Thursday, May 24, 2012

The joys of diabetic pregnancy

There are a lot of things about being a pregnant Type 1 diabetic that make the 9 months a fairly challenging time.  The pregnancy is classified as "high-risk" from the beginning, your blood sugars are monitored almost hourly, and towards the end of the pregnancy there are more visits to various doctors than you can imagine.
This time around, we're doing a few things differently, but for the most part are sticking to the regime as with my previous pregnancy.  I found out that my previous OB-GYN is now only doing GYN (I think, I have yet to confirm this, but she's definitely not doing OB anymore).  When I went to see her, she told me this and I almost cried, but it actually has ended up being a good thing.  When I was pregnant with James I saw the regular OB and the high-risk OB.  This time, the high-risk OB, Dr. Rossiter, has agreed to do my basic pre-natal care as well.  After 32 weeks, I will going to non-stress testing, as well as weekly appointments and being able to combine those is a lovely thing.  After 35 weeks, I will be going twice a week for non-stress testing and so again having one doctor is going to cut down on my visits.  I suppose that assumes I will make it beyond 35 weeks this time, which is definitely a goal.  If we can get to 37 weeks, I will be a happy camper.
I am testing my sugars a lot, which isn't so bad.  Really, I feel like I'm still in the habit of doing it since it wasn't too long ago that I was doing it with James.  Having good control, especially during the first trimester is really what lowers the chances of birth defects.  Even with good control during that time, James has a birth defect (his heart murmur counts as a birth defect, we've been told), so I am trying to be vigilant this time around as well.
For me, its really not so bad, my sugars are under control, I have a handle on what I'm doing and what I need to do to maintain my health, and I'm so excited to be a mommy again!
But here's the kicker -
One of my biggest "issues" with diabetic pregnancy is this - ill informed people wanting to butt in!  Okay, I sound irritable, probably because I am.  But it really gets under my skin when people (co-workers, random strangers, etc.) ask me about what I'm eating or should be eating or should be doing, when really, they have no freakin' idea.  I know people mean well, but are you a board certified endocrinologist?  Did you study to be a perinatalogist?  Have you been living with the disease for 15 years?
I didn't think so.
Okay, I'm done complaining now.  Although I guess my complaint could be used during pregnancy overall - everyone has an opinion.

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