anyone diagnosed with GD give birth outside of hospital?

[opheliajoy]

I really wanted a birth center water birth... but now it seems I have GD (at 32 weeks) . I didn't consent to the standard glucose test, but due to "risk factors" I consented to monitor with my dh's glucose meter.  My fasting on day one was 189, with 140s throughout the day.  Day 2, am fasting was 181, and two hour after meal was 326!  So, being a good girl (wish I hadn't been now), I called my mw and let them know.  Now I'm scheduled for a three hour test tomorrow, along with meds and conseling.  I assume I will be transfered from the birth center.ARG!  I didn't even believe in GD!

After following a strict initial diet of just meat and veggies, my am fastings have been down to the high side of "normal"- 90, my 1 hrs are running 130-149, and my 2 hrs are 100-110. 

So, not quite there.  So, I don't know what to do.

And, I wonder what my birth will be like.... was anyone allowed a birth center birth?  How about water birth?  At least labored in the water?
 

[msmiranda]

I gave birth outside the hospital, but by that I mean at home.  Some of the CNM practices around here that have birth centers would risk out a GD mama.  Some will care for you if you can control with diet alone, others will keep you on if you can control with diet and glyburide, but NOT if you need insulin.  My homebirth midwife, a CPM, was fine with my demonstrated control of my sugars through diet and exercise ... it sounds like you're very close to achieving control.  But your testing numbers were way higher than mine.  326, wow!  It sounds like you will have to be super super strict with your diet from here on in to stay in range.  It's a good thing you found out about this, as keeping your blood sugar under control can help prevent complications later (not just the "big baby" thing, but also high blood pressure).

If your midwives will keep you on, I don't see any reason why you can't still labor in water or have a water birth if they allow their other patients to do those things.  They may want to monitor your blood sugar during labor, and they may want to check the baby's blood sugar after birth, but that shouldn't prevent you from having a natural birth.  (Can they do these things in the birth center?  Probably, right?)  I would be more worried if they risk you out and send you to an OB -- I chose to give birth at home because I wasn't willing to carry the GD label in an OB practice, it just invites unnecessary interventions unless you have a provider who knows you and will treat you as an individual (i.e., well-controlled GD is VERY different from uncontrolled GD in terms of potential complications, and that should be taken into account but often isn't). 

[3xMama]

I haven't had GD, but I did fail my 1 hr test during my last pregnancy. Afterwards, my MW discussed her practices about it and as long as the GD was controlled, she would continue to be my provider. If it got out of control or became serious, then I would've risked out. Now, this is a HB mw, but I do know that birthing outside of a hospital can happen even with GD.

[MarineWife]

I was diagnosed with GD when I was pg with ds2. I gave birth in a hospital then. When I was pg with ds3 I failed the 1 hour test and refused the 3 hour test. DS3 was born at home. My MW didn't have a problem with it. I did monitor my blood sugars and they were always fine.