• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Type 1 and mummyhood!

jessie

Well-Known Member
Messages
275
Location
Gloucestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

Long time since I posted due to a rather lively 1 year old! I am wondering how you Mums out there cope with looking after your diabetes and your babies... before Jaz was born my life was pretty chilled, my diabetes was almost a novelty, something to focus on. I was so careful about eating healthily and looking after myself. My BGs were almost non diabetic. Of course now everything has changed, my beautiful daughter (and work) keeps me so busy that my T1 comes second, I grab quick food on the go without really thinking about it, often injecting after I've eaten or whenever I have a spare hand. I'm so tired that all I want is coffee and chocolate! My HBA1C is still pretty good, slightly higher than before, but I think that's more down to luck than anything else. Am I the only one who finds this really difficult?

Jessie. x
 
I completely agree, Family first, work second, diabetes last...seesm to be my life now. My little one is now 2and a half and my dibetes control is poorer than ever...really trying to turn it around, but finding it very difficult.
 
Hi jesse
what you have just said sounds exactly like me and sometimes feels it is only me who is out of control, i know someone who has two kids eats choc and coke and other things she shouldnt and her control is brilliant then theres me trying my hardest and failing and either having hypos or being to high and grumpy, which my husband loves :D haha. but i dont know about you has your diabetic team helped you in any way or advised you, as my team (if you can all it that) just look at my diary and tell me i need to do better and have no real advise for me.
but like you say before babies i had all the time in the world to look after myself and since baby has come along no such luxury any more and i dont know how to get out of it, although today i am starting to go back to writing everything down and start trying to get it into gear as my quality of life is poo and sick of feeling **** all the time.

how does it make you feel about having another child when its so difficult with your first?
x
 
I've always looked after my diabetes, if I need to stop check, sort etc this always has come above what I've been doing, whether that's family work or what ever!

Because I've always looked at it from the view, if I don't managed my diabetes correctly I'm no good to anybody else!

It didn't come easy when the kids were little, treating a hypo when they wanted a feed or nappy change did make you feel guilty, but at the end of the day a couple meeting crying for their feed, while I dealt with the hypo, caused less stress than would of been caused if I ignored my hypo to feed them and collapsing without actually sorting them!

When I worked in the care field, would you want me hoisting you with blood glucose levels hitting hypo zone! or giving you medication... Even carrying out paperwork could have problems tick the wrong box who suffers!

Now, it's my own safety, There's always the underlying 'bite' hazard of being a dog handler but low blood glucose levels can increase the risk! Just need an highly strung dog, that you'll working with pick up on the dropping BG's...

So, yep sort out the management side of my diabetes first for me...
 
I'm looking to try for a little one with my partner in the not so distant future and was wondering how you ladies experienced pregnancy whilst being type 1, I can barely find much info about being type 1 and getting/being pregnant.
 
Hi McMittens

I don't have any children (yet!) but I have attended a pre-pregnancy planning group for diabetics, your clinic should offer something similar. Because I have retinopathy they also referred me to have a chat with a (very helpful) Doctor who specialises in high-risk pregnancies. Perhaps you should ask about similar services in your area?

All the best!
 
Hi kt78!
Ah that sounds great that you have a pre pregnancy planning group for diabetics and I'll definitely have to enquire at the doctors!
 
Thanks for the replies, I'm not the only one then!

Jopar - you are so right, you must have fantastic will power. I think if I can try to be organised about what and when I eat (diaries do help I agree) then I'm heading down the right path. Easier said than done when you're so busy though. Low carbing for me works, means less margin for error, less hypos and highs.

I'm not put off having more children Mlogan, being pregnant might be the kick up the bum I needed to eat more sensibly! After having my daughter I was told to raise my blood sugars a bit as my control was 'too tight' and also I needed more carbohydrates whilst breast feeding. I think this where my lack of control has stemmed from!

Mcmittens, if you search my posts there are lots on T1 and pregnancy, the people on here gave me so much advice, I couldn't have done it without them. Have a look through and feel free to PM me if you want to know ANYTHING :)

Have a good weekend all. x
 
jopar said:
I've always looked after my diabetes, if I need to stop check, sort etc this always has come above what I've been doing, whether that's family work or what ever!

Because I've always looked at it from the view, if I don't managed my diabetes correctly I'm no good to anybody else!

It didn't come easy when the kids were little, treating a hypo when they wanted a feed or nappy change did make you feel guilty, but at the end of the day a couple meeting crying for their feed, while I dealt with the hypo, caused less stress than would of been caused if I ignored my hypo to feed them and collapsing without actually sorting them!

When I worked in the care field, would you want me hoisting you with blood glucose levels hitting hypo zone! or giving you medication... Even carrying out paperwork could have problems tick the wrong box who suffers!

Now, it's my own safety, There's always the underlying 'bite' hazard of being a dog handler but low blood glucose levels can increase the risk! Just need an highly strung dog, that you'll working with pick up on the dropping BG's...

So, yep sort out the management side of my diabetes first for me...

Interstingly it is the same for me, I think it important not to hypo when loking after my children or at work - however instead of good BGs this maeans I run high to eliminate the risk - hence poor control.... :(
 
OMG this describes my life down to a T!! I have 2 children - now 4 and 8 years old. When they were much younger I put them first all the time and didn't look after myself at all. My HbA1C increased because I stopped testing, forgot to inject before meals - sometimes I'd get to an hour after a meal and feel irritable and then suddenly realise I hadn't injected! I had a stern talking to by a dietician of all people at the clinic one day and that was a turning point. She made me see that if I didn't put myself first and look after my own health, how could I possibly look after two small children? Up until this point I genuinely felt guilty if I didn't put the kid's needs ahead of my own. Sometimes my son, who would have been 3 or 4 years old at the time, would have to find me lucozade and boss me about to take it, all because I didn't look after myself. I'm completely different now, and even though my son (now 8 years old) would love to be in charge of me, I don't give him the opportunity!!

:lol:

xx
 
Back
Top