GD and insulin

[Kayda's Mom]

This past week has been hell. I was diagnosed with GD on Monday. Watched my diet and tested my blood 4x/day. Saw a diabetes doctor on Thursday and have been angry and upset since.
Even though I have been watching my diet they said I am not eating enough and have given me the weekend to eat more which will bring up my blood sugar.
They are prepared to start me on insulin on Monday.
If I am on insulin I cannot have a home birth. My MW has to transfer care to an OB.
The nurse at the clinic told me that pretty much all women with GD have to be induced so that the baby doesn't stay in for too long and get big etc. If I am controlling my diet and taking insulin why would the baby still get big?
So now I am throwing up sick with anxiety, having nightmares etc. about having a big medicalized birth. The thought of a hospital scares the crap out of me and the thought of laying in a bed with an IV is terrifying. I do not want strangers touching me or my baby. I do not want strangers sticking their hand up inside me. I do not want my labour restricted. I know I cannot push a baby out while laying on my back. I need to be free to walk and to stand with birthing. This is child #3 for me. #1 was born in the hospital and it was a gong show that ended with a forceps delivery and an epidural the size of the missisippi river. It took me forever to recover and with a newborn that was very hard.
I am not only worried about all these medical procedures being done to me but also the recovery. There are only two hospitals where I live that deliver and the hopes of getting a private post partum room are very slim. That means my husband wouldn't be able to stay with me and I would have to deal with a room mate or room mates depending on the hospital. I know I won't get any rest...how could anybody with 2-4 newborns in a room with you? Plus other people's families?
DH and I have been fighting since yesterday over a lot of this. He doesn't get it and says that I am selfish. He is worried about our baby being big, having diabetes, and having a shoulder problem. Why would that happen if my diabetes is controlled, monitored, etc.? I am doing everything I can diet wise and I feel like a failure and now maybe a medical experiment.

[umsami]

I've had insulin-required GD for three pregnancies. My first baby, we used insulin.... and he was about 8-1/2 pounds. With the second two, we managed it with glyburide (an alternative)... and they were both over 9-1/2 pounds. Even if you do control your blood sugar, your baby can still be large. But, that doesn't mean that you can't have a vaginal birth.

Two out of three were induced. Second one came on his own... in about 3 hours. (Hurry to get out.)

If your blood sugar levels are high enough to warrant insulin, then I hope you will be meeting with a perinatologist/MFM to help you manage it. You might be able to arrange a deal with your Midwife that if your later term U/S show the baby measuring a normal size, and your MFM signs off on it, you can have a home birth.

Injecting insulin takes some getting used to, but it doesn't hurt. You want to buy the finest gauge (highest number) needles you can. (Same goes for your lancets for your blood glucose meter. Sometimes it pays to buy a separate lancet device if it can take finer gauge lancets. ) Also know that you have to be aware of hypoglycemia... so you'll have to carry some sort of source of sugar with you at all times.

Lots of Moms have plans for a certain type of birth, and end up with a different type. It doesn't mean that it still can't be a great birth experience. You could always arrange to labor at home as long as possible... even in a tub, if you were planning on a water birth. You can at least hire a doula for your hospital birth. You can choose a hospital that is used to non-medicated births.

As for induction, it is almost always YOUR decision. I chose to induce when my babies were 39 weeks, my Bishop score was O.K., and they were measuring well over 9 pounds. My second one didn't need induction. Induction can vary as well... some Moms only need a little bit of pitocin to get going... it doesn't have to be on the entire time. Not everybody requires an epidural, etc.

It's going to be O.K. Give yourself time to grieve the birth you dreamed of... and then plan on making the best of this situation. It's not your fault you got GD... and I know that on MDC there's some debate on the condition. But pretty much even the detractors agree that if your numbers are high enough to require insulin, it should not be ignored.

[Kayda's Mom]

My numbers are decent. I was thinking of asking for another 2 hour test. I fasted for 8 hours before both the 1 hour and 2 hour. I worked until 0230 that morning and up until midnight I ate Christmas garbage like chocolates.
So now I am wondering if I didn't fast enough and I shouldn't have been eating junk/pure sugar for the evening prior.
I can see myself being borderline but I am wondering if I am as bad as the test showed.

As for hospitals...there are only two in my city that deliver and they are both medical birth type places. My first daughter was born in one and I should have stayed home. Instead I got an epidural, forceps, an epiosotomy, a crazy/noisy room mate, and I physically couldn't get in & out of my bed because of the trauma to my body from everything that was done to me. The second day I was there a nurse finally noticed I was having a hard time and put the baby in bed with me and lined the hospital bed with pillows.

[umsami]

You definitely can ask for another test. Although a lot of people say to fast, others recommend eating a high protein breakfast. Also, if you can, walk around during the test.

If you have GD, these things aren't going to matter... KWIM? You'll still have high scores.

If you do end up in the hospital (especially a place like that), try and get a doula if you can (even a student doula). They're so good at helping to advocate for you... and what YOU want. Sometimes, especially if it feels like you're going against what the nurses/OB wants... it's nice to have somebody on your side.

[lifeguard]

I ended up on insulin with my gd. The whole thing was incredibly stressful & I still consider the stress to have been more potentially damaging than the gd.

That said, ds showed NO signs of the gd effecting him even though it took us a long time to get my blood sugar levels under control. I was induced in a hospital but had a very positive, pain-drug-free delivery. I was not confined to the bed, I was not required to have an iv, I was allowed to move around & push how I wanted.

This does not have to mean you can't have a good experience - you just might have to do a little more work in arranging things ahead of time to get what you want.

Gd really did make the end of my pregnancy hell but the delivery was good.

[Kayda's Mom]

I had my GD appt. this morning. No insulin yet. Keep doing what I am doing and I go back next Monday.

You are right...the stress is horrid and not good for me or baby.

[lifeguard]

Good to hear. Try to keep your spirits up.

[Kayda's Mom]

Thanks,

It's good to know the hard work had a payoff. At least I have control over something right now.

Goal is to stay off of insulin. It's sure nice to be monitored closely though...between my MW and the diabetes clinic I feel like I am getting a great level of care.