Hi Tarn!
I don't know if it takes longer for a woman with diabetes to concieve - if hba1c effects fertility or anything like that. People seem to get pregnant under all sorts of circumstances. I'm sure there will be indepth studies in the future.
From my experience, I started to think about conception about 12-18 months beforehand with thinking (I stress thinking) about healthier eating, cutting down on carbs, trying to look after myself. It's not easy! Changing your lifestyle is never easy but you do want to give your baby the best start. I have to say I've been lucky - I was diagnosed with type 1 when I was 18 and I'm nearly 34 now - but I know from doing the DAFNE course that I fairly insulin sensitive and I think this has helped. I can't recommend the DAFNE course highly enough. EVERY person with diabetes should do it. Particularly for me, the principles have really helped me through my pregnancy. I'm 31 weeks now and I'm doing well - my HBA1C has stayed at around 5.8 throughout - that's not without highs and lows though although at the moment I am fairly stable. Your insulin requirements can change suddenly every few weeks or so through pregnancy so just when you get used to what you're doing, you have to change again.
Tarn, I was like you. I used to just wing it with my diabetes - I'd try to be good before I had to go for check ups so that my HBA1C wouldn't be too high but 12 months ago it was 8.1, not as high as some but I also had background retinopathy for 2 years running and as there is a history of eye problems in my family, I decided enough was enough - especially if I wanted to have a baby. So I read what I could about the DAFNE principles and tried to apply them. My HBA1C went down to 6.5 in 6 months and then I went to my GP to be referred for pre-conception care, got a prescription for 5mg folic acid and came off the pill. The pre-conception appt was 3 months later by which time my HBA1C had dropped again to 5.5 and I got told off! I had tried so hard to reduce my sugar levels that I was having lots of hypos. I was booked onto the DAFNE course in December and I found out I was pregnant just before doing the course. I had conceived in the first month of trying (I had monitored my cycle very closely though) and doing the DAFNE course has been a tremendous help - not just because I'd never sat in a room with other people with diabetes before but hearing what problems they have.
It sounds like I'm an advocate for the DAFNE course. I'm not but it really has helped me through the pregnancy and I think it's helped my diabetes team to help me too because they can adjust my insulin and I understand how they're doing it which means I can make my own adjustments when I need to.
I really don't want my baby to be in special care when I deliver so I will try my best over the next few weeks to ensure my sugar level stays as level as possible.
Good luck with your pre-pregnancy time - it's all about the preparation. It's hard but worth it in the end. As I was reminded on the course, not so long ago they would tell women with diabetes that they shouldn't have children. Things have changed a lot.
bet your very excited.