Type 1 diabetic and pregnant

[Mudonstairs]

Any type 1 diabetics out there that are pregnant? Not gestational diabetes as that’s a different ball game.

I am 5 weeks 3 days pregnant and waiting to hear back from a midwife. I reported my pregnancy two weeks ago. I don’t remember it taking this long in my last pregnancy, I was contacted for my booking appointment really quickly and was sent for an early scan at 6 weeks, and that was during the pandemic! Things seem to be slower this time and it’s making me anxious 😬

Not pregnant but a T1DM with kids. Hopefully you’ve been taking folic acid and have been in contact with your diabetic team?

Thanks for replying. Doesn’t seem to be many of us about! I emailed my diabetes team on 14th Jan and also last night, still no reply. I tried to call them today and their automated message said I should call back during ‘normal hours’ (that’s the exact wording they used) which is mon-fri 8:30am-12:30pm. Very unusual normal hours 😂 but Ive actually realised just now that I have an appointment with the pre-conception clinic on Wednesday next week anyway so that’s good.

I was more concerned that I haven’t even had my booking appointment yet. I don’t think the diabetes team can speed this up for me can they as it’s the midwives that do that? I called the midwife receptionist this afternoon and she said it’s very busy at the moment and they don’t usually make contact until 8 weeks! I told her I am a high risk pregnancy due to T1 and she said nobody had noted this down when I registered the pregnancy. I said nobody had asked anything about my health history, so i had no opportunity to state this. She said she would make note of my T1 diabetes but she couldn’t say when I’d receive a call from a midwife.

I just don’t want to miss out on any of the extra checks that need doing and want my baby to be ok. I’ve had a miscarriage before too so it’s just an anxious time for me 😔 x

Oh and yes, I have been taking the high dose folic acid since May last year 🙂

Hello,
im type 1 and had my baby in July 24, I had my book in appointment with midwife at 8/9 weeks, however I had an appointment straight away with the diabetes team at the hospital when I was between 4 and 5 weeks. Definitely chase them about this. I had a scan at 6 weeks, but that was arranged by EPU because I had a missed miscarriage July 23. For that first pregnancy the diabetes team arranged my viability scan for 7/8 weeks and again didn’t have a book in appointment until 8 weeks with the usual midwives. Hope this helps!

Thanks, that’s helpful. I didn’t realise that the diabetes team can refer you for the early scan. Thought it was entirely up to the midwives.

Hello! Just came across your thread as I made a thread of my own being pregnant and type 1!

how are you getting on? Hope you had your booking appointment. I’m 7 weeks and mine is tomorrow.

Hello! Nice to hear from a type 1 mummy on here. It seems there’s not many of us doesn’t it?

Well I have had my booking appointment now. I was 9 weeks by the time the midwife called me but by then I’d already had my first scan and appointment with the specialist diabetes pregnancy team at the hospital. It seems most of my care
and all my be through my diabetes team as they have the obstetrician, diabetes consultant and midwives all meet with me at each appointment. Booking in appointment took 15 mins over the phone as all my bloods and urine had been taken at the hospital when I went in for the early scan. My diabetes consultant has been calling me every other week. They have been great.

Have you told your diabetes team you are pregnant? Hopefully you can get an early scan too. Oh and don’t forget you can get your high dose folic acid prescribed by your GP (sorry if you already knew, but just in case nobody told you that) x

Yes you’re right, not many of us around! Suppose as T1 were a bit of a minority anyway!

so pleased you’ve had your scan and diabetes and midwife appointments! Hope all looked fine on the scan :-)

Im about 7/8 weeks. Had my early scan at 6 weeks and booking appointment is today. I’m switched over to the ypsopump in a couple weeks, which I’m a bit nervous about! I’ve heard very mixed things 😬

are you on a pump?

Oh that’s good you’ve had your early scan. I’m 10 weeks 4 days now and my dating scan is next Wednesday. I’m so nervous! To top it off I’ve been having grief from work at the moment and they know I’m pregnant. I may have to go on sick leave as I’ve been so stressed and anxious and my employer is only making it worse for me.

I am on Omnipod 5 which has been working great for me. My time in range isn’t as good as pre-pregnancy but it’s still at 74% over the last 7 days which my consultant is happy with for now as I’m feeling horrendously nauseous and suffering with food aversions! She mentioned to me about going on that ypso pump as she said it tends to better for pregnant women, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy. But for now she doesn’t see the need to make any changes. Have you had like an introductory day to have a look at how the pump works and stuff? May make you feel better about switching x

Oh no! That sounds tough! Are work giving you grief over your appointments etc? That’s awful!

im also currently on the Omnipod 5! It’s good isn’t it! My clinic put every women that’s pregnant on the ypso as standard. I’ve seen the pump and had a brief introduction but it’ll be a big plunge! Fingers crossed it’ll work out ok.

sorry to hear about the nausea. That sounds really tough. I’ve been lucky so far, but know it can still start up! How are you managing so far?

I really miss being able to eat a proper plate of dinner. Are you finding you can’t eat as much in one go as you used to? It’s so annoying because I’m always hungry an hour after I’ve eaten!

The work thing is basically that they are trying to force me to relocate but I’ve told them I’m pregnant and high risk and it’s not a good time for me to move. They don’t care, they still want me to move. I’m off sick as of today and I’m thinking of staying off sick until baby is born otherwise they will start talking about relocating again!

Ah no! How horrible! You surely should have a say in whether you relocate or not! Even when not pregnant! Hopefully the sick leave will give you some peace!

I’ve been really lucky so far I think! I can feel a little nauseous when hungry or after a big meal, but nothing major! Have been eating as usual so far 🤞🤞

my main thing is insulin resistance really! It’s wild! If I keep going the way I’m going ill have to change my pump everyday at the end of the pregnancy 😂

Well I didn’t know that it’s in my contract. Never been a problem before so it’s really rubbish timing for it to arise now when I’ve been working there 7 years with no issue. So I don’t believe I can get out of it because of the blinking contact.

Ah no! That is awful timing! I hope they will have forgotten about it by the time you return!

Problem is when I return the same manager that told me I need to move is the manager that will discuss my return to work. So I don’t even think I can return to work at all until I’m off on maternity!

It sounds really stressful! Hope you’ll find a solution!

I hope so too! I’ve been applying for new jobs and signing up to recruitment agencies. Never thought I’d be looking for a new job while pregnant but here I am.

Hey @Mudonstairs, just wondering how you are getting on? Hope you’re doing well and things have calmed down at work.

im doing ok. The ypsopump is working well. However I’ve had some headaches the last couple of days which are probably just nothing, but I’m instantly worrying about preeclampsia…oh the joys of a T1 pregnancy!

Hey, I’m still off sick. I’ve had one interview and didn’t get the job. Have another interview next week too. I have mixed feelings about this job as it’s only 17.5 hours and salary is very low but I’m thinking realistically when I go back to work I am going to have a young baby and a pre-schooler also that has type 1 so perhaps I need to accept something less demanding. Just stressful thinking about all the sacrifices we need to make and whether we will be able to survive. That’s if I even get this job or any other for that matter. I just feel so depressed.

I will be 18 weeks as of tomorrow! We had a private gender scan to cheer me up and it’s a girl, which is lovely as my 2 year old is a boy. I am trying to stay excited and looking forward to meeting my new baby but with it comes a lot of fear because of my job and financial situation.

Have you told any of your medical team about your headaches? I was having some headaches and mentioned it at my 16 weeks appointment. They forced me into a wheelchair and took me to see a neurologist who did some tests on me I.e point at my finger then at your nose, knees and elbow reflexes. Then I was referred for MRI scan which I had on Friday. All was clear. I had a random appointment with my local midwife last Tuesday and she said my blood pressure was low and I described my symptoms to her and she said those are consistent with low blood pressure symptoms. It’s not dangerous, just rubbish to have.

I am so sorry to hear about your work. I hope your interview will go well though and you get the job! It sounds very stressful but it always works out one way or another!

congratulations on finding out it’s a girl! So lovely to know and to start prepping with a tiny girl in mind! Is your little boy old enough to understand there’s a baby in your tummy?

ive spoken to my midwife and Mac about the headaches and they aren’t too worried at the moment. Probably just a virus. I think my anxiety is playing up though as I keep worrying about preeclampsia!

it sounds like they took yours really serious though! Which I suppose is good! Glad it wasn’t anything sinister! Hopefully my headache is gone soon!

this evening I’ve been suffering a bit with lows, which I know is normal around this time (I’m 15 weeks), but it’s bloody annoying!

Thanks, it’s honestly the most stressed I’ve ever been but hopefully it all works out in the end. It is nice to know baby is a girl. I find it helps to know the sex of the baby to bond with them, and it makes me look forward to meeting her even more. I would still have been happy with a boy too but I like to picture a boy/girl in my head when thinking about the future. Will you be finding out too, or opting for a surprise?

My boy is 2 years 9 months old. I’ve told him I have a baby in my tummy and told him that he will have a sister. He knows what a baby is and knows what a sister is but I don’t think he understands that it is in my tummy haha. Must be so confusing at that age! I’m very worried about him initially being upset with the new baby because he is a mummy’s boy and very territorial over me. Howled his head off when we went to the dentist as a family and the dentist looked at my teeth. Nobody can touch his mummy 😂

Do you have any other kids? That’s good the doctors aren’t concerned about your headaches. Try not to worry too much about pre eclampsia. Have you had a history of it before? I was so worried about it when I was last pregnant I bought a blood pressure machine to use at home. It helped reassure me that my bp was normal. Maybe that would help?

I am having lows a lot too. I am rounding all my carbs down to the nearest 10 and then whatever dose the pump wants to give me I over ride it and round that down too. I still end up with lows but this usually helps reduce them otherwise it drives me insane all day and I can’t function!

Yes I feel the same! I bond better with baby when I know what to expect! Your boy sounds lovely and I reckon it’s the perfect age to get used to a sibling very quickly! I’ve got a boy as well, he’s 4.5! We will be finding out the sex of the baby, but will probably wait until 20 week scan!

My first pregnancy I wasn’t diabetic, so this is a whole other ball game! Much more worrying! I have actually got a blood pressure monitor, just haven’t used it yet as I worry it might make me feel more anxious. I reckon I will start to use it later in pregnancy though.

the lows are so annoying! I’ve been ok with them up until now. Some days that have been worse than others I suppose but this evening (after a very steady day), I’ve suddenly had 3! I’ll see how it is tomorrow and then I might change my ratios.

It is really exciting when you find out the sex. It makes them a real person in my mind. I hope my boy gets used to having a sibling quickly. I was thinking when he’s older he will probably not have any memory of being without a sibling 🤔 he will be 3 years and 1 month when this one is likely to arrive. I think my earliest childhood memory was when I was 3.

Have you told your boy about the baby yet? I would imagine at his age he will be over the moon! Oh so you’re a relatively new diabetic then. Welcome to the club nobody wants to join 🤣 I think it’s quite rare to get it as an adult isn’t it? Did your previous pregnancy trigger it or was there any other trigger for you? I believe it must just be in my genes. My mum has had it since childhood, I have had it since I was 7 and since October my boy now has it. I’m praying this new baby girl will take after her daddy and not have it!