GD

[MissJA]

i have just been diagnosed with borderline GD at my 28 week check and am totally freaked out by reading all these articles about babies born with birth defects where the mother has GD or had diabetes before birth. Could anyone with GD share their experiences?

Thanks

I am freaked out by reading your post about birth defects. I too may have developed GD (am only 14 wks but 2 glucose readings came in at 8.9 and 8.2). The articles I have read don't suggest a strong link between birth defects and GD - just a bigger baby.

Also, I think it is poor control of GD that increases the risk. Better to read articles from reputable sources, which state what the risk is - e.g. a risk of less that 10% is probably nothing to worry about but a risk of 50% is.

Well managed GD isn't the panick inducing thing you seem to have got into your head.

Firstly you're boarderline so you will probably be able to manage your GD with a few changes in diet and monitoring your bloods at home. Most people can.

With any condition there are risks, but worse case senarios aren't going to do you any good at this point. I'm picky about my sources and have never linked birth defects as a high risk to well managed GD. To be honest at 28 weeks you baby is maturing rather than developing.

My experience is being diagnosed at 28 weeks making changes to my diet, more regular scans to check the babys growth and the condition of placenta. I was allowed to go full term and delivered a healthy 7lb7oz DD without any medical intervention.

You will be monitored more closely, more scans etc. as I undrstand it the risk is more that your baby will get too big which may cause complications with the birth- so you need to keep sugar levels balanced and will be supported in doing this medically if you can't do it by diet alone. Also they scan you to check the placenta, as there is a risk that it starts to break down at the very end of the pregnancy. Both of these things they look for and will induce at 38 weeks if they have any concerns at all.

If it helps a friend of mine had GD from the word go with all three of her pregnancies, all was fine and she has three strapping lads to prove it.

As Sh77 says you biggest risk is a bigger baby. And you probably can't eat cake anymore.

On the plus side my sister bought me the biggest box of Thorntons Continentals into the hospital after DD was born, chocolate has never tasted so good!

Be cool and take good advice.

Thanks. That is so helpful and has calmed me down. I think you can probably read too much.

The internet is full of crazy talk!

agreed, you may well be able to manage it via diet and the main risk is a bigger baby. Mine had slightly lower blood sugar when he was born but this was rectified within 24 hours. It can often mean though that you are put on the GD "process" at your hospital and they will have a standard practice to induce either early or on the due date regardless of what the scans are showing and with induction comes a lot of issues about a very medicalised and interventionist birth. I am trying to stick up for myself a bit more this time round and resist the "process" but am a wimp when it comes to confrontation so don;t know how successful I will be! The GD itself should not be too much of a worry, just make sure you have lots of chats with your midwife about what happens re the birth

Trixie I stand side by side with you. I hate the standard practice approach. I would never put my baby at risk but will only be induced if that is the case, not because a box has been ticked.

Stay strong and I hope you get the outcome you want.

Yes the Dr told me today that their procedure is to induce at 39/40 weeks. To be honest i hadn't thought that far ahead and i agree i will do what i can to avoid being induced, but at the same time, i always think the drs know better and so will probably go with whatever they tell me. But thanks for this - it is very useful to know and hear about this.