Freestyle libre and pregnant

[natalie22]

Hi
I saw my parents last night and they found a piece in the paper about the freestyle libre and has said they would pay for me to have it for my pregnancy if it is as good as its ment to be.

Can all the ladies who have used it or are using it give me there honest opinion, good or bad. Was it a life saver throughout your pregnancy?
Pros and cons would be great.

I think it looks great but online the reviews are very mixed.
I just want to get a feel of what people really think and if it would be worth my parents paying for me to have it.

Thanks in advance
Natalie

 

[azure]

@natalie22 Yes, the reviews are mixed. I haven't used it and being pregnant didnt alter my mind. I was/am concerned about adhesive allergies.

I think the only way you'll know for sure is to try it as everyone is different.

How pregnant are you? Are you having particular issues that you think the Libre might help with?

 

[natalie22]

I'm 11 weeks pregnant today. I'm not having any issues as yet I think my parents are just thinking of how many times I have to check my blood and thinking it would be easier for me.
Yeh the adhesive allergies would be a concern
I'm going to talk to the hospital too and see if they think it would be helpful.

 

[BarbaraG]

I started using the Libre last week - not pregnant, though. It is already giving me a much better picture of what my BG is doing.

If you're going to use it to support better control during pregnancy, you need to know a few things. One, interstitial fluid is a lagging indicator, and can't be relied on when changing very quickly. So if you start going too low, you should check with an ordinary meter. The first 24 hours of a new sensor can be unreliable, so some people suggest putting it on 24 hours before you start it, to let it settle. And, since tight control in pregnancy is so important, you should probably do a few blood checks and compare with the Libre, to see how they correlate.

The thing to bear in mind is that each sensor only lasts two weeks. You could always try it for a while and see how you find it.

 

[azure]

I'm 11 weeks pregnant today. I'm not having any issues as yet I think my parents are just thinking of how many times I have to check my blood and thinking it would be easier for me.
Yeh the adhesive allergies would be a concern
I'm going to talk to the hospital too and see if they think it would be helpful.

A small number of ladies here have used them in pregnancy.

I preferred finger pricks as I wouldn't rely on Libre readings to make adjustments to insulin. However, if you're looking at it for additional info and you can afford the cost then it might be ok. Do discuss with your DSN and get their view too.

 

[Fliss_S]

I've been using the Libre for over a year now to get tighter control, and I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant. Personally, I wouldn't be without it! It gives a crucial overall picture of your BG trends, and most importantly for me, provides me with peace of mind as to what my BG is doing quickly and efficiently (I'm also a teacher, so finger pricks in the classroom are not always convenient!) When hypos are so common during the first trimester, this has been a real blessing.

Barbara G is correct in that the first 24 hours of a new sensor can be temperamental, but as long as you're prepared to blood check for the first day, I've never had issues otherwise.

 

[kitty55]

I've been using the Libre since it was launched years ago. I love it. And I loved it even more during pregnancy as even though it isn't always as accurate as I'd like it to be it shows you the trends and made it miles easier adjusting ever changing basal rates during pregnancy. My hba1c was in the 5s throughout and the Libre made my life (and the job of my diabetes consultant) way easier. I'd definitely recommend it

 

[@4lgd]

I used the Libre all through my pregnancy and couldn't have coped without it, I have a lot of respect for all the mum's that manage their pregnancy with out it. It was also fantastic in labour as it dramatically cut down on the number of finger pricks that I needed (my husband did all my management and I didn't require a sliding scale).

One thing that I would say is the data can be quite over whelming if your not used to it. I had been using mine for about 18 months before I got pregnant. I'd say your diabetes team would need to be on board with you using and providing support to make sure you get the best from it.

I react to the adhesive, but I use a product called a tough pad, a wound dressing/plaster from Johnston and Johnston available from Amazon. There are other similar things available, I am sure I have heard of people using blister plasters as a barrier. There is also Cavilon barrier spray which didn't help, but I think works for other people.

Over all I'd say go for it !!

 

[wannabemammy]

I honestly would never have gotten my a1c down if it wasn't for the Libre. I was going to a pre conception clinic for 4 years but could never get my a1c down low enough to start trying! I was selected for a trial and haven't look back since. I got my a1c down to 6.8% and am currently 10 weeks 5 days pregnant. So far my pregnancy is relatively healthy with the exception of some highs due to insulin resistant at which point I catch early because I'm constantly scanning so am never high for too long! I say go for it. Yes it can be inconsistent and for the price of it that can be annoying! However I always back up any hypos shown on the Libre by doing a finger prick test and treating accordingly!

 

[M80]

I absolutely love it and am so relieved to think if I get pregnant again, it is there.My last (first) pregnancy it was too new to know about or maybe did not exist. Not only for you, but for your partner it is good.If you get a hypo it is easier for other to scan than it is to test blood.What I like most is trends.Before I am wondering, 4,5 looks good, but is it going down?Now I know if it is and can gently get it to a normal,or to stay at a normal level, or leave it if the trend is stable or going up.As a mum, I also love it, so much stuff everywhere, you need to deal with nappies,milk etc, it feels so clean not to see any blood and like mentioned, out and about on the bus at a cafe whatever, I scan it, without needing to drag all my stuff out.So from me it is a big yes go for it.