I have Gestational Diabetes and a lot of questions - PLEASE HELP!!

[Jas]

Hi I am currently 33w4d preg and a few weeks ago I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, unfortunately diet wasn't enough to control it so as of Tuesday I started insulin injections twice a day.

Anyway because of the GD I now have to see the dr's at the hospital instead of the midwives, which I really don't like they're not as helpful and a lot of them are foreign with strong accents and I have had a lot of problems understanding them, which is a problem for obvious reasons!

Anyway I had to have an ultrasound on monday to check on bubs size, I was 33weeks then and Noah was measuring 36weeks and he was estimated as weighing 6pound 4 already! I told the guy that did the scan I was starting insulin the next day and he said that often after going on insulin the babies come back to a normal weight. So in a week or 2 I have to have another scan so Noah's size can be rechecked and I suppose after that if he is still too big then induction will probably be discussed.

If that happens unless I feel comfortable with the dr I see that appt. I will ask to have an appt made with one of the midwives so I can discuss it futher. I know that the dr's are much more like ly to push for intervention than the midwives there, and I want to get a better perspective of the situation.

I personally really want to avoid induction because although this might sound silly to some, I am really looking forward to experiencing birth and labour and I would really love to have the experience and memory of being somewhere and going into labour and then labouring at home etc.

I also really want a minimum intervention and drug-free birth if possible and I know that if I have an induction I will be far more likely to need drugs and I won't be as mobile etc.

But on the other hand I definitely don't want to say no to an iduction and be putting my baby at risk or say no and put myself at a very high risk of needing a c-section. So talking to a midwife who will listen to my needs and opinion and then give me the facts and some advice would be great, but I don't want to be pushed into an induction that isn't neccessary just because that's what the dr wants.

Sorry to blabber on so much it's just that the situation feels very uncertain and I have only had 3 appt's with the dr's since I was diagnosed and the first 2 was with a dr that was nice but i couldn't understand him and so at the third one I told the lady at the counter that I couldn't understand him and could I please make sure I see some one else (it is just random who picks up your file) and the dr I got was a german lady who was hard to understand and also has a reputation as being very mean (she was) and so I haven't had a chance to actually ask about the likelyhood of me being induced etc.

Basically the point of this post is just to vent and also to see if any of you could give me some info on the likelyhood of being induced and any other info you can throw my way that might be helpful!!!!

[Tobily]

Having had GD with both of my babies I can tell you that it's highly likely that you'll encounter pretty strong pressure to induce. Even if they decide your bubs size isn't an issue, they'll still want to do it around 39 weeks because they get antsy about plancental deterioration which is apparently slightly more likely in GD pregnancies (this is debatable).

My best advice to you would be to research, research, research. You don't have a lot of time but I can tell you from my own research that the whole GD thing is very shady science. For every study that says one thing, you can very easily find another that will outright contradict it. Even the tests they use to determine if you have it are questionable.

No one can force you to do anything, and your well within your rights also to ask for frequent monitoring at the end rather than induction. This way as long as bub is doing ok you might be left alone.

The pressure is strong and unless you've done your research and are confident in your decision making it's really, really hard. I've heard of many mums with GD who were told their babies would die if they refused induction - complete rubbish but because they're so vulnerable it's so hard to get the facts.

Good luck with it all, just remember this is your labour and birth and baby and ultimately it is your decision, even if your made to feel like it's not

[angelraelz]

hiya

i have insulin dependant gd as well.. and i was feeling the same as you.. the thing is tho its serious condition and its no walk in the park. i found out at 25 weeks and was on insulin in 2 weeks later.. but i started only at nights then they changed it to morning as well.

and yesterday it was changed to a different one 3 times a day and one at night. all the research i have done has shown me its pretty serious condition.

i was against induction as well. but after seeing how much insulin i actually need and how its helping i have come to realise that induction is fine for me.. its taken awhile to get use to the idea. but i know i have big babies and i am measuring big.

The only thing that i am going to be strong about is i want to make sure my cervix is ripe before they induce. The reason is because i dont want a c-section unless there is medical reason for it. and being induced when cervix is not ready can cause you to have a need for a c-section.

they have said that i need to be induced on the 30th of july. which will make me just under 38weeks. And my doctor was really great about it and explained the reasons behind for my case that i need to be induced. i am on a really high dosage of insulin as well.

do your research and do what you think is right. thats all i am doing

angel

[Jas]

Thanks very much for your replies they are very helpful, just wondering where should I research? I have done google searches and I haven't been able to find that much info other than the very basic facts.

I will just make sure I have a proper chat with the dr I see on Tuesday so I can get some answers on what direction I am like ly travelling in that way if they say they will most likely want to induce I will have some more time to get some advice etc.

[Michelle71]

Try google scholar - go to google general site and type this in the search section. It gives more academic articles, although the standard may vary and the detail may not provide you with the answers you want in any clear format.

I also had GD - on insulin 4 times a day. Initially my little boy was measuring oversize for his tummy (usually the biggest indicator of the baby laying down a fat layer due to the high sugar levels) but it improved on the insulin and at 36 weeks he was measuring to size on the 50th centile - right in the middle. We went into spontaneous labour at 38w6d and Oscar was 3.485kg (7lb7oz) born.

My OB supported me beautifully and never once discussed induction (despite my previous stillbirth and GD - which another OB would have arranged a c-section for before 38w). He even supported my vaginal breech birth (although we ended up with a c-section due to fetal distress).

There are medical people prepared to discuss the options with you. Ask them to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each option they suggest. Hysteria inducing comments such as your baby will die if it isn't induced should be questioned and ask them to explain.

If you have any questions about the GD I am happy to give you what information I have. Good luck.

[Jas]

Thanks Michelle! I will try doing the search and see what I can find. The first dr I saw didn't mention anything about induction but then the last one I saw was going on about if my levels didn't get under control then c-section can become the option. I thought whatever I had only just done one insulin injection at the time of that appt so obviously that needs time to work also at the u/s I had the day before he was shown as being on the top line of the graphs they do with the 3 lines (the bottom for smaller than average, middle for average, and top for above average) she said it was once babies are above or below the lines that it becomes a problem in pregnancy.

I also thought well it's my body and I'm sorry but if someone wants to cut me open they are going to have to give me a bit more info than that! I think she was just trying to scare me (she does have a bad reputation)

Perhaps they intend on leaving me be and letting me go into labour naturally unless the next u/s i have (in a week or 2) shows Noah as being above the lines on the graph?

I will have to ask all these questions regardsless of the dr I get tomorrow, I will also request not to see either of the two dr's I have seen so far!

Thanks again for sharing your story! Even though this is only the internet it helps to chat to people who have been through the same situation.

[ebonee]

Hey reckon jas, my sis just had a baby and she had gestational diabeties the docs reckon he would be 10 p which is a load of crap he was only 8p9 and with me they said my baby would only be 4p he was 6p7 so im sure he will be the right size.
Although you will have to take insulin after you have the baby it will 99% go way in most cases and they will just check your babies sugar level butmost cases are fine to so try not to worry too much and just relax with your preg.
Ebonee

[wite_wickah]

I had gestational diabetes aswell. My midwife told me my bub would be a really big one and it got me so worried, i was convinced i was going to give birth to a 14 lbs baby or something!!
When I had Jett, he was 2 weeks overdue and only 6lbs 13ozs! That came as a huge suprise to me!
I wanted to experience the contractions etc at home and have to make a huge rush to the hospital but i ened up being induced and i am happy that I was in the end, I still experienced everything, just in the birth unit!

[Jas]

Thanks everyone for your info, on Tuesday I saw a great dr who told me that there was no point in inducing me early because of what the scan and the one I am having on Tuesday say about Noah's size (he was basically saying all the stuff that can be found on GD on this website) but he said because I am on insulin now and my levels are still up there would be point in inducing him early (for bub's health). So I was told I wouldn't be able to go past 40weeks and they would induce me then if I hadn't already gone into labour and also it may be sometime before that but after 38weeks depending on what happens with my blood sugar levels (I see a 2nd hospital that works with my hospital when insulin is needed) the other hospital is adjusting my insulin trying to get my levels down so if they are good then they will see what happens.

On Tuesday at the appt I had my bp was a bit high so I was tested for pe everything was fine but I had to go back yesterday to check on my bp it was down again and I double checked the info (it was a different dr I saw) and she agreed with it all.

So I feel much better now, I realise that it is most likely that I will be induced and I didn't think I would be okay with that, but I really am. I think because I know it will be to prevent any probs for Noah not just because some dr says my baby will be too big.

Anyway have to go get ready to go the hospital (the one I see about being on insulin) my 3rd hospital appt for the week!

Thanks again everyone, it really helped!!!

[Sim]

I had GD with my second preg (1st preg diet control was enough to keep me from going over the edge). Although my OB discussed induction he was OK with leaving me unless something started going wrong (and this was with a due date close to the Easter long weekend - so good incentive for OB to want to induce me). I was very strict on my diet and also needed insulin, and kept my levels spot on so he was happy to leave it as long as we were OK. I did have fetal monitoring 3 days before the birth just to be sure.

As it turned out I ended up being induced 2 days overdue as my levels shot up high for no reason. I rang my OB and he said to monitor it for 24hrs and ring back the next day unless I started to feel I wasn't OK - then go to hospital. He then rang back 30min later and said "can you get to the hospital to be induced in the next half hour!!!" Sure - with a 2 y.o. to get a relative to care for - anyway achieve it in about 40 min after getting DD settled and kicking the painters out of my house! DD was born 3 hours later, healthy, happy and a nice 3465gm. So it really depends on you, how your levels are and your Drs. Good Luck.

[~mandy~]

Hi Jas,

I had GD with my daughter and same thing, wouldn't let me go overdue. Spoke to me bout being induced but i went into labour naturally.

Just wanted to say that after the birth of little Noah you won't care how your labour began, the result will be the same. You'll have a healthy baby in your arms and you'd do it all over again in an instant Just enjoy the experience no matter how it happens.

I had all these plans and ideas in my head of how i wanted things to happen, but they all went out the window! haha

The girls are right tho, research as much as you can so you feel comfortable and have the chance to ask all the questions you feel you need to.

Good luck with everything xx