Labour for an insulin dependant diabetic?

[Listzilla]

I'm diabetic and been on insulin for both pregnancies.

Last time I was induced at 38 weeks, was completely immobile on the bed because I had an insulin drip in one arm, an oxytocin drip in the other, the epidural in my back, a blood pressure cuff on my arm and CTG bands around my bump constantly. Even when I was uncomfortable and asked to have another pillow behind me I was told I couldn't have one, that I had to stay still.

I'm probably looking at the same scenario again, but I'm wondering if other diabetics have had different experiences, or is that experience really my only option? I don't really want to discuss it with my consultant without getting more views first, as she's very dogmatic and reluctant to even answer questions from patients, so I'm pretty certain she'd just say no. She actually did a sweep last time at 37 weeks without consulting me - I think she sees patients more as cases than people, IYKWIM, so she's not interested in discussion.

In fairness, last time was a great experience in ways, in that the labour was pretty painless and recovery was an absolute doddle. But this is my last pregnancy and I have a (possibly silly and unreasonable) yearning to do it myself, just once.

I just typed a lengthy reply to you and right at the end my useless piece of shite computer just wiped it all, nothing to do with user error AT ALL So, long story short this time.... I am an IDD with 2 DC.

With DC1 I didn't know what to expect so ended up flat on my back on the bed connected to synotocin, insulin and glucose drip. Internal fetal and contraction montioring. Didn't even occur to me that I could get up, that was until 6 hours later when I needed the loo and they brought the comode in.... oh my, the relief. So I refused to give them back the commode that is until an hour later when I was made to have an epidural (big mistake for me, should have fought my corner, but that's another story) So again, remaining 4 hours were spent flat on my back on the bed again.... yet NOW the whole time I kept trying to get up but being told no I couldn't though I put money on the fact I would have been able to as the stupid epidural didn't work

With DC2 identical set up, only this time, I was adamant I was doing it 'my' way and insisted from the start that I was going to stay standing. So after a lot of jiggling and rearraging of machinery and furniture, they got it so that I could stand at the side of the bed. So I lent on poor, lovely, OH the whole time and in contrast when I got on the commode this time, oh my gosh, it was agony! [disclamer though, I needed to have a baby, not a poo, but thought I'd try first, just to make sure! and still nobody believed me ] Anyhoo, this birth was virtually 1/4 of the time my first took and so much better as it was over so much quicker and I believe gravity had a huge part to play, along with RLT, as revolting as it is!

So... no, that is not your only option, whilst they are obviously greatly reduced. I've also read on here about women who've had epidurals labouring in weird and wonderous positions on the bed using it's multiude of functions to support them, so it may well be worth looking into that and don't take no from your mean sounding consultant. Just tell her what you want to do!

Ok, so that wasn't short ... and having just read your message again I'm now wondering if you meant you want to give birth without being induced? If so, you could refuse synotocin if your contractions start beforehand. (Mine did with both but they still insisted I had it )

I have type 1 and my first labour was similarto your description except induction was at 39weeks because that was my hospital's policy and it ended in an emcs due to failure to progress. This time with the dts labour started spontaneously at 33+4 and although I had drips in both hands and an epidural in my back I stood for quite a large part of the labour as opposed to the first time when whenever I moved they said they'd lost the trace. The difference this time was a more experienced midwife and a more experienced mother who wasn't going to accept a no to make other people's lives easier.

I'm not quite sure what you're asking for or looking for. Maybe try and work that out first. As a diabetic any hospital birth will be highly medicalised but there are ways to work within that although it's unlikely to be a freebirthing water birth if that's your ideal.

Just to add - with ds, labour was induced with prostin, with dts the only additional bits I had was syntocin to move dt2 down after delivery of dt1 which was a bit risky since it was a vbac. I actually refused the epidural initially as I was in no pain at all at that point and only agreed after the dr said she'd right in my notes that it was clinically dangerous to refuse (in case they needed to cut dt2 out very quickly) but negotiated that I only had one dose so I could continue to move around and be active.

Thanks folks, that helps to focus my mind.

Waterbirth isn't an option in this country so that's definitely not what I'm looking for! I suppose I was wondering about the inevitablility of induction, and the possibility of actually moving around. I'd rather try and get through without an epidural, which I don't think I'd manage while completely immobile.

I've just had a read of the NICE guidelines, and they say that induction should be offered at 38 completed weeks, and if not, more frequent monitoring should be carried out - so they don't think induction is necessarily a given. Plus they only recommend an insulin drip if you're type 1 (I'm type 2) or your blood sugar isn't staying between 4 and 7 on it's own, so there's no need to blindly insert a drip before induction even begins, surely? Obviously they're only guidelines but at least it shows I'm not being entirely unrealistic!