Newly diagnosed and pregnant

[Kaykay90]

Hi all. New here, first post!

Monday I found out I have potential type 1 diabetes... Awaiting bloods to confirm. And I found out the same day whilst sat with the same doctor who diagnosed me that I was pregnant...

I've been put straight on insulin. My levels were 24mmol... I've got them as low as 9.4mmol but they bounce back up to 14-18mmol.

Struggling to get them under control but it's only a week tomorrow that I was diagnosed.

So my question is, has anyone else had or know someone who's been diagnosed and pregnant... What are the chances of the baby being okay due To my high levels? The diabetic team are talking as though It would be a blessing if I lost the baby....

What do I do?!

Thanks in advance x

 

[Gran25]

Hi there, I can't comment on your individual case, but as a (now retired ) midwife I have looked after many women with diabetes of all types both pre-existing their pregnancy for many years and those with recent diagnosis and those who developed diabetes while pregnant. They have all had healthy babies. It does, however, require a team of providers to ensure the best outcomes. Every country have a different system for managing care of pregnancies with challenges and you will likely be referred to specialist care so that you have the benefit of the most modern approach. Congratulations and best of luck on your journey!

 

[Kaykay90]

Hi there, I can't comment on your individual case, but as a (now retired ) midwife I have looked after many women with diabetes of all types both pre-existing their pregnancy for many years and those with recent diagnosis and those who developed diabetes while pregnant. They have all had healthy babies. It does, however, require a team of providers to ensure the best outcomes. Every country have a different system for managing care of pregnancies with challenges and you will likely be referred to specialist care so that you have the benefit of the most modern approach. Congratulations and best of luck on your journey!

I'm between 5&9 weeks and from why I've researched the first 12 weeks are the most important. I had GD with my first but it was picked up at 32 weeks. I'm worried my sugars are harming the baby

 

[Cocosilk]

I'm between 5&9 weeks and from why I've researched the first 12 weeks are the most important. I had GD with my first but it was picked up at 32 weeks. I'm worried my sugars are harming the baby

If you are type one on insulin, can you look into eating a low carb high fat regime like the ketogenic diet to prevent large spikes in your blood glucose until you get better at controlling your doses?

I had gestational diabetes diagnosed 28 - 29 weeks and ate much lower carb for the rest of the pregnancy (and still now 6 weeks postpartum). The highest numbers I saw was 10mmol when I got caught out and ate a meat pie once and 9s and 8s from WeetBix and honey. Otherwise I started eating lots of eggs, meat (including lamb's liver), fish, cheese, yoghurt, cream, nuts, and certain vegetables like raw cauliflower, leafy greens, mushrooms, spinach, red capsicum as my treat, raspberries as the only fruit regularly and I snack on olives, nuts and cheese and drink miso soup with seaweed plus take Magnesium supplements and up my salt intake to ward off dehydration. I'm still tweaking my diet so it's probably not perfect but it does control the blood sugar really well. I still had to take 22 units of insulin because my fasting levels wouldn't stay under 5.1 mmol and got up to 5.6 towards the end.
Baby didn't have a hypo when born but was born 37wks 5 days and had a bit of jaundice, and has been a sleepy baby who is a challenge to breastfeed, but otherwise growing well now.

 

[Gran25]

My reply to the OP was meant to be a general positive & supportive one, informed by 40 years of being a professional midwife (now retired) not prescriptive in any way. Having gestational diabetes and being pregnant with Type 1 diabetes require very different management. In my country, the care is team based with perinatologists, endocrinologists guiding the individual's care and specialised clinics with diabetes care nurses & dieticians. All family doctors, midwives and obstetricians refer their moms to these clinics for detailed and individualised care plans...it's not something that can be hashed over on an online forum. Peer support is awesome but please seek the advice of the professional medical team in your country.

 

[Cocosilk]

My reply to the OP was meant to be a general positive & supportive one, informed by 40 years of being a professional midwife (now retired) not prescriptive in any way. Having gestational diabetes and being pregnant with Type 1 diabetes require very different management. In my country, the care is team based with perinatologists, endocrinologists guiding the individual's care and specialised clinics with diabetes care nurses & dieticians. All family doctors, midwives and obstetricians refer their moms to these clinics for detailed and individualised care plans...it's not something that can be hashed over on an online forum. Peer support is awesome but please seek the advice of the professional medical team in your country.

I'm pretty sure the OP has sought medical advice for her situation. I think many people come to this forum when they are in between appointments or waiting to go to an appointment rather than relying on random forum-goers to give them ultimate medical advice. Even if my situation is different from the OPs, she has had GD already before so she probably realises she's dealing with a different kettle of fish this time. I literally wrote to be a voice in the ether sharing an experience for moral support. I wasn't suggesting she do anything. I was asking if it's something she's can do (maybe her medical team has already told her.)
But good you emphasise the importance of seeking medical advice just in case someone was going to listen to forum folk rather than their own doctors. Or maybe that's a T2 who got themselves into remission after ignoring the guidelines and following the forum trends thing. There are definitely some of those on this forum.

 

[Reemap]

Hello,

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in second month of my pregnancy. The major complications they say is that the baby will grow bigger and delivery would be tough. However in my case I was put on insulin and metformin immediately. After which sometimes sugar was in control and sometimes it was not. It entirely depends on what you eat. I Use to walk for 1hour daily which Use to really help. Later i was informed by looking at the scan and baby weight that the baby was not getting enough blood supply hence his weight was less. So was told to eat lot of food with protein. Once baby gained 2.5kg they said it would be better to get the delivery done. At 38 weeks my delivery was done .. guess what it was a normal delivery and baby was perfectly normal. His sugar was monitored for three days and it was normal . As they suspect once delivery is done the baby might have low sugar. So in short there is no issues with GD, you can still deliver healthy baby but insulin is a must to be taken. Once delivery happens keep a watch on Sugar level .. my GD turned to type 2 ..