[ssj]

Hi Everyone,

Just popping back in to let you know that Jed (Jedidiah) Thomas was born safely on Monday morning. He weighed 3.55 kg and was 50.5cm long. My daughters were 4.3kg and 4.2kg, so to my eyes he looks particularly little, even though I know he's pretty average. :-)

The operation was long, partly b/c of the dense scar tissue from my previous 2 c/s's, but also b/c there were about 16 people there. It seemed like everyone was training someone else - the anaesthetist, the ob, the theatre nurse, the midwife, they all had at least one other junior with them, plus some random med students. We felt very popular. I know my other 2 babies were born by emergency c/s, so I was expecting it to take longer, but even so, the time of birth was listed as 11:35 and they were still closing me at 12:30.

His sugars were a little low, so they were keen for me to feed him every 3 hours, which was easier said than done b/c he was pretty sleepy. We actually had some really low readings, but they repeated the test up in special care with a more accurate machine, and got better results. So I had him with me the whole time, which was lovely. I actually spent more time with him with either of my other two. I slept in a half sitting position in the reclining bed, and him propped on pillows, facing me so I could feed using the football hold, and then we would both fall asleep like that - just lovely! With caesers, I always felt I couldn't be with them as much as I'd like b/c I had to rely on someone else to pass them to me, change nappies, first bath etc. So Jed and I had a just lovely time. He is beautiful, with lovely skin - those pretty c/s babies!

Thanks so much for all the advice and support, and good luck to the rest of you! It's totally worth it in the end. I enjoyed some dark choc Kit Kat in hospital, but not nearly as much as I would have normally consumed. And my portions haven't reverted to pre GD sizes either, so I'm hoping I can be generally healthier from now on. Good luck to you all!

[MickeyBoo]

CONGRATS SSJ! So glad to hear that everything went well and little Jed made it here safely!!

It sounds like you're both doing well and I'm glad that his sugars came good for you, I remember my last bub was really sleepy too. I hope you have a good recovery over the next few weeks, take things easy!

Mic

[PleaseBeAdvised]

CONGRATULATIONS SSJ!

Thanks for taking the time to pop in and remind us GD ladies of the amazing outcome at the end of this journey.

Enjoy!

[PleaseBeAdvised]

The perils of baby brain!

Merrily driving to yoga this morning when I stop at the lights and realise I had just injected my evening (18 unit of lantus) rather than morning (8 units of lantus) dose of insulin.

Woops!

Cue frantic drive home and call to midwife, followed by 2 hours of sitting on the couch waiting for hypo symptoms which never really came. I was very tired so had a few jellybeans before lunch, which definitely perked me up!

I never made it to yoga

Let this be a lesson to me to concentrate when injecting myself with what could be quite dangerous drugs. Will never inject without thinking again!

[Chelara]

Congrats ssj, I am happy to hear he stayed with you the whole time... Looks like I won't get that wish due to stupid hospital policy.

Ciara that sounds sCary, not that I know anything about insulin but I thought overdosing is very dangerous ie lethal if you're not careful. I'm glad you were ok.

I was doing really well with my readings but had 1 high one after dinner this week of 8.4 I think it was and two fasting levels of 5.6.i hope these won't be cause to start me on insulin.

I just want to get through this pregnancy without the threat of induction or Caesar if I ca help it. I am getting less and less confident and feeling more controlled. Im not sure of my chances of achieving a vbac, will talk to Ob In just over a week but I am guessing I have less than the 80 % chance e gave me last time.

How many ladies get to go overdue with gd? Is there much chance at all of avoiding induction? I cannot have the synto drip and went spontaneously into labour last time, dd was born at 41 weeks by Caesar after a very long synto labour.

[surprizzzed]

Congratulations ssj! Sounds wonderful!

Can anyone tell me what bsl's they're looking for in newborns?

[MickeyBoo]

Very Lucky Chiara! That's my #1 fear that I will go to do my overnight insulin and do my before meals insulin instead, the injectors look completely different which helps, but I still have to make myself wake up and think about what I'm doing!

Chelara Can you identify what was in the meal that may have made you go over so far? If it was too much of one thing, or a different type of carb then you know to avoid it etc, with my Dr's they take each meal and morning reading as separate information, so three high readings in a week after one particular meal will mean the increase of my dosage, but three spread out over different times during a week won't see any change. Your morning readings are more hormonally based so if you are getting higher readings there and normal readings throughout the day it's likely that its your hormones pushing your levels up which you can't do a lot about.

As for going over, all I know is what my own hospital tells me. If you are insulin dependant you will be induced around 38weeks. Depending on bubs size and placental function you may be able to push it to 37 weeks (if things aren't looking good) or 39 weeks if things are fine. It's important to remember that insulin breaks the placenta down more quickly over time, so the risk of problems increases the longer you are on insulin and the dosage, and the longer you wait to give birth. I do know of people who managed to avoid insulin to the last 4 weeks and were allowed to go over term etc Its really not one size fits all. If you are on metformin they let you go over dates or to term depending on size of bub, and if you are diet controlled they let you go naturally but that totally depends on bubs size and wellbeing.

I have been on insulin since the first trimester with all three of my last pregnancies and have been induced at 38 weeks with the gels overnight, and then breaking my waters, they gave me an hour for things to start on their own after my waters were broken and then they started the drip, so it doesn't have to be all rushed in there at once and you may be able to negotiate and come to a compromise. Stand your ground and tell them what you want and make sure they give clear reasons as to why they can't if they say no.

surprizzzed They changed the levels that they wanted with my last baby, with #3 they wanted over 2.5, and with #4 they wanted over 3.0. It was very frustrating as bub got three 2.9's in a row and they refused to clear him. You'd have to check your own hospitals policies as to what they required though.

Update on me Everything seems to be going well, my weight has stopped going up and I am sitting at about a 3.5-4kg gain so far at 30weeks which I am really happy with! My insulin has been bumped up to 16 units overnight and 6 after lunch and dinner. I had a really wacky week last week and had levels all over the place, but they seem to have settled back down this week which is a relief. I go for my first sizing and wellbeing scan on Thursday and I am crossing everything that she is an average size and head down, I'm a bit worried about excess fluid again too.

[PleaseBeAdvised]

MickeyBoo All the best for your U/S this week. I have my first "wellbeing" on Friday and am super excited to see my little boy again. I am another who is hoping bub is head down and doing well.

Things are really ramping up for me in terms of "decision making" around the birth...although how much this has to do with me, and how much input I have, I really have no idea. Chelara with reference to induction (although MickeyBoo has much more experience than me!) my midwife has told me to expect this at 38 weeks, however, when my case was reviewed by the consulting obstetrician (who I am meeting after the ultrasound) he indicated I can probably wait until 40 weeks TBH I am not confident they will allow me to go to 40 weeks, considering my insulin dose (18 pm 8 am) and the fact this has been steadily increasing since my diagnosis.

Ideally I would love to be given the green light for 40 weeks and have bub come early Once I get the go ahead the little man is engaged and with midwife ok, I will be starting on every natural induction method I know !

Hope everything is well with you all.

ETA I put 2kg on this week
Completely out of the blue, was putting on approx 500g every week prior to this. A first and frankly shocking gain!
Endo was not concerned when I saw them today.
So that makes a total of 14kg gain (61kg > 75kg) with 7 weeks to go! No wonder I am so tired.

This post has been edited by ChiaraB: 26/03/2012, 08:29 PM

[Chelara]

Thank you Chiara and mickeyboo.

I called my educator this morning, she was happy with my readings so I am relieved to hav successfully made it through this first week.

The clinic I am attending don't do metformin so it is insulin or diet. I want a vbac so am really hoping to stay off the insulin. My dd came a week late so I think this one might be late too but who knows. They won't give me the drip so that really lowers my chances if a successful vbac.

On a better note I feel a hell of a lot better following this diet, more energy, less moody. I am not finding it too restrictive, rather embracing the change and using the motivation to keep myself a little healthier intead of gorging on sugar every afternoon.

I am 31+ weeks now so hope I can keep this up.

Enjoy your scans Chiara and mickeyboo, hope it is looking good for you both.

[PleaseBeAdvised]

Great news Chelara! I hope for your sake diet and exercise can keep it under control.

On the topic of exercise, I was interested to know what you guys have been advised in that regard. My diabetes educator advised 45 minutes per day of moderate exercise, which does not include yoga (yoga would be in addition to 45 minute). Endocronologist advised between 20-30 minutes of "muscle intensive" exercise ie swimming or "walking with arms moving".

At the moment I aim for 45 minutes per day, sometimes in a block and sometimes in total (ie 45 minutes of incidental exercise). 45 minutes in a block is either swimming or walking. Incidental is walking. Yoga is once a week and in addition to the 45 minutes.

What advice have you guys obtained?