What is your birth story and would you have changed it?

[Wooly123]

Hi ladies,

I am 17 weeks pregnant and type 1 diabetic. I am starting to get anxious about the birth. I haven’t spoken to my medical team about it yet but would like to hear from some ladies with experience first. Do we really have to be induced or have a c section earlier than the due date? Should I just accept this is going to happen? What is your story and what would you do differently? If you are still on your pregnancy journey, do you have any thoughts on how you want the birth to be?

Any advice would be appreciated as I feel very confused and feel like we have to choose between being induced or a c section. Seems like natural birth without induction is never mentioned for type 1 diabetic mums. I just want to know what the safest option is for me and baby, also wanting the experience to be as less traumatic as possible for both of us

 

[OB87]

I have type 2 but was induced in October at 38 weeks. My diabetes was well controlled throughout and my hba1c was 31 in third trimester. But the baby was growing abit large but that might not have been to do with diabetes they said. I would have been induced regardless as that's the guidelines. They suggested a vaginal birth as I had had them previously so they didn't think c section would be necessary.

I had a really positive experience. I was induced in previous pregnancies as well and always been positive experiences. It was also quite quick. It was good to know when the induction was due to happen as well so I could plan childcare for my other children. I did have to have forceps so had an episiotomy but I recovered really well.

You can decline induction but I felt it was safer if they were suggesting it. Also by 38 weeks I was very uncomfortable and was quite glad to meet baby abit earlier. Perhaps see how the pregnancy goes and the size of the baby. From about 32 weeks they said he was large and I was imagining a huge baby at 14lb! But he was actually only 7lb 10 so not far from average.