I really want a baby!

azure said:

Hi @MelissaClayton

It's great you've got the folic acid already. My tips for getting your HBA1C down is to test lots and lots, especially after meals. I presume you're carb counting?

Testing two hours after the start of meals allows you to correct if necessary.

I'd also do a basal test to make sure your basal dose is right. Then I'd go through meal by meal, checking that each meal ratio is correct too, and making any adjustments you need (with the help of your team, if necessary, of course)

It sounds hard work, I know, but if you think of getting and keeping tight control as a kind of mission, then you can focus on it and make it almost like a job - a job with a wonderful reward at the end

Don't be nervous. Just focus on each day and improving your control. It's good practice for pregnancy. I also did the important things like eating well, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep. They still count even though we have to have diabetes at the front of our minds too.

Good luck

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Pilzy-89 said:

Hello @MelissaClayton

I was in the same boat a year ago - although wth a my HbA1c was a lot worse, it was around 98... I started with just getting testing at the right times down to a t (I was really poor with my diabetes for a long time, so totally back to basics for me!). So testing breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon, dinner and before bed.

Then started properly weighing my meals, carb counting, as I was told to cut down as if I was pregnant then it wouldn't be such a shock when I find I can't handle so much food/carbs. I am limited to ~150g of carbs a day. I found keeping a written food diary (with my sugars written in too) a massive help for keeping track of how many carbs I was having and how certain foods affected my sugars.

Then started testing an hour or two after meals, doing ~10 tests a day at the mo. (I am on a pump, are you injections or pump?)

I found it all very daunting, as I said, I really wasn't in a good place for many years with my diabetes control, but I knew I had to get strict if I wanted to start a family. I have brought my HbA1c right down to 46 and have been given the go ahead to start trying for a baby

Do you attend a pre-pregnancy clinic or anything, the wealth of knowledge and experience from DN's has been amazing and I couldn't have got myself where I am now without their help (and tips and things from women on here too!)

If you wanted to chat at all feel free to message me

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Pilzy-89 said:

Hi @eeb123

I had an HbA1c in about December 2015 that was awful (about 98 or maybe even higher), I brought it down to 55 in February/March. This wasn't advised, it's actually not good to bring it down so quickly, as you probably already know - because of the pressure it can put your eyes under. Luckily it was all ok but I was told it should be a very gradual thing, I was just a little too eager! Had a little relapse and it went back up to 69 before coming down again to 46. I have another appointment next week where I will have another HbA1c and hope it's within target again

x

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Pilzy-89 said:

Hello again @MelissaClayton

(sorry have been moving house over the past week!)

Testing regularly is definitely key, personally I went from testing maybe once a week (on a good week!) to 10 times a day, once you get into a routine it's much easier. Although you sound much better with it all at this stage than I was!

Honestly, as I have said over and over, I was at a complete denial stage with my diabetes before all this, even though I have been diabetic for 15 years I was just at my wits end with it all and gave up for a while. I was eating whatever the hell I wanted. I too am a carb lover, pizza, chips, crisps, pasta, donuts!! Ahh making my mouth water... I found just cutting down easier to begin with - sticking to portion sizes as stated by the packets, before cutting out the really bad things, like pasta and rice and bread. There are some amazing substitutes for rice/pasta that are carb free so I can have quite a large portion of that!

I stopped injecting about 10 years ago now but honestly I have found this whole process very easy using a pump. I don't know what it would be like injecting. If you can get a pump I certainly believe it's easier to gain better control with it, just through personal experience. I don't find that I notice I have the pump on me at all and sometimes forget about it being there.

That's great! Pre-preg is very helpful. Hope it all goes well for you

I don't know the timescale, or if there is a set timescale, but I think it's over about 6 months (2 HbA1c tests). I only say this because in my first pre-preg in December 2015 my nurses said about me being ready around June/July 2016 as I had originally stated my ideal time to begin trying would be August. I think this was only because mine was so horrendous, if it's lower you might be able to tighten control quicker and therefore lower it sooner - this will all be discussed in your pre-pregs though

Rachel x

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mist said:

Someone's broody

I wanted kids too, but cancer had other ideas..

You sound like you have a solid plan of action. Best of luck to you..

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mist said:

Thanks, now get off here and go and make a baby!

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mist said:

1: Making a baby is exercise, that will lower your sugars!

2: Would make an interesting conversation in years to come..

Your excuses are invalid..

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