, read web articles (many good ones at lalecheleague.com I believe it is). You can do it!

Forum Post: Re: Pregnant!!!

jennagrant — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:51:00 GMT

Congratulations! Being a mom is such a blessing.

Forum Post: Re: any successtips?

Nicole2711 — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:12:00 GMT

I agree with Kelly. That is what happened to us. We had a miscarriage, we tried for four months straight and I was going insane. We decided to take a two month break, go to mexico and guess what, that first month...Pregnant! my little girl is 4 months old and doing well. Just do everything you can to keep your body healthy so when you do concieve you will be primed and ready for it. Stress really does block the conception. My speicialist said that stress is the body's own defense mechanism against pregnancy. Basically your body knows or thinks that life will be to stressful to bring an infant into the picture and the baby won't thrive or survive so it goes into supression mode. Which I guess makes sense. Stress causes a release in coritsol and other nasty things so try to calm your body, take a two month break ( I know easier said than done when you want something soooooooooo bad) and I bet you will have luck. Kelly is right. Fertility speicialists won't see you unless you have been actively trying for a year.

Forum Post: Re: Some news from my end...

Nikki — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:42:00 GMT

I don't know from experience of being pregnant or with twins for that fact but I am the oldest of two sets of twins, yes you read that correctly TWO SETS OF TWINS. My mom had gestational diabetes with both pregnancies. Not sure if there is a correlation but a twin pregnancy is a lot harder on your body for the fact that two babies will be pulling from you and the extra weight.

Huge congratulations on the pregnancy, and even more so on the multiples! They are a TON of work, but absolutely worth it in the end! Just make sure you have lots of help. Best of luck to you and your soon to be family of 4! : )

**careful getting pregnant again,you could end up like my mom! Lol. With age and the fact you are having twins, your chances for multiple births in the future goes up. My mom's were all natural -she's fertile-mertle. Haha.

Forum Post: Re: Insulin Resistance

Caitlin Akes — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:57:00 GMT

This is somewhat encouraging for me to hear about other people struggling with the same things I am. I'm only 8 weeks along with my first and even though I've only known about the pregnancy for about a month it has still been crazy. My OB would like my A1c at 6 (I was 6.4 prior to pregnancy) But I'm definitely struggling with the after meal blood sugars. I've been taking almost twice the amount of insulin I was before I was pregnant and still having 2 hour after meal blood sugars of 160 to 170 but I've just had to be okay with that because usually by hour 3 they're down to the 120's. If found if I take enough insulin to get that 120 at the 2 hour mark I've usually crashed by hour 3.

(I'm also a L&D nurse and trust me I see women all the time who have consistently uncontrolled blood sugars for a large portion of their pregnancy that deliver pretty healthy babies, Large, but healthy!)

Forum Post: Re: Suggestions and Advice...PLEASE?!?!? :)

Cassie Bard — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:09:00 GMT

Hey guys! I start the dexcom on friday, I go for the training session with my CDE...I am suppppper excited, my last A1C was a 6.9, and of course she wants it lower before getting pregnant, but this is the second month of trying to get pregnant, and we are doing everything in the book to get this process moving (charting ovulation, ovulation tests, temp, sugars, carb counting to the max, positions of sex, propping afterwards, yadda yadda yadda)....its almost exhausting, but I know the trick of 'it will happen when it does, and dont stress'...kinda hard not too when its something you want so bad!

I was watching youtube videos and blogs about dexcom, and the manafacturer recommends to wear it on the abdomen, but many of the acutal users suggest the arm, I would rather use it on my arm because I feel that I am running out of viable space on the stomach (scar tissue and what not from using the pump), any suggestions ahead of time would be great! They are having me on monthly bloodwork, a fructosamine, my next one is in two weeks, and hoping for some better results.

Forum Post: Re: I need your help! Miscarriage, D&C and high blood sugar

Elise — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:31:00 GMT

Thanks so much, Jenna. You're right... the increased basals are definitely helping. It must be hormones... still bleeding after D&C, now about 3 1/2 weeks later. I'm sure that's related to hormones and what not as well. I imagine I won't go back to "normal" with my blood sugar and basals until I stop bleeding at least!

Thanks very much for the support -- I really appreciate it.

Forum Post: RE: Folic Acid???

rishmack — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:23:00 GMT

I misspoke before. I took 4mg (milligrams) not grams (4 grams would be A LOT).

1000mcg (micrograms)= 1mg (milligram).

Forum Post: Re: breastfeeding and going back to work - milk supply decreasing...

Danielle — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:07:00 GMT

Thanks Nicole,

I've never heard of the pump vs lantus affecting milk supply. Please do let us know if you find official info on that. I would also suggest Mother's Milk tea and using warm compresses/having an item of baby's that smells like him/her with you when you pump in the office. It's easy for us to stay in work mode and if that's the case... harder to let down.

Best of luck!

Forum Post: Re: Insulin Resistance.....sucks.

Kelly — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:48:00 GMT

Thanks, girls! It's nice to know that I am not alone. I have been very lucky so far and shouldn't complain. I guess it proves, besides the T1 that I have, that my body is working and doing what it is supposed to do. Take care =)

--Kelly

Forum Post: Re: Just to bring smiles and hope to all my other type 1 ladies

Courtney Ritter — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:56:00 GMT

Oh and Cassie! Go ahead and start taking your prenatals now, best to be taking them before, during, and after pregnancy :)

Forum Post: Re: The good, the bad, and a beautiful baby!

rishmack — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:31:00 GMT

to answer Brigid001

I was fine being on the insulin and glucose drip throughout labor, and kept my CGM on me so I could let the nurses know if I was too high or low (they also did finger sticks so they would have their own readings).

I was not allowed to eat or drink during labor. My understanding is that this is typical for non-high risk pregnancies as well so that if an emergency C-section is needed they know your stomach is empty.

I take Lantus and Humalog and also use the Dexcom CGM (I got it at 13weeks gestation, prior to that I dud finger sticks 8-12 times per day).

After delivery I needed less inulin than I did before I was pregnant. I brought snacks with me, although the hospital food was pretty good! My OB had written and order for insulin and the nurses wanted to give me "Regular" insulin according to a sliding scale she had written up. I explained to the nurse I had never used Regular insulin, and that I didn't feel comfortable taking it because I didn't know how it would work in my body. We went back and forth for a while... she checked with other nurses, the pharmacy, and my OB. My OB said I could do whatever I wanted, but the hospital required a written order from her, so she had just sent something standard over. I had my insulin pens with me, so my OB sent a new order saying something like "Patient to administer her own insulin based on carbohydrate content of meal. Patient to count carbs". After that the nurses let me do my own thing and occasionally asked how my blood sugars were!

Good luck!

Forum Post: Re: Non-stress tests, why so often and so early?

rishmack — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:11:00 GMT

My OBs wanted me to start non-stress tests twice a week at 28-32 weeks of pregnancy. My perinatologist (high risk doctor) said he doesn't usually start them until 34 weeks in a well controlled diabetic. We compromised and I did once a week at 32 and 33 weeks, and then twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) starting at 34 weeks. I didn't question my perinatologist because I actually work with him, he is an excellent doctor, and he was following recommended guidelines. And, as I learned in my pregnancy, things can change over a matter of days, and that is why they have you come in twice a week.

My NSTs at 32, 33, and 34 weeks were all fine. Around 34 weeks I noticed my blood sugar dropping when I wasn't expecting it... it seemed like "insulin resistance" from pregnancy was wearing off (which can happen if the placenta is starting to fail). My NSTs at 34 weeks were fine, as was the first at 35 weeks. When I went in at 35 1/2 weeks fetal heart rate and movement were normal, but amniotic fluid was very low. The peri asked if I had been leaking fluid, and I said no. He told me I had to go deliver my daughter because the placenta was starting to fail. I went to the hospital that night and when my OB broke the sac she said there was almost no amniotic fluid (see my post regarding the whole delivery). My daughter is now 6 1/2 weeks old and amazing and healthy. She was in the NICU for 8 days because her lungs were underdeveloped. However, if I had not done the NSTs and had continued the pregnancy, I'm sure she would have become distressed in utero which could have caused more complications for both of us!

Forum Post: Re: After delivery?

Sarah — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:04:00 GMT

Hi! I had my son July 2010 and will be trying again for baby #2 this summer. I would love to try to help with any questions or maybe we can just share stories together :) either on here or my personal is email sfeliciano1@gmail.com :)

Forum Post: Re: Sleep Please!!!

Danielle — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:26:00 GMT

Hi Brittany,

The snoogle pillow is a great way to avoid having to adjust pillows all night, but one other things I would suggest is stretching morning and night to relax you rmuscles. Also, you should check with your doctor to make sure it's not nerve pain or sciatica which is pretty common in pregnancy.

Either way, you could also consider seeing a chiropractor or massage therapist for preventative therapy. I used one in my first pregnancy and it helped a great amount. This pregnancy I don't have coverage for my preferred dr so I'm doing yoga and exercising instead.

I hope this helps you somewhat. Sleep is so important for both of you!

Best,

Danielle