September 2019 #8 - The 3rd Trimester Begins

[TwittleBee]

New thread!

Here is the start of the final stretch!

Google Doc for reference:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VUDuTLeibUnnaCWCjb-pqUe4Wnq-fTau4HJgmE1XE3c/edit?usp=sharing

@kyles101 the website is www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk but this page is probably a good place to start (Otherwise it's a LOT of info to take in) - www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/gestational-diabetes-diagnosis/

The Facebook group is www.facebook.com/groups/GestationalDiabetesUKMums/

The group is great, but can definitely be overwhelming. I got a bit scared and hid it until I understood a little more!

@Stroan thank you 😘

@kyles101 by the way, I blamed myself with DD. Not helped by then having a really big baby and blaming myself for putting her at risk. It took me until about 3 months into THIS pregnancy to accept that I hadn't done anything wrong in either pregnancy. I was fitter and thinner when I got pregnant than I have been for about 10 years and I still got it again, and worse.

Thank you for all your kind words and support. Not feeling much better about my work situation today - the next few weeks look like I’ll be meeting with the new company and trying to get my ducks in a row in terms of next steps. They need to take employment advice because I’m fairly certain that if you start a new employment during mat leave, it ends your mat leave. So although they have said they’ll pay me the 18 weeks mat pay I get contractually from my existing company, I don’t know what “ending” the mat leave means legally or from HMRC perspective. Baby is due 16/09 so even if I handed in notice today, I’d need to be starting new job before then (and my notice period is 3 months although they do typically waive that). It’s a fucking minefield. Pretty sure I can kiss goodbye to SMP after the 18 weeks are up unless they agree to pay me it (don’t have to) and of course I’ll lose all the holiday I was planning to save up and roll over into next year 😭. The alternative is to stay where I am until end of mat leave and then join my team at the new place, but that feels all round precarious

I think I'd go for a planned section with twins. Imagine getting one out and thinking, "I've to do that all again"! I don't know how DMum did it. A colleague has twins as well and no. 2 got stuck so they had to do a c-section anyway.

At least with a planned section you know the date it's all happening and you can plan/ask for help for the first week or two you're home with parents or in-laws helping with nursery pickups or whatever (if they're amenable obviously). The least convienient scenario is if you tried to go with a vaginal delivery, wiped yourself out and then had a c-section anyway but with none of the benefits of it being planned.

That's shit kyles101 - better to know though and get whatever help or monitoring you need than not realise. I didn't get tested at all and because of how many there are in this group with GD I'm starting to worry a bit.

thecraicdealer those are my thoughts exactly. I dont want to try naturally and then end up with emergency or assisted delivery. My friend had twins 10 weeks ago, she was induced and got all the way to 9cm then rushed for a section. Worse case is delivering one naturally, then section for the other!
I feel like I'm young and relatively fit/healthy so maybe a C-section recovery wouldn't be too bad. Whereas the mental recovery from any complications in a natural birth would be worse for me.
I think I'm probably set on a C-section, but I'm currently letting other people's opinions (eg DM) cloud my head.
Not sure of any statistics, I'll have a read up tonight.

@boodles101 for the reasons you mention I'd go down the c section route too, even in my situation where I really do need to drive to get anywhere etc. As you could get planned and organise help

Also depends on the position of your babies. If both are cephalic, then go for whichever method you like. But if one or both is breech, then that pushes you towards the section. Vaginal birth is not out of the question though. There's an excellent vaginal breech birth midwife team where I am and I had the pleasure of watching them deliver twins once (1st cephalic, 2nd breech). It was truly memorable.

I will admit though that the vast majority of twins I've seen have been via elective section. But since that's where I work, I don't have the full picture.

I love twins, whether coming out the sun-roof or coming out the conventional way (assisted or not). Theatre staff are more likely to get a baby to cuddle (with permission ofc) if there's two babies.

I've jut called back to ask for my results
Fasting 6.4
2 hours 13.8
From a quick google these are horrendous??

dyra both are currently head down. I was hoping they would just remain breech so that I didn't have to make the decision. But then that in itself tells me that I'm leaning towards a section! I will have plenty of help after the birth so that doesn't worry me. It's just the physical recovery plus 3 children!

@kyles101
They'll explain what it means when you go to clinic but to pass (where I am at least) you need:

Fasting less than 5.3
2 hours less than 7.8

Mine were
Fasting 4
2 hours 10.9

It might be different for you but I have to get a before breakfast reading of 5.3 and a 1 hour post Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner of below 7.8. So far today I have managed 4.7, 4.6 and 6.7 so feeling smug on day 1. It won't last!

@kyles101 don't worry too much. The GTT is not a natural occurrence, how you respond to that isn't necessarily indicative of how you will respond to other food types.

Fasting is also very hard to control as you can't really do anything about it (other than staying hydrated really). I'm on insulin for fasting levels but my post meal readings are fine. That's not uncommon.

Thanks both. Feeling a bit emotional and overwhelmed. Not helped by a poor nights sleep last night. You've both helped loads though, thank you.

@kyles101 I had a meltdown after the clinic yesterday - so many more appointments and a horrible feeling of doom. Lots of tears and a stress headache. I was just tired and overwhelmed with it all. Today is my first day of testing and getting on with it and it is perfectly ok.

I had to pull over and do my post breakfast test in the car this morning and it took about 20 seconds. It's all very do-able.

I am quite competitive though so am turning it into my own personal challenge to stay within the levels.

It'll all be fine, honest.

Still haven’t had a GTT but finally seeing a doctor next week where I’ll ask for one despite the fact I’m 30+ weeks 😣 but it won’t be next week so that’ll be another wait 😱

@Moraxella
They probably don't think you need one? If you don't have any risk factors then I wouldn't bother. The entire immediate side of my Dad's family is Type 2 so my need for it and likelihood to have it were sky high.

thecraicdealer ive never had GTT (in 5 pregnancies) and never had any issues, i am sure if they thought you were at risk they would test

I’ve got a first degree relative and strong family history and my HbA1C at kick off was borderline! Ok I’ve found that website and will go low carb til my appt. (I’ve switched healthcare systems, at least here they do scans at every bloody appt!)

The GTT isnt a standard test that everyone should have. I think the % of women who have GD is actually pretty low

moraxella are you the poster who was not initially based in the uk?

@IVEgottheDECAF We were told yesterday it is 1 in 5 that have it, so common but still relatively small I guess.

Yep, they told me I needed it in UK when booking then had to cancel all my appts as relocated.

@Moraxella don't go low carb unless on medical advice. We were told yesterday that some carbs are still essential for baby development. If you have GD it is just finding out what amount/type you can tolerate. Without any levels to check you could be doing more harm than good!

Yes megan i thought it was something along those lines, i didnt want people on here worrying about not being tested because they havent been tested for a reason!

From nhs website

"Any woman can develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, but you're at an increased risk if:

yourbody mass index (BMI)is above 30 – use thehealthy weight calculatorto work out your BMI

you previously had a baby who weighed 4.5kg (10lbs) or more at birth

you had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy

one of your parents or siblings has diabetes

your family origins are south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern

If any of these apply to you, you should be offeredscreening for gestational diabetesduring your pregnancy."