VBAC and Diabetes

Hi there Belly Belly Folk,

New to this....my first post.

I am almost 37 weeks preggas and was told yesterday that I would most likely need a c-sect again because I have DB and Dr are predicting a HUGE baby. They said from an ultrasound taken at 32 weeks that bub was in the 97th % indicating a 10 or 11 pound baby at 40 weeks! This was also before insulin and diet brought my BS under control and I have had really great reading for the past 5 weeks and feel great.

With my first birth I needed to be induced and had oxytocin for 7 hours with no results (only 1 cm!) and then had a c-section because the Drs said there was no amuno fluid left. The entire experience was pretty awful as I was living and working in Istanbul at the time so there were language isssues as well as different ways of birthing etc. If they had left me alone I know I could have had a natural birth.

I really really want a VBAC this time. And Dr tells me they won't induce me, won't let me go past by due date and can no longer have the midwife I was seeing all the time.

Has anyone else been in this situation before in terms of VBAC and Diabetes? Would love to hear your advice and stories. Apparently I have 1-2 weeks to make up my mind or have the bub with natural labour. I am worried that whatever I try to bring on labour in terms of natural methods just won't work.

The pain and horror of recovering from c-section just makes me feel awful!!

Thanks for listening

Best wishes
Happy (not to happy) Lila

No advice unfortunately but I am very interested in any responses that you get. For my DD I had a c/s and if I fall pregnant again I would like to try for a VBAC. I also have diabetes.

I had GD and there was no issue with me having a VBAC. There was also no discussion about going over being a problem either. I went before EDD (39w4d - I think :lol: but close enough and it depended on whose dates we were using!!) and had a drug free VBAC with a 3.5kg DD. The advantage was my GD was well controlled throughout and the measurements (not that they are accurate!!!) were within the *normal* ranges.

It does depend on the OB and how controlled your BSL's have been throughout. If you are well managed there is no reason you cannot have a VBAC, although there are some additional risks associated with GD and the well being of the baby. But the risks are all relative ;)

Hi Michelle71,

Thanks for your post. It made me feel a little more positive.

Yesterday I had the ultrasound and was told bub is about 4 kgs at the moment (around 9 pounds) which is on the big side and I am on 36-37 weeks but I am going to hold on and try not to get the Drs talking me into a c-sec only because I have GD and a big baby so long as the baby and me are find. Bub was monitored and all good and lots of fluid left and condition of the placenta etc.

Am doing acupuncture now too. Had a treatment yesterday and my practitioner was really fantastic in reminding me not to be "bullied" by the Drs and what they want and to be strong in my needs (so long as it is all safe).

Fingers crossed.

Thanks again

Happier Lila

Forgot to mention that yes BSL have been great - very normal and consistent (with the insulin and good diet) :D

Hi Happy Lila,

I had GD with my pregnancy (it was diagnosed late at 32 weeks, and my BSLs were controlled entirely with just a minor change in my diet, so not a diagnosis I was 100% convinced about). I ended up with an emergency c/sect for failure to progress after I had been augmented with syntocinon (oxytocin). I only got to 3-4cm 44 hours after my waters broke and was at 3cm for over 24 hours - I similar situation to yourself. I was meant to be induced at 39 weeks because of concerns about my baby's size - so I did lots to try and bring on labour naturally - I had reflexology and moxibustion as well as 2 stretch and sweeps. My waters broke at 38+4, but I wasn't even in proper active labour until I was augmented after about 36 hours.

I feel that my baby was absolutely not ready to come when she did. This is why my body did not want to labour, even despite being augmented. In the end, she was 3.622kg (just a smidge under 8lb) even though ultrasounds from 32 weeks onwards indicated that she was consistently above the 97th centile for tummy circumference and overall size. They were concerned that the reason I wasn't dilating was because she was too big! :rolleyes:

I mention all of this because I want to let you know to take the ultrasound measurements with a grain of salt. They are more and more inaccurate the further past 20 weeks gestation you get, as Michelle has mentioned too. By the time you are 34+ weeks, despite what doctors etc. tell you, they become somewhat unreliable, as you tell by the final weight of my supposedly 10lb+ baby! Some of the things that can affect the accuracy of measurements include who the sonographer is and their technique and the position of the baby etc. I feel that scans in late pregnancy are a wonderful tool for monitoring amnio fluid levels and placenta quality, as well as checking that baby is generally well. After that, I personally will no longer trust measurements after my experience.

Your acupuncture practitioner is spot on - don't be bullied by doctors to make your birth more of a medical procedure just because of the GD. I don't think I was bullied but because I was scared in my pregnancy and suffered a lot of anxiety about my baby I was led by my doctors, even though I thought I was making a compromise by saying I would only be induced at or after 39 weeks - no earlier - hence doing everything I could think of to get labour started before I hit 39 weeks, even if my baby wasn't ready.

If you are well, your baby is well, your amnio levels are great and your placenta function is good, then you are absolutely no different from any other woman who has gone through a healthy, *unmonitored* pregnancy. Monitoring is a good thing for the reasons I've mentioned, but it also casts doubt where there would be none if you hadn't had the scan. You may have a "big" baby, or you may not - the ultrasound is no definite way to say this - there is no way to tell accurately! And with your BSL levels under control, you really shouldn't be any different from any other pregnant woman, other than having the definition of being a GD pregnancy, provided your placenta and amnio continue to look good.

Be confident in your body and don't doubt that you can have your VBAC. You are determined - and you know that you and the baby are well: this is the most important aspect to being able to achieve it. Have confidence, and trust that your baby will come when they are ready, even without the need to think about induction, let alone an elective c/sect.

Hope the acupuncture keeps helping you feel relaxed and safe and calm, and I wish you all the best with achieving your VBAC - you can do it! Have confidence in your body and your baby, when you know all is safe and healthy!

Good luck :)

Hi,

I had gd with my first pregnancy, I was on 4 high dose insulin injections and it was still uncontrolled, I was induced at 37 for size and just escaped with a vb. DS1 was 9lb 4.5oz

With ds2 I didn't have gd at all (my mum has diabetes so I used her test kits occasionally even after the hosp did several tests and I was cleared) and went to 41+3days when I went into labour naturally. It was a drug free, tear free, bed free birth and was just one of the most amazing experiences of my life, ds2 was 10lb 5oz. Your gd is controlled so that is a great thing it will keep you babies weight much closer to what it would be without the gd and the scans can be out and at 32weeks to predict birth weight is a bit of a scare tactic, not to mention 97th per centile isn't the worst thing in the world some babies are small, others medium, others large. I have to say I really found it to be an easy birth with ds2 like I said no tearing and the 2nd stage was 5-10mins he just came out with my body naturally pushing, I never tried to push once. I really think that labor and birth hurts a bit and I don't think there is that much difference between a 6lb and 10lb pain wise. You could really have a 6lb baby with a larger head circ. than a 10lb. I say hold on strong, read the great articles on this site re:gd and induction etc (I know you're not going to be induced but the facts in the articles will still help) become really really informed so you can make informed decisions for yourself, I say go for the VBAC! I wish you all the best for the rest of your pregnancy and I truly hope you have a wonderful, empowering birth experience, no matter how it happens

Hi!

I have had GD with three pregnancys!!!

baby #1 I had GD and was on insulin due to bad controlled BSL. I was induced as they did a sizing scan. They said the baby was already 11pounds (at 38 weeks) so they induced me and I had a 8pd 6 bub born via c/s.

baby #2 I had GD again on insulin for poorly controlled BSL. Sizing scan said..... get this.... 13pd :o bub. Automatic c/s at 38 weeks due to size. Bubs was 8pd 6!!!! Same as 1st bubs!

baby #3 different OB, different hospital, had GD, controlled BSL with diet :) induced at 39.5 weeks (due to reduced fetal movment and a bad "gut" feeling that something was going wrong with bubba) baby was 9pd 1. So bigish but not huge! Oh and the "gut" feeling was right! My placenta was very unhealthy looking. OH and he was a succesful VBA2C!!!! :dance: Even with induction and synto :D

Sizing scans are so very inaccurate :( Follow your gut! A VBAC is VERY possible with diabetes. My ob was happy to let me go overdue with the diabetes as long as baby was happy!

Goodluck!