Type one diabetic mum to be with excessive amniotic fluid

[Ilovestripes]

I'm 35 weeks and have been diagnosed with polyhydramnios. I've had steroids just in case the baby comes early but I've been reading things on the internet about what it can mean for the baby and me and I'm scared. Does anyone have any experience of this? Or examples of everything turning out okay?

[doozle]

I don't know much about polyhydramnios but did have a prem baby at 33 weeks.

Is it the prematurity or the polyhydramnios that concerns you the most?

35 weeks is quite late on in prematurity terms if that reassures you and outcomes are usually very good at that stage.

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

Hello, I'm 37 weeks today and also have polyhydramnios. What are you worried about? That it may be a sign of a birth defect (v rare)? Or how it may affect the birth?

I did a fair bit of googling and scared myself shitless too. However, if you search MN for archive threads on polyhydramnios then you'll find lots of good news stories

I don't know anything about diabetes - sorry.

[Oblomov]

I had similar. I don't think I ever had polyhydramnios, but I had ALOT, I mean a huge amount of amniotic fuild, and they were concerned.
They planned to give me two steroid injections, once my blood sugars started going very low, thinking i had placenta failure. I never got the second injection, becasue ds2 started coming !! From start of labour to pushing , I was 25 minutes. And when my waters did break, they really did whoosh. An the MW and I had a bit of a giggle about it, becasue she said 'blimey, I haven't seen one of those (that bigga whosh) for a few years'.
Anyway , my blood sugars plumetted whilst pushing and they did a cs. But it was all very calm. Ds2 was fine. I was fine. I bf. And I view my births as very good ones.

Hope it works out for you too.

What have they actually said to you. What are their plans for you ? Are what are YOURS ?

[Ilovestripes]

Hi all. God I love Mumsnet for this kind of stuff - it's a real life saver.

Hi Doozle - I'm quite relaxed re. baby coming early now as have had the steroid injections for its lungs. Hope your 33 week baby was well and healthy?

Hi NotAnotherNewNappy - I am def scared about the birth defect thing. Basically having diabetes puts bubs more at risk of one so I'm now worried that this is a potential sign that all is not well. Have had regular growth scans but they can only pick up 50% of defects apparently? Is your bump huge?

Hi Oblomov - I bet you did have it you know. To be honest they didn't really mention the name of the condition - just that I had too much fluid. Baby's tummy is also off the scale...did you have this issue too? When did they discover you had too much? Did you go into labour early?

They seem quite calm about it all to be honest. It's just me and my Google obsession that's made me panic a bit - I suppose it's the 'not having a normal pregnancy' thing that's worrying.

My HBA1C has been around 5 for the entire pregnancy and things have started to go wrong - so it's a bit unexplained which is concerning too. I feel like it's my fault.

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

Did they have a good look at you baby's kidneys at the scan? Did you see her swallow and week? It is v rarely due to any birth defect, much more likely to be due to gestational diabetes or unknown cause. As

I said, I'm 37 weeks and my bump is 43cm I feel like a freak and have started lying to neighbours/shop assistants etc about my due date, I just say any day now! Also have lots of stretchmarks since the bump dropped. Just hoping baby does come early.

I think the extra water has irritated my uterus and caused lots of other symptoms. I had v strong braxton hicks and period like pains, so much so that I went up to labour ward a couple of times thinking I was in early labour. Apparently, this is all quite common with pollyhydramnios.

This is my second baby and have really noticed how much harder this pregnancy has been, so please don't beat yourself up about it. I felt like it was all my fault too. I've been happier since I had an appointment with the obstetrician and, like your docs, she was v calm about it all. Also, my baby has managed to engage herself now which was one of the major things I was worried about.

Sending you a and a hug x

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

swallow and wee

[Ilovestripes]

Aww thanks NotAnother :)

I think we did see the baby swallow but we've not seen it wee yet.

I just feel like the side of a house now! Thankfully getting induced at 38 weeks so if I need to hide away it will only be for three more weeks. I feel for you! Did your bump dropping feel like weird skin twinges at the sides of your belly? I think that started happening to me today. Have been so smug about getting no stretch markes and now I think the smugness is going to come back and bite me on the bum!

[Oblomov]

Yes, stripes, in that case, I probably did have it. Both ds1 and ds2 they thought they had big tummies. they also thought they were both huge. but they were not. they both came out just fine. ds1=37 wks ds2 = 36+2, both of them nigh on 7lbs. funny becasue they told me that they both had big tummies and were to be 10 lbers. But no. turned out it really was all amniotic. all apps were fine, no problems with either of them.
I think I was 32 weeks when first told, then obviously scanned every week after that.

since then, ds1 = Aspergers, and ds2 = tongue tied, but thats seperate issue,birth wise no probs.

You have done very well with your hb1ac. please feel NO guilt. you have done well, and i bet it has been hard work. I know it was, for me.

" things have started to go wrong - so it's a bit unexplained which is concerning too. I feel like it's my fault. "

NO.NO.NO. Not your fault. stop it young lady. NO guilt. things going wrong at end = normal for a diabetic.
what exactly has gone wrong. tell us, and i bet we can tell you it is norm.

There are alot of diabetic threads around at the mo. I am on most of them. Tigger with twins. TTC thread. Lots. Let us help you.

[Oblomov]

so long as the STRETCHMARKS don't come back and bite you on the bum !!

[Bottleofbeer]

Oh gawd, don't google - ever!

I had polyhydramnios and made the mistake of reading up on it. Scared myself stupid.

He'd actually just had a massive wee at the time of the scan to measure the fluids (I was on the higher end of normal anyway).

One of the reasons for it is a diabetic mother. Chill and stop googling! :)

[Bottleofbeer]

Oh gawd, don't google - ever!

I had polyhydramnios and made the mistake of reading up on it. Scared myself stupid.

He'd actually just had a massive wee at the time of the scan to measure the fluids (I was on the higher end of normal anyway).

One of the reasons for it is a diabetic mother. Chill and stop googling! :)

[Ilovestripes]

Thanks for all of your advice. Bottleofbeer - I am oficially going to stop the Googling! There is just no point in worrying as it's not going to achieve anything :)

Oblomov - the guilt thing is awful isn't it?! Although I've worked so hard on my HBA1C I still feel like I could have perhaps eaten things that didn't rocket my blood sugars the hour after eating (veg and meat) but I just didn't have to willpower to stick to meat and bloody veg for nine bloody months! I carb count so have more or less eaten what I wanted and now I do feel that I could have done a bit more :(

[Ilovestripes]

• officially!