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Type 1 and Pregnancy

Shannon27

Well-Known Member
Messages
292
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone,
It's been a while since i posted, my sugars are much better controlled than they were, although there is always room for improvement! I am cracking down on it now, as i've just bought my first home and my boyfriend and i are discussing potentially our first child late on next year.
He knows i am a little worried about the entire process (i am 24, having been diabetic for the last 19 years i've heard some horror stories) and is already being really supportive with this. We are seeing my consultant next Thursday for one of my quarterly appointments, where i am going to let her know that we are considering it. She is brilliant so can hopefully point me in the right direction.
My boyfriend works with a lady who has had 2 healthy babies while managing Type 1 diabetes, she has recommended a high dose of folic acid daily for the duration. She has also told him she saw her local diabetes team every fortnight for checks and scans (which would be nice, seeing every stage of the baby growing). Her only issue was the size of the babies - this is a very common problem for diabetics, i've made my peace with having a C-Section.
Can anyone offer some advice or experience for a very nervous potential mum-to-be?
Thanks
Shannon
 
Hello @Shannon27 It's all to easy to absorb the negative press on pregnancy however what we have to realise is that so many t1 ladies successfully conceive and carry babies @Diakat @Ellie-M are a couple here who spring to mind, I was diagnosed late into pregnancy but carried to 37 weeks and baby was fine. The NICE guidelines are useful but can be seen as quite difficult to achieve, however they are just guidelines, they are not a rule book, if you want to have a child then your team will support you and we are fortunate to have the libre to help with this too
 
About that @Juicyj , the Libre has not been made available to diabetics in my area yet, at least i haven't been told otherwise by my consultant! Would i be eligible for this, or maybe the Dexcom? And my partners workmate was offered the pump, as belly injections are an obvious no no. I've spoken to my partner (Simon) about the potential for programming the Dexcom and the pump to work together, however i don't think i'll be eligible for this? It's something we'd consider paying for in either case. Glad to hear your baby was fine! I will have a look at the NICE guidelines, following them may be a bit tricky but i'll see what we can do. Thank you
 
Hi @Shannon27 Injecting in the stomach is fine during pregnancy as there is a thick layer on the injection site so it shouldn't alter your method of insulin delivery unless you get stretch marks which you would want to avoid. If you're trying for a baby then support is available within certain CGM's so funding maybe available for the libre, I haven't come across funding yet for the Dexcom, altho someone else may of. Also there may be assistance with getting access to a pump too, best speak to your team to see what options they offer you ? I self fund the Dexcom G6 and find it a great tool in my care, it's a worthwhile investment.
 
Working with your team is a great idea. Yes folic acid from as soon as you are trying. Ask about the Libre.
Big babies? Well mine was 4lb 9oz. She arrived a little early but is healthy.
The guidelines are tough but do your best and remember that many diabetic mums had babies before all the equipment we have today.
 

Thanks @Juicyj , good to know belly injections are ok, but i may still avoid - the idea makes me cringe. Good to know support is available with some CGMs, i'll talk to my consultant next week about it. If i go on the pump i'd like to be pretty familiar with how it works and comfortable with it, not keen on a cannula going under my skin 24/7 but i'm willing to try it.
Wow @Diakat she was tiny! But i'm very glad she's healthy. Thank you for the reassurance, i'm just being a worry guts!
 
Hi @Shannon27, I had my daughter 19 years ago at the ripe ole age of 42 1/2 years old and it was my best diabetes moment ever. I'm sure everything will fall into place for you, as having type 1 is just a small part of who you are, good luck x
 
Hi Shannon, I'm a type 1 who had two normal deliveries of two average sized babies. I was quite strict with my carb counting but kept reasoning that it was worth it in the end. Insulin resistance will happen as a pregnancy progresses, so you may end up on huge doses by the end. Please make sure that you get 5mgs folic acid tablets prescribed from your GP. You can't buy them over the counter and you need to be taking them for at least 3 months before you get pregnant. Most health trusts should offer pre pregnancy clinics for type 1 diabetics. See if you can get referred to one asap. It can be a rollercoaster but with your knowledge and experience of your diabetes, you will be grand x
 
 
I became diabetic six months into my second pregnancy and the hospital kept warning me about big babies. I was very strict with my diet as well as being on insulin and baby was three weeks early at 5lbs 2 ozs. So, it can be done and I'm only 7 stone do a small baby was great. Good luck.
 
Hi! I spoke with my consultant yesterday and she was under the impression that so long as that high dose of folic acid is in your system (ie been taking it for one day) it should be enough to massively reduce the risk to the baby. Personally i would like to make sure my body is accustomed to the high dose so definitely want to be on it a couple of months before.
She went into quite a lot of detail about insulin resistance and how high blood sugars throughout can affect the baby - basically the baby just feeds off the excess sugar, resulting in big babies. But would i be able to stay on my standard insulin dose in early pregnancy, or would this need to go down? As some sugar and carbs need to get through for early development. It's so confusing!
 
Hi Shannon, I'm assuming that you saw an endocrine consultant not an obstetric consultant? You really do need to be on 5mgs of folic acid for at least 3 months before conception to reduce the risk of neural tube development problems to the lowest level. I think most folk stay on their normal insulin doses in first trimester. Baby will take glucose and nutrients it needs for growth and development, no matter what your blood sugar is doing or how much insulin you are taking. However, you will probably experience more hypos than usual and may lose some warning signs - important for family, friends and work colleagues to know this x
 
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