Gestational Diabetes Induction Worries

[Romily]

I know that there are many threads on induction but I have some specific concerns that people might be able to help me with.

Currently I am 31 weeks and my baby is measuring large. Only had one growth scan so I appreciate that I will need to wait for the results of the next few to get a better idea of his size. This is my second baby and I was put on insulin and metformin at 16 weeks and my blood levels are reasonably within range.

My first baby came at 39 weeks and due to being back to back it was a very difficult labour with an epidural and ventouse delivery leading to a bad tear, emotional trauma and a requirement for further surgery a few months down the line. This all left me anxious about having another bad experience.

I have been told that they want to induce me at 38 weeks and I am very worried about it. Firstly I am concerned about my body being forced to go into labour instead of naturally going. Then I am worried that due to his size and previous issues that I will be unable to birth him myself and will end up with an EMCS. There is also the background anxiety of the diabetes monitoring during birth as I find blood testing painful and the thought of it being done every hour or less is horrid.

There is also the added anxiety of my baby being taken straight to special baby care at birth.

To those induced with gestational diabetes, how long did you labour for before birth or CS?
Do I have the right to push for a section?

This is probably not going to help, but I had GD in my last pregnancy and was induced at 40+3. I was in labour for 36 hours post initiation of the induction, can't remember how long I laboured for, but had a natural birth, no tearing, nothing (episiotomy with first). Bloody exhausted though.

I had GD in my last pregnancy (my second) and was induced at 40 weeks. Diet controlled but over-large baby. Was nervous as my first labour had been difficult (delayed second stage due to asynclitic head). In the event only needed one pessary in the morning and then they broke my waters at tea time. Up to that point they were niggly but not too bad. After breaking waters they were very strong and baby was born 3 hours later with 20 min pushing stage.

They never actually tested my bloods in labour which was very MW led, despite my consultant saying that is what they would do.

Should also mention that they had me in every couple of days for monitoring after 38 weeks. So maybe that could be an option?

Hi Romily!
Induced at 38 weeks. Had one pessary that didn't feel like it did anything but dilated me by about 1cm which was enough apparently for them to break my waters.

After they broke my waters and put me on the drip, dd was born within 8hrs with no assistance required.
I remember dh doing my sugars in the early part of pregnancy and I think it did have to be hourly. I had a glucose/insulin drip so didn't have to do any injections or eat anything.

We were kept in for 24hrs and dd had to have 3 heel prick tests for blood sugars before feeds. All were fine so we were discharged as normal.

early part of labour not pregnancy obviously!

I had gestational diabetes during my first pregnancy and managed to diet control, was terrified at the thought of an induction and all the associated fears of being continually medically monitored like you. Was induced at 40 weeks, and labour itself was fine, they didn't actually seem too concerned about blood sugars and never actually tested, just kept an eye on the baby's heart rate. Just paracetemol and gas and air for pain relief. But unfortunately for us our baby wasn't breathing when she was born, although this apparently had nothing to do with the GD, it was amniotic fluid on the lung, so we had a crash team sent in and she was whisked away to intensive care, where she stayed for three nights, we were in hospital for 7 days in total but all was well in the end. The medical team did a fantastic job and I think it's better to have the doctors there ready for the unknown than not. There was no way of predicting she would come how like that despite the heart monitorand could have happened to anyone. She'snow two and a half, perfectly healthy and we're also 31 weeks pregnant with second with no gestational diabetes this time!

I had gd in both my last 2 pregnancies and chose not to be induced.

I had ds1 at 41 weeks, and ds2 at 40 weeks. No induction. DS1 was a planned hb.

I'm not persuaded that there is clear evidence that the risks of going past 40 weeks are significant for the babies of women of normal weight with diet controlled gd that sets in during the 3rd trimester of a pregnancy.

I had GD and was induced at 39 weeks after the growth scans showed I had a larger baby.

I had the pessary on Friday night and by 3pm was dilated enough to have my water broken. I had gas and air till they started the drip which is when I had an epidural. My dp was in charge of doing my sugar every hour but they were fine, lower than they had been for weeks. My baby was born early on Sunday morning by forces after just over 12 hours of labour. Forces were used because she had her hand up by her have but it was fine, not scary or traumatic at all. After all the worry of her being a large baby she looked tiny and was 7lb14.

We had to stay in for the next 36 hours for observation and for the dd to have heel pricks which were fine.

my SIL was induced at 39/39 weeks for gestational diabetes. She was told her baby was measuring large too. Her induction took a few days to get going, but she had a speedy labour once it did get get going(3 hours total!) She had a small tear and her baby only weighed 8lb1oz. Her baby was absolutely fine too, he needed one formula top up to get his blood sugar levels up and then was fine.

I have been on insulin for a while and it looks as if my baby is measuring large so they have told me to prepare for an early induction possibly as early as 34 weeks.