New Mum: Fed up with being in the 2s :(

[claire1991]

Not after any advice really but if anybody has any then I'll be grateful!

As most of you know I had my little girl three weeks ago, who, by the way, is doing amazingly well and I couldn't be a prouder mum!

But anyway, someone please tell me that these hypos will end! I don't BF anymore because the hypos it was giving me were unsafe. (My OH works shifts and me spending the night in the 2s trying to look after her whilst he's at work on nights isn't ideal for anybody!)

It seems as though she knows when my bloods are low or my body knows when she needs me and throws a major hypo into the works
She cries, my bloods drop down to the 2s. That's how it's going day and night and it's wearing me down. (As if night feeds weren't challenging enough!) I'm lowering my background dose every other day and I'm lowering my bolus too and I'm still getting the same readings. There's no pattern to it that I can see either.

Someone please tell me that this will pass!

Thanks

A tired and hyposick Claire! X

 

[azure]

It will improve @claire1991

The trick is to keep Lucozade nearby and eat extra snacks when you need them. I hope you were given correct advice about eating carbs at each breastfeed. I wasn't with my first child and the lows scared me.

Looking after a baby causes highs and lows because there can be no routine, and so you can't plan your 'diabetes day'. You have to adjust as you go along. Every time you sit down to feed baby (by bottle too) keep some Lucozade near. I found I often went lower than I wanted when I was sitting down like that. I think it's a stress response. Same with the crying - it can cause lows too.

I reduced my basal, reduced some of my meal ratios, kept glucose and snacks around the house, and ran higher than I would normally. I still do that when I'm alone in the house for safety.

 

[AndyS]

Ugh that sounds pretty rough.

Are you sure that your ratios and basal are correct?

If you are going low that much overnight then perhaps it is worth talking to your DSN and looking to reduce your basal a bit so that you don keep dropping off that acutely.

All the best,

A

 

[Juicyj]

Oh hun - here's a massive hug - that's not good at all x

I know what bringing up a baby is like, never mind the lack of sleep and hypos so i am completely sympathetic. Ok first of all do you know why you are hypo-ing ?

If your dropping early morning around 3am it's suggesting your basal rate needs reducing.

I would suggest a good carby snack before bedtime if the basal reductions aren't kicking in, so a couple of digestive biscuits should help, but please remember it can take a couple of days for any changes to kick in. Preventing your night time hypos are really important so it may just be best to overcompensate with a snack before sleep whilst any basal reduction changes kick in.

It will get better, it probably doesn't seem like it now with so much going on but you're doing an amazing job, please let us know how you get on x

 

[Kateyo]

Hi Claire! My little one is 8 months old now but I remember this well!! It does pass but test test test and keep lucozade or the mini cans of coke in every room so it's easy to grab it when you need it. I felt exactly the same as you, it's bad enough being hormonal without hypos thrown in the mix! I can't remember now how long it went on for but you're doing everything you can in reducing your basal etc. I couldn't believe how much I had to cut my basal by in those early weeks. It does get easier...and then you'll have all the basal testing to look forward to as hormones start to settle a little lol. No-one really prepares you for how your BS will change after you've had baby! Feel free message me if you need a chat xx

 

[azure]

@claire1991 I moved this to Pregnancy for you so you can get input from new mums

Coping with a young baby is hard without having diabetes to deal with too. In my opinion, it triples the work. Having to fit in tests, meals, etc, isn't easy, so please know its not just you.

Get your insulin down a bit and then you can be free of the lows, and then if you're running a bit high, you can gradually increase it. I don't know if this happens to every woman, but I found the hormonal changes after pregnancy meant I needed less insulin for the first few months and am still not up to my normal basal.

 

[claire1991]

It will improve @claire1991

The trick is to keep Lucozade nearby and eat extra snacks when you need them. I hope you were given correct advice about eating carbs at each breastfeed. I wasn't with my first child and the lows scared me.

Looking after a baby causes highs and lows because there can be no routine, and so you can't plan your 'diabetes day'. You have to adjust as you go along. Every time you sit down to feed baby (by bottle too) keep some Lucozade near. I found I often went lower than I wanted when I was sitting down like that. I think it's a stress response. Same with the crying - it can cause lows too.

I reduced my basal, reduced some of my meal ratios, kept glucose and snacks around the house, and ran higher than I would normally. I still do that when I'm alone in the house for safety.

I was told to lower my basal by 60% before BF but didn't get any advice about carbs which probably would have helped but it's too late for that now

I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes low when babies cry, I was starting to think I was going insane!!

I'm living off lucozade at the moment, going through about 4-6 380ml bottles a day.

I'm going to try and push my levels up and see if I can keep them there.

Thanks for your help xx

 

[claire1991]

Ugh that sounds pretty rough.

Are you sure that your ratios and basal are correct?

If you are going low that much overnight then perhaps it is worth talking to your DSN and looking to reduce your basal a bit so that you don keep dropping off that acutely.

All the best,

A

Thanks Andy,

During pregnancy I had to near enough triple all of my doses and the day I had her they got put back to my pre pregnancy dose, I'm just going through the struggle to find what they should be now. There's no way I'm going to be able to basal test though, that is simply out of the question!

Going to have to just keep reducing until I get it right and ride it out I think.

Thanks for the reply x

 

[claire1991]

Oh hun - here's a massive hug - that's not good at all x

I know what bringing up a baby is like, never mind the lack of sleep and hypos so i am completely sympathetic. Ok first of all do you know why you are hypo-ing ?

If your dropping early morning around 3am it's suggesting your basal rate needs reducing.

I would suggest a good carby snack before bedtime if the basal reductions aren't kicking in, so a couple of digestive biscuits should help, but please remember it can take a couple of days for any changes to kick in. Preventing your night time hypos are really important so it may just be best to overcompensate with a snack before sleep whilst any basal reduction changes kick in.

It will get better, it probably doesn't seem like it now with so much going on but you're doing an amazing job, please let us know how you get on x

No idea what's causing the hypos. For example, I can go to bed with my bg at around 6, I then eat a snack (not a healthy one either!) with no bolus to go with it and then Holly will cry for her feed about an hour later and I'll test my bg before picking her up and it'll be in the 2s! Mind boggling! The same happens in the day too.

xx

 

[azure]

I don't know if it's too late for the breastfeeding - if you feel strongly about it, there are sites that have advice about ramping up milk production again. I don't know if there's any time limit. It's not your fault {{hug}}

I forgot to add that I continued to test lots, including during the night when I got up. I think some days my blood sugar varied more after delivery than when I was pregnant, so I saw the post-delivery period as being like the last bit of pregnancy in a way.

Take care and know all new mums understand xx

 

[claire1991]

Hi Claire! My little one is 8 months old now but I remember this well!! It does pass but test test test and keep lucozade or the mini cans of coke in every room so it's easy to grab it when you need it. I felt exactly the same as you, it's bad enough being hormonal without hypos thrown in the mix! I can't remember now how long it went on for but you're doing everything you can in reducing your basal etc. I couldn't believe how much I had to cut my basal by in those early weeks. It does get easier...and then you'll have all the basal testing to look forward to as hormones start to settle a little lol. No-one really prepares you for how your BS will change after you've had baby! Feel free message me if you need a chat xx

Thank you!!
It's so good to know I'm not the only one, you're right that no one prepares you.
I was prepared for hypos whilst BF but not all of the others, it's madness!

Thanks for replying xx

 

[AndyS]

Thanks Andy,

During pregnancy I had to near enough triple all of my doses and the day I had her they got put back to my pre pregnancy dose, I'm just going through the struggle to find what they should be now. There's no way I'm going to be able to basal test though, that is simply out of the question!

Going to have to just keep reducing until I get it right and ride it out I think.

Thanks for the reply x

Titrating down will get you there just the same

Hope you manage to get a handle on it, I know how exhausting being that low is and couldn't even imagine adding having to look after a little one on top of that.

All the best,

A

 

[Mrsass]

Aw Claire *Hugs* obviously I can't offer any advise as I'm still 'with child' but would it maybe worth taking a bigger drop in insulin each time you are lowering it? What has your DSN said? I know we have to do little n often but with such low numbers so often it must be wearing you out n that's without the sleep you're missing etc hope you start seeing less lows xx

 

[Snapsy]

Hi @claire1991 , sounds like Holly is amazing and you're really enjoying her - sorry to hear about the hypos (I too would be sick of Lucozade at that rate!) - I'm not a mum so no advice to offer - just sending a hug and wishing you the absolute best!

 

[Kateyo]

Completely agree with @azure. It's a rollercoaster after and almost more difficult than while pregnant I found. I remember loads of hypos but also a few highs, which I hadn't had since going on pump although that was prob more to do with me over correcting the lows. Have you family close by? I always took comfort in knowing that my mum or sister were only a call away, it just made me feel a little better. Diabetes is very demanding esp after baby, it's hard work but we're all here for a chat when you need it x

 

[claire1991]

Thank you so much for everyone's nice replies! You're all so lovely, it's nice to know that everyone is there for each other
So nice to know I'm not alone with this!

@Kateyo I've got family just around the corner who I've been relying on which is a god send!! I don't know how I'd manage without them

 

[1Sarah1]

Hi @claire1991 my twins are 7m (5w prem) and I'm still on reduced basal and carb ratio now. Can you set a temp basal to see how you get on maybe at 20%? (You are a pumper??). I'm still on copious amounts of lucozade too. You need to look after you first (hard when there is a crying baby and sleep deprived I know) xx

 

[koolkizzy78]

@claire1991

when i had my daughter in dec 2012 i was told to revert back to my insulin regime i had before i was pregnant as i didnt require as much insulin post pregnancy . it seem to work ! also my doctor told me i had to go to bed on an average reading of 10 -12 taking my long lasting insulin for nightime also which seem to work most nights as woke with blood sugars about 5-7 . dont know if any of this info will help you , but its worth knowing !! hope everything corrects itself soon , as i know its scarey to have low sugars whilst your on your own with your child .

 

[Erin85]

Hi @claire1991 , sorry to hear about all your lows and how worried you are about your levels. I'm also sorry I can't give any advice, but you are doing great!! Hopefully with some more trial and error, the lows will become fewer, you will regain confidence in a new insulin regime, and your biggest worry when with Holly will be nappy changes All the best mama!! x x

 

[claire1991]

Hi @claire1991 my twins are 7m (5w prem) and I'm still on reduced basal and carb ratio now. Can you set a temp basal to see how you get on maybe at 20%? (You are a pumper??). I'm still on copious amounts of lucozade too. You need to look after you first (hard when there is a crying baby and sleep deprived I know) xx

Yeah I'm on a pump, I've been reducing the background through the night, I think once I find a percentage that works I'll set that as my permanent dose.