Gestational diabetes birth stories

[Smeghead97]

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 29 weeks. I'm currently 32+4 weeks and was told I have to take metformin as I'm not controlling my blood sugar well at all with diet alone. At first while I was worried about the effect gd might have on me and the baby I could cope with it and the midwives told me I was 'only just diabetic' and that it wasn't that serious but it seems to have gotten worse and now I'm worrying that I'm going to end up being induced, being stuck to a bed, c section, not being able to breast feed ect. This was the complete opposite of what I had planned and I guess with covid having already ruined most of my pregnancy plans and post natal plans. Im starting to feel really worried and little depressed. I just want a realistic picture of what to expect. Anyone got any stories good or bad?

[LBB2020]

Have you joined the gestational diabetes uk Facebook page? There are lots of positive birth stories x

[Megan2018]

My GD was diet controlled. I was meant to be induced at 40 weeks but the induction failed (couldn’t get catheter in, then I had a reaction to the pessary which had to be removed after 1hr).
I had a spontaneous labour later that same day, 6hrs from start to finish. Gas and air with one shot Pethidine. 3 teeny tiny stitches I couldn’t feel.
Baby’s sugars were fine but we had to be in for the standard 24hrs for monitoring. No issues with BF, we are still EBF at 11 months.

I was incredibly strict with my diet though, did lots of research and stuck to it which I think helped us both. Sometimes the medication is necessary but I’d try really hard to control your diet too. The key is pairing your carbs.

[orangejuicer]

I was booked in for an ELCS at 36w and gave birth at 39w. All was fine but DS couldn't regulate his temp so had to go off to NICU for a few hours. At the same time I almost passed out from blood loss. We were both absolutely fine by the evening. The main issue which I couldn't do much about was that they had bottle fed him in that time and from then on he wouldn't successfully bf. Took several months to get over that but we are all great now.

[Smeghead97]

Thanks for the comments, I'll have to check out the fb page . Hopefully I won't have an induction. I might have to research inductions more above seen a lot of talk about catheters and have no idea how that works

[cookiesaurus]

I was asked to monitor my blood sugar levels last week (37+5). I have previously passed the GTT and have no evidence of GD in my urine or blood pressure readings. However, since monitoring my levels they are definitely high.

I have found it really tricky to know what to eat as the hospitals guidance was really rubbish and eating things that they suggested pushed me over the target readings.

I joined the Fb group mentioned and it's been a lifesaver!! I'm still feeling a bit down about it all as it is trickier than not having GD but the group really does provide strategies which will make your life easier.

On the plus side, you've been diagnosed in the second trimester and hopefully your baby won't be too big and you may be able to control your GD through diet.

Good luck x

[ExplodingCarrots]

Hi OP. I had GD and mine was controlled by diet and i had regular scans to check weight. DD never showed big but they still wanted to induce at 38 weeks. I managed to push this to 39 weeks. I was induced and I won't go into the whole story as we'll be here for days but 2 days later I ended up with an EMCS. DD just wouldn't budge. I wholly believe if I was just left to my own devices i would have been fine and she would have come when ready. She wasn't showing big at all at the final scan at 37 weeks and she was 7lb 7 born. In my case I believe i could have gone full term with no intervention.
Good luck xx

[LajesticVantrashell]

I can only second and third the FB group. NHS advice is aimed at T2 diabetes and your tolerance levels will be WAY WAY lower, especially when you hit the magic 32 week mark.

Like a PP, I researched the shit out of it and was so strict with my food (if I never see another boiled egg or pepperami again, it’ll be too soon) and was signed off to give birth where ever I wanted (MLU) provided he came by 41 weeks. Was then booked to be induced at 41 weeks and he came naturally that morning. Slept through early labour, arrived at the birth unit 8cm, gave birth three hours later with G&A, no stitches, was home at 10pm that night.

[Devlesko]

I had this, and it went as soon as I gave birth. Unfortunately a couple of years later it came back full blown and I take the highest dose of metformin without injections.
I managed mine with diet during pregnancy.
keep to a strict diet post delivery, if you can't manage with diet now, looks like you may be stuck with it for good hope not, but there's a chance.

[Nittersing]

I was diet controlled and my diet had to be very restrictive but I ended up with a spontaneous natural delivery at 39weeks 4 days.

No interventions/drugs and a waterbirth and a 3 and a half hour labour. Breastfed from birth and baby's blood sugars were perfect. He was 7pds ( certainly not the big baby that the hospital was scaremongering about)

[cookiesaurus]

@Smeghead97
Hi,

I thought I'd give a little update as I had my baby last night at 1856.

This is my second bs y and I was induced due to concerns that baby's AC was on the 97%ile and my fasted blood sugar readings were only within the levels once in 6-7 days.

I came in for induction at 11 - there was no real rush and there was lots of hanging around. At 2pm I had an exam - a sweep was performed and my waters were artificially broken. They were really keen to fit me up ready for the drop which I really wanted to avoid.
I went for a long walk in the afternoon with my husband and things got going about 5 pm. Everything happened in exactly the same way that it had in my first birth even down to my cries out!! 🤣🤣 I had a quick birth and she was delivered at 1856. I had gas and air and felt totally out of it! My official labour is listed as 40 mins start to finish but it was more like 2 hours from first contraction to delivery.
My husband was allowed to stay for the entire induction and was only asked to leave once I was transferring to the post natal ward.
We had one scary moment where the team thought her shoulder was stuck but all hands to the deck and she came out easily (thankfully). All of the risks were explained fully and I understood what was happening every step of the way.
Please try not to worry - this was so far from my planned home birth but it was still a great birth. We worked within parameters but I managed and I now have an amazing baby!!
Good luck xx

[GlumyGloomer]

GD from very early on both pregnancies, insulin to control fasting sugars both times. Induction is generally a given, but you get input on that, and size of baby plays a big part. My first was 25th centile, induced at 39 weeks. My second was 50th, and scheduled for induction at 40 weeks, but she arrived spontaneously at 39+3.