Birth stories

[Aliciae95]

Hi,

I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant and type 1 diabetic on an insulin pump (control IQ) and Dexcom G6.
I always thought I’d have to have a c-section being diabetic but after a recent trip to the obstetrician I understand this isn’t the case.

They’ve spoken about an induction from 37 weeks dependent on size of the baby. They have also spoken about ansliding scale but I’m not entirely sure what this means and being taken in for an emergency c-section should anything not be right with baby/blood sugars for a prolonged period.
my blood sugars rise when I am stressed and I am really concerned about having a long labour and the impact of this on the baby and myself.

Please can you share your birth stories both c-section and natural as a type 1. I have no one to ask and understandably the doctors won’t share due to fear of liability.

Thank you.

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Aliciae95 and congratulations on your pregnancy.

I have two children but as the youngest is almost 29 my birth stories are a bit dated.

I was told that I would be induced at 38 weeks for the first one. Unfortunately all the induction did was induce Brackston Higgs contractions (uncomfortable but futile) and after a sleepless night I had a hypo and woke up connected to an insulin drip with an evening caesarian planned. I had an epidural so had a pain free birth and was able to see my son immediately. The nurses took him for a quick bottle to raise his blood sugar (which was slightly low) and after that I got to breastfeed and look after him normally.

Having a caesarean means you have some pain after the op, but it was manageable. (I reckon that you get the same amount of pain whether you have a caesarian or bnatural birth, it's just it's much lower level and spread out for the caesraean.)

My second baby was a planned epidural and caesarean , thought they would have let me give birth naturally if I'd gone into labour before 38 weeks.

This was all before pumps and cgms so I'm guessing the pregnancy management is much better now.

Please talk to your team about your concerns, I would expect them to ease your worries.

Once more congratulations on your pregnancy.