Hi!
I'm new to this site, and new to gestational diabetes. I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and am currently 33 weeks pregnant. I am controlling it with diet and exercise and so far its all going really well . Today I met my consultant and obstetrician for the first time and was informed that it is hospital policy that no matter how well I control the diabetes and how heallthy the baby is when born that they are taken into the Special Care Baby Unit for 24 hours after birth. When I told them I wasn't happy with that, they agreed with me entirely and said it is something they have been fighting to change for a while as most hospitals don't do this and they believe babies should stay with the mums unless absolutely necessary.
Apparently the reason for this policy is that it would require extra midwife support to come and check the baby's blood sugars while on the ward rather than in the SCBU and their staffing levels are never good enough. The consultant and obstetrician have suggested I write to the midwifery manager and chief executive to try to argue my case and I am trying to get as much back up as possible. I have the NICE guidelines which say that in the case of gestational diabetes the baby should stay with the mother unless there are health complications. DOes anyone know of any other research I can use to back my case up? ANything about the benefits of babies staying with mums?
Sorry for the really long first post, but I could do with your support!
I'm new to this site, and new to gestational diabetes. I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and am currently 33 weeks pregnant. I am controlling it with diet and exercise and so far its all going really well . Today I met my consultant and obstetrician for the first time and was informed that it is hospital policy that no matter how well I control the diabetes and how heallthy the baby is when born that they are taken into the Special Care Baby Unit for 24 hours after birth. When I told them I wasn't happy with that, they agreed with me entirely and said it is something they have been fighting to change for a while as most hospitals don't do this and they believe babies should stay with the mums unless absolutely necessary.
Apparently the reason for this policy is that it would require extra midwife support to come and check the baby's blood sugars while on the ward rather than in the SCBU and their staffing levels are never good enough. The consultant and obstetrician have suggested I write to the midwifery manager and chief executive to try to argue my case and I am trying to get as much back up as possible. I have the NICE guidelines which say that in the case of gestational diabetes the baby should stay with the mother unless there are health complications. DOes anyone know of any other research I can use to back my case up? ANything about the benefits of babies staying with mums?
Sorry for the really long first post, but I could do with your support!