Type 1 Diabetes

by **AliB** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 1:15 pm

Hi all,

thought i might start a new pregnancy thread as it seems like the existing thread has died off a bit.

A bit about me, I'm pregnant with number 2, my son is 2 years and three months. I've been diabetic for almost 30 years and hd brilliant control when i was pregnant with my son, and have been pretty good so far. Started this time with an hba1c of 7.2 which was a bit higher than i wanted by endo and obgyn were ok with me starting to try.

We actually used clomid this time around as i stopped ovulating about three months before we got the go ahead to start ttc. and then we got pregnant on the first cycle which is super exciting but also completely terrifying! i think we were both expecting it to take a lot longer (it took us three years and three miscarriages to get our son).

I'm praying that this little baby sticks and getting super nervous about our 1st scan next week... i've started on progesterone pessaries last night as my progesterone levels dropped last week.

Anyway I'm hoping there are some other type 1's out there who are also expecting this year so that we can all have some support.

ali.

by **snitch** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:07 pm

Congratulations Ali, wonderful news. I'm T1 and due late October. I'm happy to be sharing this journey with you.

by **Julie** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:55 pm

Hi Ali and Snitch, I was just wondering how you are both travelling along? Hopefully you aren't too exhausted and things are going smoothly. It's a tricky time to say the least!

by **AliB** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 1:49 pm

Hi Julie,

I've been meaning to come back and post. i've been sick as a dog. unfortunately diagnosed with hyperemesis which is hell on earth. i'm 13 weeks today and all looks good with baby. I'm just waiting until this awful sickness goes away now. Had the harmony test done at 10 weeks and all came back super low risk and we also found out that we are having a little girl which is such lovely news given we already have a little boy.

Diabetes hasn't been too bad, I've been having more lows than highs but still picking them up and treating them before too low. last hba1c was 6% so very happy with that. i expect the next one to be lower again but i guess we'll see.

Snitch, how are you going? i hope all is well.

Ali

by **stephiegab** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 5:56 pm

Hi girls,

How is everyone going? This new thread has been kind of quiet, but I'm hoping to get some help and maybe some reassurance.

I'm currently 7 weeks, and trying to be excited, but I'm finding myself mostly stressed. We were TTC for about 5 months, and decided to have a break on the 6th month as we were moving house, renovating, painting (still worried about this), also taking a break from my pre-conception tight control, and low and behold it's the month we actually fall pregnant. A lot to be said for 'not trying' being the trick. Anyway, here I am 7 weeks pregnant, with what I consider to be not very good control for pregnancy.

Hba1c was done about 10 days ago and was 6.4, which is higher than I'd like to see. Last one in May was 6.1, and 5.6 in Feb (with way too many hypos happening - and I also had the random 16 or 17 here and there too - so I often wonder about the reality of someones control when they have really great hb1cs...as I had a great hba1c of 5.6 with some readings that were definitely less than desirable)

One thing that has surprised me so far is my insulin needs have definitely increased!! Which I am really struggling with, as I was NOT expecting that to happen. And has made me very anxious about the unexpected high sugars.

I think I have now read every single thread on here about pregnancy, and I'm still feeling incredibly worried, and stressed about my daily control. I have been emailing my DE, and she has made some changes here and there, and just keeps telling me not to stress. I'm seeing her on Monday at the Alfred. I then have my first diabetes appointment at Monash on Tuesday (not sure about this, as I do already have an Endo at Baker IDI whom I'm reasonably happy with...) and then midwife, and ob appointment in a week (will be 8 weeks by then). Do partners usually come to these first appointments?

I have a few questions for women who had excellent control throughout their pregnancies:

How did you manage to have such amazing hba1cs in the 5's without hypo-ing all day? Did your sugars often go above 10 as well?

What percentage would you say your sugars were in the recommended 4-7?
My pump upload says that 70% of the time my sugars are in the <4-7 category while 30% go up to 13 sometimes 15 - which scares the hell out of me - pretty much every day my sugars go as high as 12-13 at some point in the day... Is this normal and to be expected? Every time it does, I feel on the verge of tears thinking about the harm I could be causing.

I have no idea how I'm going to cope with all of this for the next 30 or so weeks. How does everyone do it?!

Look forward to chatting with others.
Steph

by **Julie** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 10:31 pm

Ali apologises for not posting earlier to your post. I've been meaning to for ages. I hope the sickness has subsided. How exciting to be having a little girl!

Steph I'm so glad you've read the other pregnancy posts. I'm surprised this one is so quiet but hopefully you've been able to get some info from the other threads. It sounds like you're doing a great job and everything you've described sounds pretty similar to me! I had heaps of lows, a far few highs and some very high highs. I was very stressed throughout my pregnancies, despite my endo telling me things were okay. Until the births I was worried about my sugars, even during my caesars I did so many tests!

All I can say is this hard work you're doing now is so worth it. My pregnancies were all so different, the first planned to a tee, the second a little harder because I was working, had a toddler and was under a bit of pressure and the third, a complete surprise- totally unexpected and conceived with fairly out of control control! I think pregnant type ones are on a really intense and often isolating roller coaster. It's hard to even begin to explain the intricacies to others. I guess that's why this site is so good!

Just do your best and try to celebrate each month or trimester with a little shopping or getaway/special outing to reward yourself. Nine months seems long but when you do meet your little one you'll feel so blessed and so proud of yourself :)

by **stephiegab** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:02 pm

Thank you Julie, for your kind words and reassurance!
I love reading everyone's unique experiences: the good, the bad - the outcomes are always the same: just beautiful, healthy babies!

I met with my DE for a whole hour on Monday, and she answered my many questions, was very supportive and reassuring about it all.
She said that I shouldn't worry about those occasional 9's, 10's, 12's...even higher. And to be more concerned about the hypos - which in my 7th week, have begun! Not extremely bad and not all the time, but there are definitely a few more (but thank goodness there is a pattern).

I'm going to be a public patient at Monash in Melbourne - does anyone have any words of advice, caution, positive experiences at Monash public?

Steph

by **alexy** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:52 am

Hi Steph,
I'm currently TTC baby number 2 (and on IVF - not fun, more needles!) I already have a beautiful 3 yr old daughter conceived naturally.
Like you, I was very scared at first when we find out we were expected.
My advice would be to make sure you give yourself a bit of a 'mental break' sometimes. I found that I got so obsessed with my BSLs that it was actually causing me too much stress which is not good for bub. I recall that at about the 5 month stage my HbA1C was at about 4.4, the Doctors stepped in and said 'TAKE IT EASY!' and they were right, I was just so paranoid... you hear such scary stories about babies being born too big due to high sugars etc, I know that is a risk, but these days Doctor's are much more optimistic and positive about T1 pregnancies, especially when you have such good control, like yourself...... Your DE is also right, 9,10,11's etc are fine occasionally.

My daughter arrived healthy and fine, she had low sugar levels for the first few days (2.3 - 2.9) so we had to top her up with formula etc, but other than that she was a normal baby. And she is honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me.

If I ever get the chance to do it again (hopefully soon) I will learn to take it easier on myself. Remember you are growing a little human inside you AND you have the challenge of T1 - you are doing an AMAZING job, and it's hard work. I think my pregnancy taught me a lot of resilience, I often reflect on how tough it was and how proud I am that I got through it, and it's TOTALLY worth it.

Also, I read this book when I was pregnant, which is about T1 and pregnancy.. it was pretty useful, nothing ground-breaking, but it was nice to have a book that reflected my situation compared to other pregnancy books.
http://www.amazon.com/Balancing-Pregnan ... 1932603328

I ended up going to Frances Perry to have my daughter, as my OB only operated there (and he was a T1 specialist) however I've heard amazing things about Monash, I'm sure you'll be happy there.

Stay strong and keep us updated!!
x

by **jennat** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 10:26 pm

Hi Stephie,
I've had three pregnancies now with and hba1c under 6 all the way through each of them.
Its bloody hard work, especially if you suffer from ms, I'm on injections rather than pump and my mantra was test test test, I must have done 20-30 tests a day to enable me to track whether sugars were going up or down and how quickly and ensure I stopped any big swings. Don't get me wrong the first trimester I had some horrendous hypos especially with my first pregnancy mainly because my body was reacting very differently to the insulin, I also had the odd 16 or 17 result. Don't be too hard on yourself, it sounds like you are doing an amazing job. It is possible to do this, I have three gorgeous healthy girls and its all worth it in the end

by **alexy** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:34 am

Me again....

Well I finally had the news I have been waiting 2 years for over the weekend.... I'm 5 weeks pregnant, yay!
My BSLs are not as good as they were 3.5 years ago when I had my first bub, but I'm going to work really hard on it. At least this time I'll know what to expect!

Looking forward to going on this journey again with everyone.

x

by **AliB** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:50 pm

Congratulations alexy! such great exciting news! I'm booked into frances perry this time - how was your experience last time? I changed obgyn's this time and my new obgyn (Associate Professor Umstad) only delivers at frances perry, so while i had my son at freemasons, this time ill be at frances perry.

Stephie - its hard work isn't it? My last hba1c was 5.6% and I was ecstatic.

I've had a really hard time lately, my mum passed away about a month ago and the month before that my sister, dad and I nursed her through the final stages of cancer at home. Was very difficult trying to care for mum, care for a 2 year old and look after myself and this little baby.

Other than all thats been going on, I'm doing ok. I'm 25+4 weeks and cubs is perfect. I'm booked in for a c-sectino on 8th October but i think i'll end up having a c-section earlier as i had cholestasis last time and apparently i have a 90% chance of developing it again this time.

Hope everyone is well. xx

by **yapskin** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:50 pm

Hi Ladies

I'm completely new to this forum, even though I've been T1 for almost 17 years. My husband and I are about to start TTC (I'm getting up to speed with the lingo haha) and I love reading everyone's experiences, especially those who have already had healthy pregnancies.

My last 2 HbA1c's have been 6.4% - not bad but there was still lots of ups and downs sitting behind there. Over the last month I've really tightened up my control and I see my DE on Monday so will be interested to see my next result. All the testing and healthy eating is almost like a full-time job on its own but I'm trying to stay relaxed :) It's nice to know there's others out there going through the same thing and who understand the pressure.

I go to the Royal Prince Alfred clinic in Sydney, is there any other Sydney-siders here?

Alison

by **snitch** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 9:07 pm

Hi all,

Long time no write- sorry I haven't been on here for ages... My sugars have been all over the place most of the time, despite my best efforts. My hba1c's remain in the 6's but I've just caved and got myself a pump and cgm to see if that can help demystify some aspects of the journey for me!
Our little girl is due mid October. I've been told to expect delivery 2-3 weeks before that and suddenly October doesn't seem that far away.
People are constantly asking me how the baby is and if pregnancy is making me tired. I sometimes feel like screaming that I don't know about pregnancy but checking my sugars day and night plus all the midnight walks to try and bring my sugars down are downright exhausting!!!! Anymore else ever in that boat?
Anyway love to all especially Ali B... Sorry to hear that things have been so tough for you and your family xx.
Alison, I'm crossing my fingers for you
and congratulations on your pregnancy Alexy :)

by **alexy** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:45 am

Ali B - I'll be delivering at Frances Perry again, I had a positive experience there last time (private room with a double bed wasn't too bad!!) but most importantly they didn't intervene too much with my diabetes, they let me just get on with it, in fact I was surprised how relaxed they were about it!
My endo also told me to have a bit of a 'diabetes holiday' in those early days as my focus was on my newborn, so I didn't worry too much about the odd high number. So sorry to hear you have had such a tough time of late, I'm sure your new arrival will bring a lot of warmth and happiness into your family.

What I really struggled with was breastfeeding and the affect on my BSLs, my goodness it sent my BSLs sooooo low! I hardly had any insulin while I was feeding in those first couple of months. This time around I'll make sure I have plenty of snacks while I breastfeed to keep my sugars stable, that really took me by surprise!
Frances Perry has a really good breastfeeding room, I spent most days in there, I found it really useful and it helped me to get used too it.

by **stephiegab** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:00 am

So good to see some action on this thread! Thank you to those who replied to my initial freak out, and put my mind at ease.
I'm at work and can't reply properly at the moment.

However, I was wondering how many bg tests per day all the pregnant women are currently doing?
I'm averaging on 15, which my DE said is way too many, and told me no more than 8-10? Which to me seems unavoidable at times? Getting lots of really good readings, still a hypo a day, which results in a reading between 8-10 each day as well. It's just very hard to get right.

by **alexy** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:18 pm

OH steph, I totally understand, it's so hard to get right!

I'm having a really tough time at the moment, saw my Endo yesterday who gave my recent HBA1C results, which were taken while I was 4 weeks pregnant (but didn't know I was pregnant at this stage) at they were 7.1.... Not great at all, I was quite upset about that. Normally I'm get about 6.3... Anyway, since I found out I was pregnant 3 weeks ago (currently now 7 weeks) I have been working overtime getting my BSLs right. However this has come at a cost as I'm having WAY too many lows, so much so that my Endo is now warning me that low BSLs can also effect the baby, errghh! You can't win can you! Certainly feeling burn-out already and hasn't even been that long.
Luckily I haven't had any serious hypos or passed out and I've managed to always treat my lows in a timely manner, but they have been very low, I have had several 1.5's etc..scary.

Like I said in my previous post, last time I was pregnant I really became too obsessed which led to a lot of stress and I can already see myself going back down that path, it's not easy is it?

As for testing, I test 8-9 times a day max, I'm just following my Endo's advice but everyone is different. Which means testing before main meals and 2 hours after main meals, and I set my alarm at 2am and test at night. I know the overnight one might be a bit over the top but I found it helps me stay on track and pick up any potential lows.
Plus as I get bigger I'll being doing more trips to the loo at night so doing a quick test isn't such a big deal as I'm already awake!

Hope you are progressing well. Nice to know we're all in the same boat!
Keep us updated x

by **Susie** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 2:58 am

Hi!

I just wanted to say I'm lurking on this post as I find it really inspiring to see how other women cope with T1 and pregnancy - I'm in the pre-TTC phase (so ridiculous that even has to be a thing but that's diabetes for you - planning!) so just looking for advice at this stage. I started a separate thread looking for any inspiration to get into the magic under 7.0 HbA1c zone.

Hope you're all well

Susie x

by **yapskin** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:19 pm

Hi Gals

How is everyone going? Hope all of the bubs are cooking away nicely :)
No luck for us in our first month ttc (that would have been too good to be true!) so just trying to stay healthy and be patient. Did everyone else find the 2ww excruciating?!

I did 1 week of CGMS recently (first time) and it was VERY interesting. I was sitting at about between 2.0-3.0 for hours overnight without realising, little bit scary! But throughout the day I wasn't doing too badly. I started seeing a new endo who specialises in T1 pregnancy. She freaked out a bit at the overnight levels and completely changed all of my rates. Unfortunately it's thrown my whole day out of whack so I feel like I'm starting all over again trying to get my levels stable.. It's a bit frustrating but I guess it's worth it to get the overnight issues resolved. I'm hoping I can get everything back to normal so we can try again in a couple of weeks.
I feel like it would be rude of me to disagree with the endo's changes, has anybody else been in this position? Should I have spoken up if I didn't think they sounded right? I just didn't want to offend her at the first appointment! Ha

Susie, welcome! Sounds like we're in a similar boat. When do you plan on ttc? It's good that you're already starting to plan, I wish I had done it earlier but I do better under pressure ;) Over the last couple of years my HbA1c's have been about 6.4-7.8 so I didn't have too far to go but definitely needed to make some changes. These are some of the things that work for me:
* Eliminate alcohol completely (also makes the weight fall off!)
* Eliminate treats - or only have them very occasionally. If I feel like something naughty I tend to go the salty chip route rather than chocolate as it doesn't make me spike as much. I try to make fruit and yoghurt into my "treat" - sad right!!
* I eat smaller meals but more regularly and bolus for everything
* My endo said I should always bolus 15 mins before meals.. I could be better at this!
* I did go low-ish carb for a while, but trying to move away from this now we're ttc
* Go walking - At least 1/2 to 1 hour of brisk walking every day helps keep my BSL's stable
* I think the biggest motivation for me is the hope of having a healthy baby and the fear of me doing something to risk that. Sorry, bit heavy at the end there :)
Hope some of these help! Let me know how you go.

Have a great week everyone!
Alison

by **Susie** » Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:40 am

Thanks Alison! It is really helpful to see someone list out the efforts they have made to lower their HbA1c. I had made an attempt in the past week to do that myself although I am yet to put many of them in practice and a few of your suggestions I had not yet considered (like giving up alcohol - didn't want to do that til i had to!)

Good luck with your next 2ww! I'm in this position as my D team is not comfortable with me actively trying until the sugar levels are a little more stable and we are not quite ready ourselves. My HbA1c hasn't been under 7.5 in years (although it also has only been over 8 once or twice in that time so relatively stable within that range). Hoping by the end of the year to have reduced into a safer range and proven I can maintain more consistent levels with fewer spikes.

As for all the testing etc being a full time job I genuinely wonder how people maintain close control of their diabetes while working full time it seems incredibly difficult! I am temporarily not working so have much more time to focus on it (and better prepare food) but in my real day job I found it very hard to spend enough time taking care of it.

Got out and active cycling, walking and having a hit of tennis this weekend which is always good for the sugar levels. Hope you had a lovely weekend too!

by **yapskin** » Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:07 pm

Haha yeah I was avoiding giving up alcohol too, but I have to admit it's been easier than I thought it would be. I've been been on the wagon for over 2 months now and I feel SO much better for it. Better levels, more energy and so nice to wake up without a hangover on a weekend ;) I find the whole social aspect of it a bit difficult, but getting used to it. And dealing with all the pregnancy whispers because you're not drinking! People are such gossip-mongers :)

Glad the suggestions were helpful. Hope you can get everything stable soon so you can start trying! Exciting!!
I did forget one of the main changes I made... testing after meals! I was really bad at doing this, but my DE said I really needed to start. I pretty much eat every 2 hours anyway so it's just a rolling test before and after meals. It's a great way to see if your insulin to carb ratio is right, and allows you to correct straight away if you are a little high. I test 2 hours after meals, but some people say 3 hours.. I think either way is fine, depends how often you're eating I guess. This will give your D team extra data to make better changes for you as well.

All the testing/eating/appointments is definitely a full time job, I'm lucky that people at work are really supportive and understanding. I used to work really long hours and career was always important for me (over my D anyway!), but since we've started trying I've really had to change my priorities. I always have my glucometer on my desk so when it buzz's for my 2 hour tests I can't ignore it. I'm working more reasonable hours now so I can go home, have a proper dinner and prepare my meals for the next day. I find my levels are easier to control if I bring my lunch from home rather than buying. My dietician said I'd find it easier to manage my rates if I stick to similar meals, so I tend to alternate between a small tub of soup or a bread roll with meat/salad for lunch. It can get a bit boring, but it decreases the risk of mis-calculating carbs and just makes life easier. Lucky you having time off from working! Did I read on another thread that you're in the UK at the moment?

Happy Monday everyone!
A

by **alexy** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:34 am

Hi All,

Hope everyone is doing well, both TTC'ers and those who are waiting for little bubs to arrive.

I'm nearly 11 weeks now, just got back from seeing my ENDO who said my Hba1c is down to 6.7 (from 7.1 when we conceived!) which I was really happy about but I still have a bit more work to do. She says she wants me sitting at 6-6.5 ...interestingly she also said she doesn't want me lower than 6 as it would be too risky with hypos - last pregnancy I had I experienced way too many hypos.

Anyway so the hard work is paying off but I still need to push a little harder.

I'm thinking of trying one of those CGM systems for a week or two to see if I can discover anything new... however I was a bit shocked at how expensive they are!!!
My Endo says they sometimes have 'special deals' on so I suppose I'll just keep an eye out.

x

by **Catapult** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:49 am

Alexy> Medtronc and Animas both offer cgms trials via my DE. Others here have trialled them too, in different cities. You may qualify. You could trial one of each, even if you opt not to buy at the end of the trial.

Your DE or clinic may also offer cgms to pregnant women, on a partially funded basis. Eg you only pay for the sensor, and get to use the transmitter and receiver for free.

It's worth enquiring. I agree the cost is prohibitive, I certainly can't afford it.

Cat.

by **yapskin** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:24 am

Congrats on your HbA1c Alexy! Sounds like the hard work is paying off :) It's so difficult to strike that balance between getting a HbA1c of 6 but not hypo'ing all the time!! They make it sound so easy...

I did my week of CGMS through Medtronic, set up by my DE/clinic as well. I'm not even on a Medtronic pump. They're really trying to get people to move over to their new 640g pump, so I think they're keen to showcase the CGMS functionality. If you can get the contact details of your local Medtronic rep I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out. The girls in Sydney were AMAZING. I'm tempted to move over to Medtronic now, so it worked ;)

by **alexy** » Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:54 pm

Many thanks guys - I've just checked out the Medtronic website and they have a few deals on which look promising.

I don't actually see a DE (shock!) I never have, because I tend to see my Endo every 2-3 months... she keeps me on a tight string!!
Maybe I should link-in with a DE ..especially if they have the sweet deals, ha!

Thanks again for your help and suggestions :)

Hope everyone is doing well x

by **abs** » Thu Aug 20, 2015 11:03 am

Alexy, the costing of CGMS that most people see is based on raw item cost, replaced at the time the warranty is up.

The Medtronic sensors are not well known for lasting much longer than the 6 days (and the transmitter needs to be recharged every 6-7 days anyway)

I've been using the Dexcom now just on 12 months. Got a deal on start up that saved about 1/3rd, and since have only bought another 2 boxes of sensors. The boxes used to be 5's but are now 4. So bought 14, and had a couple replaced. The original transmitter lasted 11.5 months vs the warranty of 6 months. Fortunately for me, I'd just started pumping with the Vibe and they have a special where a new transmitter can be purchased for $20 with a box of sensors (instead of $480/$580 - the higher price is if its your first).

So for my first year, that's about $2.5K of equipment purchased and have 7 spare sensors. The extended life available on the Dexcom sensors (3-4+ weeks) makes them considerably cheaper than the Medtronic

by **alexy** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:06 am

Thanks so much everyone for the advice.
I've requested a demonstration of the Dexcom one, it looks pretty good!
I've got my 12 week scan this week, fingers crossed all is going well.

I hope everyone else is doing well? And lots of luck to the TTC'ers.
x

by **AliB** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 11:44 am

Hi all,

Sorry its been ages since i responded, I've been reading everyone's replies but couldn't for the life of me remember my log in details! i swear this baby ate my brain!

Congrats to everyone who is pregnant and sending so much baby dust to those trying!

I'm not 32 weeks and soooooooooo uncomfortable! i tell you what ladies, this pregnancy is much harder with a toddler in tow! that said, all is going reasonably well. hubby is slightly bigger than gestation but not huge, my hba1c has been great. Insulin resistance hit hard around 27-28 weeks and hasn't eased up much yet.. I'm having sooooo much more insulin than normal its almost comical!

I'm booked in for a c-section on 8 october but i think ill end up having her before then as i had cholestasis last time and apparently there is a 90% chance I'm going to get it again all things considered. so if i get it again they'll deliver earlier.

So yep - getting to the pointy end of the stick now and so excited to meet my little girl in the next 5 or so weeks!

Hope everyone is going well. xx

by **Kateruwoldt** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:58 pm

Hi everyone!

This is my first visit but really nice to read other T1d,s stories! I am currently 24wks and can definatly relate to the ups and downs(excuse the pun). Diagnosed 2.5yrs ago it still feels like a huge learning curve.

Here's what helped me get my hba1c under 6:
- shift some responsibility to your partner i.e. When im half asleep or just too exhausted my partner chris will dial up the needle and jab...or prick my finger....or get up and get me juice....he knows its his baby too.
- take a sick day (even though you think..im fine...when you have been up drinking juice all night, have a rest day before you get really sick)
- DAFNE program. carb count. I eat low carb at work like ali to reduce risk of mis-caculating But dont avoid them, especially with morning sickness when you just NEED to eat salt and vinegar chips. I also try to eat dinner early so there is no bolus acting at bed so i can see clear patterns in the long acting.
- exercise as you can, i have done less than i would like but it makes my insulin super sensitive so 30min of yoga has = 5 juice boxes at night.
-test: on average i do 10-11.like all of you i have hit crazy highs but i just get back on the wagon.

How exciting for us all and keep up the good work for those TTC, its worth the prep! (But allow yourself grumpy/over it days).

My question is: has anyone expressed colostrum prior to the birth to treat bubs if they hypo? My DE recommended i give it a go.

Also wondering if anyone has had experience of a VB as apposed to a CS?

Nice chatting.

Kate :)

by **alexy** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 9:56 am

Hi Katie and welcome!

Sounds like you're doing really well - and I agree it's nice to have a supportive Partner. I have a 3.5 year old, and I'm heavily relying on my husband to tend to her needs at night if she wakes, as Mummy's busy fixing her sugar levels!

I'm so glad you bought up the colostrum issue... I too am also planning to express before delivery.
When I asked about this with my first born it was still a bit 'new' so the midwifes and my OB were not really sure, I was really nervous so I just followed their advice, had the C-Section, and my daughter came out with a BSL of 2.9 (which apparently is reasonably good) even so within a few minutes they suggested I give her some formula just to top-up her sugar levels, which did the trick. I tried to get her on the boob straight after birth but she didn't seem interested at first, but a few days latter that all changed and we were fine breastfeeding. But on reflection I was sorry that I couldn't give her breastmilk/colostrum as her first feed...

Anyway, this time around I've done a lot more reading on the topic, I'm keen to bring in some expressed colostrum into hospital and have that ready as soon as bub comes out. I've also read that T1's can often experience 'milk delay' so expressing right before your due date could be helpful to get things going perhaps?

Where are you delivering bub? I'm planning on being a bit more forceful about my wishes this time so the staff at the hospital understand what I'm planning to do.

by **yapskin** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:18 pm

Welcome Katie! Hope everyone is doing well.
Interesting discussion on the colostrum, I had never thought about that.. One for my list of things to remember!

Sorry to turn this into a ttc forum, but I just wanted to tell someone... I'm probably 10 or 11 dpo and this morning I got a faint positive! It wasn't dark, but a fairly obvious line. Trying not to get too excited but it's more promising than this time last month. I'll test again tomorrow morning and see if it's any darker. AF is due probably Fri or Sat, so fingers crossed she stays away. My BSL's have also been all over the place this week, so that would explain it..
Anyway, just wanted to put it out there so it feels a bit more real :) I feel lighter now. Just need to concentrate on work.. zzzzzzz....

by **alexy** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 9:01 am

Fingers and toes are crossed for you!! Good luck!!!

by **yapskin** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 5:38 pm

Thanks Alexy :) Well, it's official!! Got my results back from the doctor this afternoon. I'm probably 4-5 weeks, due mid-late May. Will find out more at the 7 week dating scan. So excited to join this crazy ride with you all!

by **alexy** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:26 am

YAY!!!! That's such great news, so exciting!!!
You must be so happy!
We had been TTC for 2 years, so when we found out in July I was in such a state of shock, happy shock!
I know it's not easy balancing T1 with pregnancy, but do enjoy this special time, it's just so exciting.

by **Samanthaweston** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 8:03 pm

Hi everyone!

I'm 19 years old and due with my first baby end of November. I have been a type one for 10 years now. Never been on top of it really, my hba1c was 14 when I conceived but have managed to get it down to 8.0 at the moment. I also have a lot of other health problems and this pregnancy has just been hell. I feel so alone, I'm on so many mothers groups but haven't met anybody with type 1 yet. Just want somebody to talk to about stuff that actually understand exactly what I'm going through. What's everyone's experiences with birth, labour etc as a diabetic...? Thanks :)

by **Kateruwoldt** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:53 pm

Hi All, Hope your bumps are growing well!

So colostrum update! Met with my DE (also a midwife). There is a research project running looking at type 1 mums, expressing colostrum prior to the birth to feed baby at birth (as apposed to formula/glucose drip) if baby hypos.
Things there looking at are, does expressing bring on early labour, how much is needed for baby, type 1s ability to breast feed (as we might run abit dry).

Im going to give it a go anyway and my DE advised from 36: her advice (this is not a medical guideline FYi)
- massage boob in down ward motion to release milk from duct
- 1-2 drops is standard! Capture in little sterile syringe and transfer to sterile container in freezer. Add each drop to this.
- take frozen milk into birth, let defrost and syringe to baby! Its tummy is the size of a marble so doesn't need much!
(Im going to get into the lactation cookies too-might not work but i like bickies)

Another topic, has anyone else done 'calm birth'? I did and found it useful especially considering the increased liklihood of intervention, it has given me some strategies to cope with an assisted birth.

Keen to hear feedback re: colostrum and calm birth!

Kate

by **yapskin** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 8:39 pm

Hi Everyone, hope mums and bubs are doing well.
Welcome Samantha. Afraid I can't give any labour insights as this is my first pregnancy, but some of the other ladies may be able to. You're definitely not alone in this!
Kate, thanks for the colostrum update - very interesting! I'm such a newbie I had to google lactation cookies! I'm totally on board.. Who doesn't like biscuits?! :) Also interested to hear about calm birth if anyone has experience. I've already come to terms with the possibility of an assisted birth, but would obviously prefer natural if possible.
We had our dating scan late last week and I'm officially 7 weeks today! Due 24 May. There's only 1 baby in there (phew!), all looks normal and good heart beat. We're very relieved and excited :)

by **KazLouise** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 6:36 pm

Hi everyone. The forum seems a great opportunity to connect with others in the same boat so here I am.
13 weeks pregnant with first baby. 12 week scan showed healthy bub so far and it was such an exciting experience, heart melted!
I have had T1 for about 15 years. Overall control so far has been good with last a1c 6.1. Hope to get under 6 next time but we'll see.
I'm feeling very guilty as hit 18 today, the highest I've hit yet so far in the pregnancy. (have also hit about 16 once in the first trimester along with the expected 9, 10, 11s following lows or when insulin needs adjusting). I am ashamed to say that today's spike is my fault, its not due to insulin resistance - I was at a birthday party and had a heavy carb high GI pub lunch which I should have combo bolused for. Or even better, avoided eating. Have been avoiding eating out mostly due to fear of not being able to stay strong. Feel very guilty but I guess its best to accept I made a poor decision, cop it on the chin and move on. Easier said than done!
Anyone else struggled with this? Is everyone else avoiding eating out or do you proceed and stay strong? Anyone else veering off diet occasionally and if you do what strategies do you put in place? Hope to connect with you all again soon. Thanks for listening/reading!

by **alexy** » Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:52 am

Hi everyone!
Sorry I've been offline for a while, back now. I'm 21 weeks and counting, feeling very heavy and unattractive! Bub is doing well, measuring one week ahead in terms of weight, but that happened with Baby no.1 too and she was fine so I'm not too worried yet.

Kaz - it's hard isn't it! I must admit I do treat myself now an then and take the odd extra dose of insulin if I want to eat some yummy treats! With xmas around the corner and all the parties it's really hard. I too have had the odd 15 or so, but only for a short time as I'm testing a lot, my main focus is to keep steady at nighttime. I'm currently at 6.3 (started pregnancy with 7.1 which wasn't ideal) My endo is happy as long as it's under 6.5, she doesn't want me to drop much below 6 as I tend to hypo a lot in that zone. It's not easy is it!

Hope everyone is well! x

by **KazLouise** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 7:51 am

Hi Alexy, that's great to hear your bub is doing well. When are you due? I'm not feeling heavy yet as I'm only at 13 weeks, just have acquired a decent spare tyre!
Yes definitely re the festive season approaching. Will be challenging but I'm hoping it will be a bit easier now as we are starting to share our news - I know family and friends will be very supportive which I think will be a huge help.
Kate, thanks for sharing about colostrum - I'd be very keen to do this. I wonder how long it takes to collect a decent amount, thinking if its only a couple of drops at a time a fair while but it would be worth it if baby needs it :-)

by **alexy** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:15 am

Looking for some advice please ladies!

I'm 31 weeks, and the plan has always been to deliver at 38 weeks via c-section (same as my first bub, which worked well). My OB just told me that new 'standards' have just come in for any baby being born via c-section at 38 weeks or earlier. They now recommend giving the mother two injections (over two days) of Celestrone steroids to help the baby's lungs mature in time.

However, my OB said that the steroids sends blood sugar levels very high for 5 days and I will need to be very careful, it will increase insulin resistance and is basically not fun for Type 1s...

I'm already experiencing insulin resistance and finding it a struggle already..

He's asked me to consider it, as clearly I don't want to have very high BSLs right before delivery as that could have a major impact on baby's BSLs when born, but then again I want the best start for bubs, which means healthy lungs.

I'm seeing my Endo next week for her input too..

Has anyone taken Celestrone as part of a pregnancy, I'd really love to hear your experiences and how it affected your BSLs?

Hope everyone is really well! x

by **yapskin** » Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:48 pm

Hi Ladies, how is everyone doing?

Must be getting close for you now Alexy!! What did you end up deciding about the Celestrone? Have been meaning to ask my OB about it, no one has mentioned anything so far.

I'm 25 weeks now and feeling good. Xmas and New Year probably wasn't my finest hour diabetes-wise, but I'm back on the wagon and things are relatively stable, for now anyway! Had our first growth scan last week and the baby is looking decidedly average in terms of weight and size, so that's good :)

Kaz, when are you due? You must be a couple of weeks ahead of me?

Hope everyone is well xx

by **Julie** » Mon Feb 15, 2016 11:37 am

Hi Alexy,

If it's not too late I just wanted to tell you about my experience with the steroids. I delivered my baby at 37.5 weeks and they mentioned the injection. I had delivered my other two at 39 and 38 weeks so no-one had ever suggested it before. I was a bit nervous but because my ob had recommended it, I went ahead. I had it about a week (from memory) prior and kept a very close watch on my sugars. They did go up but I was told day 1 and 2 were probably the only days to watch closely. Sure enough they were high, nothing too major, and I just tested lots, corrected and set a temp basal of 200%. They came back down to normal levels fairly quickly and it was all over in a few days. It was no big deal at all and I was much more worried than needed to be. Good luck, by now you may well have already had it.

by **Susie** » Sun May 22, 2016 6:38 am

Hi girls!

I hope everyone is well and your bumps are coming along happily or your little bubs are well.

Thanks for all of your advice last year. I've been working hard with the pre-pregnancy team at my local hospital, and also began self funding a CGM in November last year (switched to the Animas Vibe for this reason) and I'm excited to say, almost unexpectedly my most recent HbA1c came back as 6.9! My lowest in many many years. I've been aiming to get it under 7.0 so now the challenge is to keep it there or get even lower. I was certainly doing a happy dance on Friday when I found out. As you may have guessed from earlier posts I honestly believed I'd never get there. I'm even afraid just typing this will mean it's gone up by my next appointment.

That said I now know I can do it and am ready to take the next steps towards TTC. Have been on the increased folate for about 6 months already (after initial reductions in A1c) and reduced alcohol but figure now it will have to go completely and probably time to stop the pill.

I'm curious whether anyone found stopping the pill resulted in hormonal sugar level fluctuations of was it not much different to the usual monthly fluctuations?

Any other recommendations for changes you made? (Obviously will talk to my healthcare team but I always appreciate the advice on here).

Thanks!

by **yapskin** » Tue May 31, 2016 11:48 pm

Congrats Susie! That's amazing news and very exciting :) All of your hard work is paying off. Once you officially start TTC you'll have the extra motivation to keep it going and I'm sure your HbA1c will drop even further! I don't recall any BSL impacts when I came off the pill, but I guess everyone is different.

Apart from the changes I listed a while back, one of the main things I would suggest is keeping a BSL & food diary. My endo used to get me to do it sporadically, but about half way through my pregnancy I started doing it every day. I would email my pump data and the corresponding diaries to my doctor once a week and she would come back to me with changes. Just the act of writing everything down made it so much clearer where changes were needed and knowing that my endo & dietician would be looking at what I was eating motivated me to be well behaved :) Your diabetes team would probably have something similar, but I'd be happy to email you my template if you want it.

Our beautiful little boy, Atticus, arrived on 9th May at 4:05am. He was 3.3kg and 48cm long. I was induced at 38 weeks and it went as smoothly as I ever could have hoped. I was able to have a natural labour with just a whole heap of gas :) Our midwife was fantastic, she was happy for me to wear my pump the whole time and my husband did a great job testing my BSL's every hour or so. We got lots of time for skin on skin in the delivery suite as well, which I was relieved about. His blood sugar was 3.3 after birth which was great (I think anything >2.5 is considered normal for our bubs). He did go to the NICU for a few hours in the afternoon so they could monitor his BSL's, but there were no dramas and he was back in my room that evening. He had a few issues latching for the first couple of days so we were hand expressing colostrum and topping him up with a little bit of formula to keep his sugar levels up. But once my milk came in he started feeding like a champ. Now 3 weeks in and we're loving every minute with our baby boy :D

by **Susie** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 6:46 am

Thanks Alison! Welcome to little Atticus, what wonderful news :) I hope he is doing well and you are settling in to newborn life. My sister in law just had her first in May as well, I'm a little daunted watching her as she settles in, I hope the diabetes is taking a back seat so you can focus on Atticus. And I'm glad to hear your induction went well, I have a bit of a fear of them - I think I've watched too much One Born Every Minute!

I'm glad you mentioned a food diary, i think it is the next step that I need to take. It just never seems the right time. Since my last appointment with the team where I suggested a food diary, I've been sick (so first high and subsequently weirdly low due to stomach issues) and then that time of the month (so low)... now two weeks later I've done 2 days of a diary... So might need to revisit that idea tomorrow.

Hopefully I'll be back here again soon :)

by **DiaMegs** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 5:37 pm

Hi All,

I have been Type 1 for nearly 20 years, based in NSW and finally taking the steps towards pregnancy.

To all of you who have posted your stories, you are amazing! There has been no better therapy than hearing from other type 1s and their pregnancy stories. I am petrified of what this journey will involve, but hearing about your journey has made it so much easier. Whilst I haven't been pregnant before, knowing that you don't have to be 'perfect' 100% of the time to have a successful pregnancy, has really eased the burden.

My most recent hbA1C was 7.6%, and I have been trying so hard to keep my BSLs down, however it has come at the cost of nearly 20 hypos per week. I have no choice but to get a CGM... this is a huge financial burden, but i feel the risks that come with to many highs OR lows is too great. I was devastated when I heard that the government chose not to subsidise these for Type 1s. Whilst i have the best care, a meal plan, my insulin pump, I test 10-15 times a day, and I control every element of my diabetes that I can, we still have increased risks that are beyond our control.

I am wondering if there are any pregnant type 1's OR those thinking about pregnancy soon, that feel passionate about this? Would you use a CGM if it was available for the duration of the pregnancy? Would a CGM have allowed you to keep lower levels and further reduced the risk of complications? Did you have to be admitted to hospital during your pregnancy due to diabetes?

I am not sure how we can join forces to put our case forward, but if you are interested in putting some pressure on the Aust. government to include women with type 1 diabetes on the list for the CGM subsidy, I have also created a new post under "Type 1 Diabetes and pregnancy - Trying to subsidise CGMs".

Hope to hear from you and about your stories!! All the best to those of you who are expecting or have been through pregnancies with type 1... I hope to be back here one day soon with my own good news. :-)

by **yapskin** » Wed Sep 27, 2017 11:14 pm

Hi Everyone

Thought I'd kick this thread off again if anyone is interested?

I've been type 1 for almost 20 years and had my first baby last May. We're thinking about trying for baby #2 later this year so I'm working really hard to get my hba1c down a bit (currently 7%) in preparation. Managing my diabetes throughout my first pregnancy was like a full-time job in itself, I'm a bit worried how I'm going to manage it all with a toddler as well. Any second or third time mums have any advice? I guess I know what to expect this time so it might be a little easier...

I'm considering getting the Dexcom G5 CGMS to help take some of the stress out of it. Has anyone got one? Any feedback?

Hope to hear from you guys soon :)
Alison

by **shadowlandr** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:16 pm

Hi Alison,
I'm nowhere near the "having kids" phase of life, but I CAN highly recommend the Dexcom CGMS-- I just got one this past August, and I honestly can't figure out how I ever survived without it. I wear my little screen on a lanyard around my neck, and have the part that sticks in you somewhere on my abdomen (you know, I stick it into me much the same way that I do my pump), and that way, if I am ever in a situation where I want to know what my levels are, I've got the thing hanging around my neck, and can easily just look at the screen and decide immediately whether I want to indulge in whatever piece of yumminess I see before me. I only have to move the thing that sticks in me every three days, so I just move both the CGM-sticky-thing and the pump on the same day, and life continues on just fine and dandy. I now wonder how in the world did I ever survive on only finger-stabs and shots-- having a CGM and a pump makes life with diabetesSO much easier. It really gives you complete control over your health-- I can't even imagine living on only finger-stabs and shots again. I've had D for 25 years this year, and with the technology I have now, I feel like I can easily survive at least ten years more, although I hope that by then they might have figured out a way to cure T1D.
Here's hoping!
Becky =) †

by **yapskin** » Wed Oct 11, 2017 3:32 pm

Thanks Becky, what a great review! You've made me want to order one immediately :D
I felt the same way when I got my pump 5 years ago, couldn't believe I hadn't done it sooner!
Can I ask a few more questions?
- I thought the sensors lasted a week but you said 3 days - is that because your skin gets sensitive or does the quality of the data start to deteriorate?
- The cost of replacing the transmitter every 3 months is quite high - how do you find the financial burden of it all? Does it definitely need to be replaced every 3 months or does it extend longer and it's just the warranty that is 3 months? Bit confused around this one...
- It sounds like you've got the "receiver" (that you hang around your neck) - did you consider just using your mobile phone for viewing/tracking? Do you use your phone as well as the receiver and if so, how do you find that? I'm considering not getting the receiver and just using my phone.
Thanks again!

by **shadowlandr** » Thu Dec 07, 2017 4:15 pm

Yeah, the only thing I can say about how long I let mine stay in is that I have REAllY sensitive skin-- on me, an ordinary mosquito bite turns into a big ol' red itchy welt that lasts 10 days or more; I raised this point with the doctors, and they all said that the only way I can deal with the sensitivity issue is to change sites fairly frequently, before my immune system goes nuts and begins attacking the CGM site. I also can only leave my pump sites in for 2 days, rather than the magical three. It kinda sucks, but that's what I get, I suppose-- my hyperactive immune system was also the reason I got T1D. I figured that if the MDs at the medical school the next town over ever needed a test subject for their experiments, they can call me anytime.
Becky =) †

by **yapskin** » Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:52 am

Ouch!! That sounds really tough Becky :(
Thanks for your advice on the Dexcom, I ended up getting the G5 a couple of months ago and I LOVE it!!! It's like my pump, I don't know how I lived without it before now! I probably check it about a zillion times a day haha, it's quite addictive. If anyone else is considering getting one, I would highly recommend it. I didn't get the receiver, I just use it on my iPhone.

Turned out to be good timing because we just fell pregnant with baby #2! Very very early days so hopefully all goes well at the dating scan. Anyone else on here expecting? Would love to share experiences and advice again :)

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