Type 1 diabetics - the birth bit

[OttersPocket]

Hi folks,

I'm currently 26 weeks with my first child and I wondered if there were any fellow type 1 diabetics who could share their experiences of birth. I'd like to hear if and when other women were induced and what that was like. Or if you choose to have an elcs, if that was a better option for you. Also, if induced, how long was your stay in hospital?

I've yet to have an in-depth chat with the medical team about birth choices (other than being told they like to induce by 39 weeks assuming everything else is going okay) and I'd like to be armed with some first hand info from other pancreatically challenged pregnant women!

I've had a fairly easy pregnancy so far (excluding the full time job that is diabetes monitoring) and I'm on a pump. Insulin requirements seem to have started to creep up after being steady until 25 weeks so that's another challenge...

[mrsleomcgary]

i've been type 1 for 11 years and had my first baby 17months ago. My insulin requirements also shot up towards the end but it's completly normal,my last hb1 was 7.0 but my midwives,obstetrician and diabetic nurse were happy.

Was induced at 38+3. Had no signs at all of being ready to go into labour spontaniously. Pessary went in at 11am and after lieing down for half an hour started walking! Slight cramping began a few hours later and quickly ramped up,being in the bath helped but only while I was in there. Top tip,dont be a hero and hold out on pain relief,as soon as you start feeling things get on the paracetomal!

Checked again at 6pm,no change so second pessary went in. Pain ramped up again so had some liquid morphene and shortly after started having contractions. At 10pm I was 1cm and moved into a private room so I everyone else could get some sleep. Got the urge to push about 3ish,was checked and was 4cm with waters bulging. Moved to labour ward,was 8cm by the time I got there and within half an hour DD arrived. Went from 4cm to delivered in 60mins flat. No time for an epidural (which I only asked for so I could get some sleep) so managed it on 2 paracetemol,some liquid morphene and copious amounts of gas and air (wonderful stuff)

Because my labour was so fast the drip of whatever it is thats meant to keep your sugars stable never had time to work. My sugars were high when dd was born (had been sick a few times,not had my insulin,was my own fault) but we were both fine. DD sugars were low and for a while it looked like she might need to go into special care until they stabilised but thanks to an amazing maternity care assistant,who stayed with me for ages to help me breast feed and kept monitoring her sugar levels we got above the level needed to avoid it just in time. DDs levels were monitored every 2 hours for 24 and I had to feed her every 2 hrs as well to help stablise them.

Currently 8 weeks pregnant with my second and gearing up to do it again. Hoping it goes as well as the first!

[Itscurtainsforyou]

Hi there - I was induced at 37+4(high blood pressure), the pessaries softened things but I didn't go into actual labour until they put me on the hormone drip (2 days later, the maternity unit was very busy!).

When I went to delivery, I was given a canula in each hand - the insulin sliding scale (they'll take your pump off) and glucose, plus the hormone drip. They also broke my waters.

Because I'd had no contractions until the hormone drip, they came out of nowhere and felt quite strong. I opted for an epidural because I couldn't face them getting worse and be carrying on all night!

After about 12 hours I was 10cm and started to push, but baby was back to back and stuck. They took me down to theatre to try a forceps delivery, which didn't work out, so ended up with an emergency section, at exactly 38 weeks.

On the post-natal unit I was put in transitional care, where they monitored baby's blood sugar for a few days. I asked for advice re my diabetes but they didn't have a clue, so I managed it myself.

Sorry if this sounds a bit depressing - tbh I had no idea what to expect and my experience is probably worst case in terms of medical intervention. If I were to do it again, I would go for an elective section and just resume normal diabetes treatment as soon as possible.

Hope all goes well