Changed my mind re homebirth

[hunkermunker]

Since being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I'm feeling quite uneasy about having the baby at home, so I am going to go into hospital.

What do you think the chances are of a 6-hour discharge? Has anyone had this with a GD diagnosis in pregnancy? What do they do about monitoring sugar levels? The diabetes midwife said they'd probably only need to test once - is that your experience?

Also still want a waterbirth, am just hoping there are the staff on to do this, like they were last time (I hadn't realised how lucky I was last time to have two midwives with me throughout labour...!).

Depends on degree of gestational diabetes at time of delivery. If well controlled then you probaby could get home. If not so well controlled it is likely that the hospiatl would want to monitor baby's blood sugars for 24 hours.

You could start banking some expressed colostrum from 36 weeks to prevent low blood sugars in baby if breastfeeds alone were not doing the job.

Mears, thank you. I'd been bumping your thread re antenatal expressing of colostrum, but not sure if you've replied as haven't checked. I think I will try doing that - just expressing it into a sterile container and freezing it in small quantities? What would I do about taking it to the hospital?

You would need to find out in advance if they have facilities to store it - ie a fridge with a freezer compartment. The neonatal unit may have a freezer for EBM. Will find out more from my workplace.

Thanks again, Mears. Will ask the questions of my hospital. The diabetes midwife seemed to think one colostrum feed would be enough, but I know enough to know that babies don't necessarily latch on beautifully as soon as they're born and feed well from the start, so it's nice to have a plan in reserve!

Wow, a person can express colostrum from 36 weeks?! Really? How is this done - freezer bags?

I'm leaking like a sieve here. It'd be nice to have some banked for baby beforehand.

I had colostrum from 16 weeks in my first pregnancy, but this time round it was later as I was still feeding DS, so I was producing milk. Then when I was only feeding him off one side, one boob was making colostrum and the other was making milk still - weird, or what?!

I don't even have to squeeze and clear fluid leaks out. I don't know what this is b/c I did not bf DD. If I squeeze, clear fluid comes out followed by milky coloured. From BOTH boobs.

Little sterile containers are needed. At hospital we can give dry specimen bottles. Maybe ask the midwife if she can give you some?

That's colostrum expat

Coolness. So excited to give a try and break out the bump.

I've seen some wee bags for freezing milk on sale in Boots and such.

But I'm seeing the midwife on Wednesday so I'll ask her about freezing it and having it to hand for baby.

REALLY want this want to have my immune system and to not have to bother w/mixing formula.

1ml of colostrum is enough for a baby initially. It would get lost in a freezer bag, that's why little sterile container would be better.

sorry for hijack hunker

oo how interesting about the expressing from 36wks. I assume that hand expressing is ok and can you sort of top up one cup in a day before freezing or do you need a new cup for each time you express? I am leaking loads and sometimes hand expressing due to being very uncomfortable. I bf ds for 3 wks but have to go on anti ds not suitable for bf when this baby is born.

I'm also hand expressing already, Nemo, b/c of discomfort, particularly on the sides and bottom of my breasts.

Will be 36 weeks on Wednesday.

Nemo - there are lots of anti ds that are OK with breastfeeding. Depends which ones you are going to be on.

mears i am being put back onto a high dosage of venlaflaxine which i have been told isnt sutiable for bf and the other ads never had an affect for me. So would like to express now so even if i can only give the baby a couple of days of bm then its better than nothing. I was actually thinking of delaying antis ds to feed for a week but dont know what will happen on the ward as even hospital are with psychatrist about the anti ds.

Nemo - here are links for you about the use of venaflaxine (effexor). It is not classed as a drug that cannot be taken by breastfeeding mothers

here

scroll down to bottom of page

Cut pasted paragraph incase link does not work.

Postpartum depression is enormously dangerous to an infants? neurobehavioral development. Don?t avoid recommending antidepressants in depressed mothers, the risks to the infant are simply too high. Antidepressants considered most safe include: sertraline, paroxetine, bupropion, venlafaxine, and some tricyclics. Antidepressants considered less safe include: fluoxetine, citalopram, and escitalopram, although even these can be used in certain situations.

Mears thanks for that. I dont understand why I have been told the opposite by psychatrist,gp and consultant!!!!!!!!! Funnily enough i always thought fluoxetine etc were safer as prozac is generally what is given out. Am all confuddled now..lol

Hi Nemo - if you want to talk to someone about it, give the BFN's Drugline a call - they know far more about drugs and bfeeding than most doctors

Often doctors will err on the side of ridiculous caution with drugs that are fine.

Agree with Hunker. Doctors generally no naff all about drugs and breastfeeding.

We have a feeding advisor at our hospital and if there are doubts about a drug, she usually gets all the info for the medics. There probably is one at your hospital too. Worth asking to speak to her.