how to cope with interrupted sleep and diabetes

initforlove

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I am a new mum but I did not give birth to my twin sons. They are 7 weeks old

I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 in October last year [NOT gestational because I have never been pregnant]

interrupted sleep is reportedly very bad for diabetics so how does a new mum cope with needing to feed babies at night as well as during day and so have to live with interrupted sleep for several months

any suggestions? or do you just grin and bear it?
 

carlrr

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Would Zopiclone sleeping tablets prescribed by your doctor affect the diabetes? you will get a great nights sleep
 

initforlove

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carlrr said:
Would Zopiclone sleeping tablets prescribed by your doctor affect the diabetes? you will get a great nights sleep


er???????????

how will I do the night feeds of my newborns if I take sleeping medications???????????????????????
 

anna29

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Hello initforlove.
Congratulations on your twin sons :clap:
What have you named them?
Are they identical twins?
Bless - I love babies, they are gorgeous to look at - yet such hard work to raise .

The sleepless nights and daily exhaustion is part of being a new parent :)
It 'is' hard and demanding work .

Consider getting a routine established ASAP around your twin sons .
Then when they take a nap - so do 'YOU' ...
This way you will top up your energy and get the precious rest you need .

Ask your own GP and the post natal care team for tips,advice too .
Write down a little list of any concerns you may have and raise these concerns/issues with
your GP .
Its crucial to get a routine/rota established ASAP its the only way you can raise the babies and still
function free from exhaustion and tears ...

Get as much organised as you can, this will help you as the boys start to grow and develop daily.
Eat well , fresh produce and try and make things pre-prepared so it will be easier for you.
Casseroles,soups,brothy stews are great to leave in the oven - whilst you feed or change the twins .
Its all about making the best that you can, in the limited time with attending to the twins needs .

Ask your GP or DSN to help you along with your own health and diabetes as you will be
both very busy and tired with 2 babies to care for...
Tiredness can make you weepy,drained,forgetful if it becomes often with lack of sleep .

Enlist/encourage grandma's and grandad's, family members to chime in with offers of help, and 'do' accept it when its offered!
As stress will push up the blood sugar levels...
Making things feel harder to deal with or cope with .
Any offers to help reduce the stress grab with both hands especially now with the babies being so young .

Write a list of your needs to get a routine/rota in place and what you would like the routine/rota to be too .
This is ideally the 1st place to start with ...
The rest will start to slot into place - once you recognise and can see what is needed to achieve this .
Am sure things will start to feel easier, and you can get the vital rest you need and continue with your own
regime/routine for your diabetes.
Remember you 'have to take care of you' - as well as the twins .
Not an easy thing to do - but can be done eventually with an organised structured routine/rota in place . :)
Also 'do' remember to accept and grab any offers of help too... :thumbup:

Hope this can help you along a little bit .
In the meantime keep loving your little 'men' the best that you can .
We are here for you - ask all the questions you feel/need to.

Much love and thoughts.

Anna.
 

Fraddycat

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I think its love that helps you cope with new borns. Deep, profound love. But you will be tested and you will be exhausted, my friend has twins and is a single mum, she regularly tells me the bad thoughts she has, just so she can get them out of her system, she would never do anything bad she just uses me as a safety valve. Hopefully you can find someone you can trust to be your safety valve, especially when they are teething or poorly.

Remember its ok to walk away as long as they are safe. Even if they are both screaming in their cot you can stand in the garden for 3 minutes to get a break - they will be ok. We have all been at the end of our tether, I remember standing on my neighbour's doorstep in tears - she was brilliant!

(Daughter is now 21, she survived and you will too)
 

initforlove

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Fraddycat said:
I think its love that helps you cope with new borns. Deep, profound love. But you will be tested and you will be exhausted, my friend has twins and is a single mum, she regularly tells me the bad thoughts she has, just so she can get them out of her system, she would never do anything bad she just uses me as a safety valve. Hopefully you can find someone you can trust to be your safety valve, especially when they are teething or poorly.

Remember its ok to walk away as long as they are safe. Even if they are both screaming in their cot you can stand in the garden for 3 minutes to get a break - they will be ok. We have all been at the end of our tether, I remember standing on my neighbour's doorstep in tears - she was brilliant!

(Daughter is now 21, she survived and you will too)

thank you

so far I have never reached such a frustration lol

yes I know - it's early days... lots of times for the frustration to set in

thank you for your advice - very helpful
 

GraceK

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The sleepless nights don't last forever, it just feels like forever at the time. Best thing is when your babies are napping during the day, use that time to take a nap yourself, don't use it to catch up unnecessary housework so that you're doubly exhausted when they wake. For now, your life needs to adjust to their sleeping pattern, later on they'll surprise you by sleeping right through the night and you'll wonder what it was all about. :)
 

anna29

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Hi Initforlove.

Wait till you get your 1st ever smile :D
All the tears,hard work, lack of sleep and tiredness WILL be forgotten in a complete nanosecond.
You're heart will swell up then melt - as your precious babies beam away :D at you.
Completely trusting you to love and care for them 'completely' .

Love the little guys names - give them a cuddle n kiss off 'me' please .
My own only granddaughter is now 4years old - yet I still remember the afternoon at [3.20pm]
Plus she 'was' born on my birthday too [there are 4 generations in our family born on this date]
I very first ever saw her - thought I would 'pop/burst' with joy and love for her ...

Been dolally lally over her ever since - its GREAT being a granny :thumbup:

Remember to keep testing your blood sugars even when tired and stressed .
This will help guide you - to your needs needed for caring for 'you' ... :)
Take time out when the babies are resting or napping or sleeping .
Do what you need nap,sleep,relax and get your precious time out for just 'you' :thumbup:

Anna.
 

eveshamgal

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initforlove said:
carlrr said:
Would Zopiclone sleeping tablets prescribed by your doctor affect the diabetes? you will get a great nights sleep


er???????????

how will I do the night feeds of my newborns if I take sleeping medications???????????????????????

Don't think there was any need for that really!:shock:

I'm sure hundreds if not thousands of women have coped with having diabetes and New born babies. Just keep an eye on how you are feeling and if you notice any worrying changes then mention it to your Dr or health visitor etc

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

initforlove

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GraceK said:
The sleepless nights don't last forever, it just feels like forever at the time. Best thing is when your babies are napping during the day, use that time to take a nap yourself, don't use it to catch up unnecessary housework so that you're doubly exhausted when they wake. For now, your life needs to adjust to their sleeping pattern, later on they'll surprise you by sleeping right through the night and you'll wonder what it was all about. :)


thank you for your suggestions

I know it is not forever and the twins will cause trouble in different ways as they grow and their needs change

I feel blessed :D
 

initforlove

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eveshamgal said:
initforlove said:
carlrr said:
Would Zopiclone sleeping tablets prescribed by your doctor affect the diabetes? you will get a great nights sleep


er???????????

how will I do the night feeds of my newborns if I take sleeping medications???????????????????????

Don't think there was any need for that really!:shock:

I'm sure hundreds if not thousands of women have coped with having diabetes and New born babies. Just keep an eye on how you are feeling and if you notice any worrying changes then mention it to your Dr or health visitor etc

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

did not mean to upset you

I just thought that alas sleeping tablets are not the ideal thing at this time lol but I put it down to maybe you did not register about the night feeds I need to wake up for lol

thank you for your suggestions
 

initforlove

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anna29 said:
Hi Initforlove.

Wait till you get your 1st ever smile :D
All the tears,hard work, lack of sleep and tiredness WILL be forgotten in a complete nanosecond.
You're heart will swell up then melt - as your precious babies beam away :D at you.
Completely trusting you to love and care for them 'completely' .

Love the little guys names - give them a cuddle n kiss off 'me' please .
My own only granddaughter is now 4years old - yet I still remember the afternoon at [3.20pm]
Plus she 'was' born on my birthday too [there are 4 generations in our family born on this date]
I very first ever saw her - thought I would 'pop/burst' with joy and love for her ...

Been dolally lally over her ever since - its GREAT being a granny :thumbup:

Remember to keep testing your blood sugars even when tired and stressed .
This will help guide you - to your needs needed for caring for 'you' ... :)
Take time out when the babies are resting or napping or sleeping .
Do what you need nap,sleep,relax and get your precious time out for just 'you' :thumbup:

Anna.


they reward me with smiles already
they were almost born on my birthday lol - missed it by 4 hours

I feel so very blessed because we have been trying for such a long time without success and finally resorted to IVF and surrogacy

I feel so happy and fulfilled even though I keep being peed all over lol
 

carlrr

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Sorry I think I typed in the wrong context I was rushing

Just for the record, I didn't mean go and take them now, the question I asked was would they affect your diabetes?

I do hope they will settle into a pattern of sleeping most of the night for you
 

initforlove

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carlrr said:
Sorry I think I typed in the wrong context I was rushing

Just for the record, I didn't mean go and take them now, the question I asked was would they affect your diabetes?

I do hope they will settle into a pattern of sleeping most of the night for you


I thought so

well - when the twins sleep all night I will have no trouble sleeping well without any meds - lucky for me :)

but no doubt someone else might read this thread and find your suggestion helpful
 

carlrr

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good luck to you lol, but it will be worth it ........ my daughter is coming up to 10 months and every day she does something new to make us laugh, don't get any sleep though, the doctor had mentioned Zopiclone to get our pattern back obviously after the baby had stopped breast feeding, however this was before I was diagnosed diabetic (last Friday)so I was essentially asking the question is it ok to take them, because I am new to the sight I cannot see how to start a new thread.

PS: So glad for you in having the baby you wanted x2 :D
 

anna29

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Hi carlrr .

To start a new thread , choose the board you wish to post on .
Then click on New Topic [at top left hand corner of the board ] .
Type in your title of new topic - topic of own choice .
Then pop on your post , click on preview to check it - if happy with it all?
Finally click on the submit and see it on the board of your choice ...

Any problems just PM a mod in green or myself in blue .
We will do our best to assist :thumbup:
Hope this can help you ? :)

Anna.