Type 1 Diabetic looking for success stories

Re: Type 1 Diabetic looking for success stories

• AlisonandMark member

  September 2013

  Yes, of course there is hope!!  I understand why you are so concerned, given your history, but I hope I can help you feel at least a bit better!!

  I've been Type 1 since I was 4 (so that's 28 years now) and while this is my first pregnancy, everything for me is going well so far... the baby is measuring right where he should be and they've found no serious complications related to my diabetes at all yet.  At this stage, I get ultrasounds every 2 weeks followed by appointments with a high risk OB and then an internal medicine specialist/endocrinologist who specializes in diabetic pregnancies.  I'm almost at 34 weeks so will be induced in about 4 weeks (at least at my clinic, they induce all Type 1's 2 weeks early).

  Anyway, you said yourself you are well controlled and staying on top of that is the best thing you can do!  If you do go high, don't panic, it happens to us all.  Just test frequently and make corrections as necessary.  Yes, your insulin needs will fluctuate a lot during pregnancy, many people towards the end of their pregnancies need at least 3 times their previous doses BUT at the same time, everyone is different so you may need much less or even more than 3 times your previous amounts... just test often and adjust as you see patterns emerge.  Your CGM is a fantastic tool to help with this, I wish I had one too!

  I think the biggest trick is to fix your highs as quickly as possible... that way it's better for the baby that if you were high, it went down quickly.  Low's are more of a concern for you than the baby and those of course should be treated as well but it helped me to worry less to know they really don't affect the baby if they happen once in a while.

  You may also learn through these next few months, some foods that are just off limits for your body and no matter what you do, your number will go high... for me this includes Pad Thai, oatmeal and many breakfast cereals.

  If you need help adjusting your rates, ask if you can talk to someone in your healthcare team about that.  I am in touch with my nurse and dietitian every week or so and they help me make adjustments.

  Also, if you haven't yet, I'd recommend reading Balancing Pregnancy with Pre-existing Diabetes by Cheryl Alkon.  I read that book before becoming pregnant and it helped me learn a lot about what to expect and made me realize that my pregnancy was going as normally as a Type 1's can go.

  I know 3 other Type 1 mom's and total they have 4 healthy children.  You can do it too!!

  

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• babybean82 member

  September 2013

  Thanks, That is reassuring knowing that you are doing so well and you know others that have had healthy babies too. 

  
  

  I am in constant contact with my Endo, he was one of the first ones I told and he got me in to see him last week, I will be emailing him my readings every week and seeing him every 6 weeks as long as I am pregnant so I feel good about that. 

  
  

  I actually just ordered that book on amazon last night so I am hoping it helps me feel better, it seems every other pregnancy book I have read just says a few negative things about diabetes then moves on to other things which is kind of upsetting. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Leigh313 member

  September 2013

  I've been a type 1 for 9 years now. I did have a miscarriage at 7 weeks with my first pregnancy but I now have a healthy 2 1/2 year old daughter & I am currently 28 weeks along with my second daughter. I was told my diabetes had nothing to do with my miscarriage.
  I had to be induced early with my first due to her abdomen measuring large & my placenta function deteriorating. She was 22 days early but came out screaming & never had to be on any oxygen. Her sugar was 59 and the low cutoff is 60 so my husband had to give her a bottle right away. (I was a c section so I was in no shape to breast feed unfortunately) her repeat sugars were perfect & to this day she had no diabetes symptoms whatsoever.
  It is possible to have a healthy baby! Hopefully her little sister comes out healthy too, but I have all the confidence in the world in my endo & my ob's to make that possible. Good luck with your pregnancy & don't give up hope!

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• obxlaurak member

  September 2013

  *hugs*  I am so sorry about your miscarriages. 
  
  I am reading the book that was mentioned and it is great.  It gives you "Real life" advice - for living day to day with Type 1.  Not just preaching on how to be the perfect patient/diabetic.  I know that for me, that is so frustrating - when medical articles are making you feel guilty for not being perfect all the time.  Because we all know that with type 1, that's impossible.
  
  There are tons of bloggers out there who have had successful pregnancies.  Kerri at sixuntilme.com and Kim at textingmypancreas are two of my favorites. 
  
  Have you met with your endo yet?  Mine has told me that when I am pregnant, she's going to want me to email my sugars weekly, if not more often so we can stay on top of my changing insulin needs.  I have a pretty good relationship with my CDE - she has been very valuable in helping me notice patterns in my BG and making adjustments to keep me more stable.
  
  I met with a high risk OB a couple of weeks ago as a pre-conception consultation and she gave me lots of info about what "could" go wrong.  But, she did say that when type 1 women miscarry  it very, very rarely has to do with the diabetes.  She said there is typically a defect with the fetus, causing the pregnancy to end.  So please, try not to think that it was your fault that you miscarried.  *hugs*
  
  It can be done and I know that you will do great.  Just communicate with your doctors, don't be afraid to ask questions, and try to relax (easier said than done!). 
  

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• babybean82 member

  September 2013

  Thank you ladies! I needed this, I am feeling a little better about it today. I will probably be stressed out the whole pregnancy but it's nice to hear that other people have gone through this and have healthy babies:) 

  
  

  It's also nice to hear that not everyone is perfect lol, I try so hard and sometimes it just seems impossible to have good numbers all the time. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• obxlaurak member

  September 2013

  Take it one day/one Blood sugar at a time!  ♥
  

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• SLGILL1978 member

  October 2013

  I am sorry for your losses! Here's another success story. I am a recently diagnosed Type 1 (3 years ago at age 31). I delivered a healthy baby girl at 39 weeks in Feb. I was induced during my 39 week. I had 2 u /s throughout my whole pregnancy. One at 20 weeks and another at 37 weeks. My daughter weighed 7 lbs 3 oz at birth. I did have a hard time with the NST at 35 weeks but that more due to my daughter being ornery.
  My sugars were off during my 1st trimester and 3rd. I was constantly adjusting my insulin. I didn't have to see a high risk OB as my OB helped me plan my pregnancy. I did see a diabetes educator once a month as well. That's who I reported my sugars to once a week. She had the ability to adjust them up to 7 units. During my pregnancy I was the healthiest I had ever been and my sugars were the best. Before I found out I was pregnant literally a month before that I had a bad A1C. It was pretty high. Congratulations!!!
  

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