Need positive stories!!

[mkpgoddess]

Anyone successfully have an out-of-hospital birth with gestational diabetes, especially if you had GD with previous pregnancies? We're planning to go with a birth center, but I'm not finding a lot of encouraging information that leads me to think that I'm not going to end up with a hospital birth...

TIA,

Samantha

[Usually Curious]

Is your GD controlled? I've had three great homebirths with GD and will be having another (Lord willing) at the end of the month.

Where are you reading? I've found that more medically minded sites and people have ridiculous things to say about GD. They truly are into scare tactics based on tiny percentabges of complications (though they don't tell you how tiny).

[starrmama]

My homebirth mw had a client last year who had twins at home, even with GD. She controlled it just through diet (was probably pretty strict) and I'm sure she was testing her blood sugar herself at home to keep on top of it. She also had great backup care with a supportive OB. If I were you, I'd be looking for a homebirth midwife who would take you on... what I hear around my town is that if you're not "low risk" you'd not be allowed to give birth at a birth center... Just about anything being "wrong" like GD and you'd not be allowed to birth ouside the hospital.

[mkpgoddess]

Thanks for the responses!!!

Usually Curious - I jumped on the GD diet as soon as I knew that we were actively TTC. I was controlled through diet the first time (dx'd at 28 weeks or so) and my numbers prior to this TTC were a little iffy (fasting number a smidge high, but not over the line). Right now, they're brilliant and I'm going to do everything I possibly can to keep it that way.

starrmama - the birth center is run by homebirth mw's so I'm hoping that they'll be as equally willing to help as a homebirth mw would be. We have our first appt with them on the 5th, but just needing a little hope that they won't laugh us out of the office....

[Usually Curious]

I can't imagine they'd 'laught you out of the office' if your GD is controlled, whether by diet or insulin.

Good luck!

[BtotheG]

I had an amazing homebirth in October after a GD diagnosis, though it wasn't without a bit of drama at first.

My homebirth CNMs have to have OB backup. My original backup OB refused to be the backup after the diagnosis. We found another OB, but that would have meant birthing at the birth center rather than home. That OB also made the call right after the diagnosis (at 28 weeks) that I would need to be induced at 39 weeks in case of a large baby or other problems. After much research, I refused to consent to an automatic induction when there were NO indications of any actual problems. My midwives worked hard to find a third back-up OB - and the homebirth was back on with no pressure to induce as long as I took non-stress tests and everything looked good.

My blood sugars were really well controlled with diet, and I had NO PROBLEMS with the pregnancy. The non-stress tests showed everything was perfect. My blood pressure was great. Baby's heart rate was great. I measured right on target. There was NOTHING to indicate I needed to be induced. I ended up going into labor naturally at 40 weeks and my baby was only 6lbs 4 oz. I believe very strongly that an induction would have been an absolute disaster for me and the babe.

In my experience, controlled GD does not have to interfere with a homebirth. I would also hold strong against any blanket assumptions or calls for intervention made SOLELY because of the GD diagnois, in the absence of any actual problems.