Tips For Coping With Diabetes In Pregnancy
What is Diabetes?
Up until three years ago I had no idea what diabetes was. It didn't affect me or my family. To be honest it just wasn't something I thought about.
Then in 2013 at 20 weeks pregnant a random blood test showed that my blood sugar levels were high.
My GP ordered a glucose tolerance test (basically drinking Lucozade and seeing how the body responds). The result was sky high. I had gestational diabetes. Cue frantic Googling and a bit of a cry. I was told I needed to start injecting insulin before meals straight away. Cue an even bigger cry.
To make matters worse I had to prick my finger up to ten times a day to check my blood sugar reading. I also had to inject insulin into my baby bump four times a day.
Yes, into my baby bump. I hate needles.
Fast forward to today and I have given birth to two girls - Alice has just turned 4 and Lara is 2.
Most of the time gestational diabetes goes away after the pregnancy. In my case (more unusually), I developed Type 1 diabetes. My second pregnancy was classed as 'high risk', which meant a lot of extra appointments and scans. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition - my body has just stopped producing insulin. It's nothing to do with too much sugar or a bad diet; it's just bad luck.
When it comes to gestational diabetes and to those who have been told they have it, here are a few things that I found helpful:
See a dietitian. Ask for a one-on-one appointment and start keeping a food diary. I quickly realised carbs were my big problem as they break down into sugars. You shouldn't cut them out completely but you need to go easy and pick the right ones for you.
Test your blood sugar regularly. This gives you a clear picture of how your body is responding to different foods.
I hate needles. If you end up needing to inject insulin, it can be horrible at first but you quickly get used to it. Injecting into your stomach gets the insulin into your system faster. If you are struggling to inject, ask your GP for the smallest needle possible - I use a tiny 4mm needle and barely feel it now.
Understand that it's nothing you have done. You don't have gestational diabetes from eating too much sugar. That's not how diabetes works. It's just one of those things and most of the time it disappears when the baby is born.
Don't feel alone. Encourage your other half, family and friends to understand more about the condition - Diabetes UK www.diabetes.org.uk has lots of helpful tips and advice.
Eating out - I always try to look at the menu in advance and work out my carb options. Some restaurants like Pizza Express and Nando's include the carb values on their website which saves a lot of time and stress.
Always have a hypo kit with you. If your blood sugar goes too low (Under 4mmol/l) you are having a hypo. For me, this usually means feeling shaky and confused. I treat hypos with a small coke, wait 15 minutes and then test my blood sugar again.
Become your own expert. When pregnant (both times), I found some doctors and nurses were really clued up about diabetes, others (albeit very few) sort of shrugged it off. I decided I was going to understand as much as I could about it, so that if a medical decision was to be made, I could be part of the process.
There's no doubt about it - diabetes is a pain to live with (in pregnancy or long term). It's manageable but there are good days and frustrating days. It's a full time job but what I have found is the more you understand about it and how your body works the better you will be at coping and making decisions. There are lots of people out there to help and make the rocky road of diabetes a little bit smoother.
10 things having Type 1 diabetes has taught me
There’s a lot I can tell you about Type 1 diabetes.
For starters it's 24/7 and yes, I can still eat chocolate.
It's a total pain having to know your blood sugar ALL THE TIME.
Before I reach for something in the fridge I need to know what my blood sugar level is and that means doing a finger prick blood test.
I can sometimes be found in the kitchen at 3am drinking Coca-Cola to stop a hypo (low blood sugar). That can be pretty disruptive too.
But I don’t want this post to be doom and gloom. Ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14th, I wanted to sit back and reflect on my time with Type 1.
It’s a condition that’s changed me in many ways and I’ve put together 10 things I have learned and am grateful for since being diagnosed 2.5 years ago:
1. Health is key - Type 1 is autoimmune so there’s nothing I could have done to prevent it. I now focus on looking after myself with balanced meals and regular walking. Type 1 has definitely made me pay more attention to my body.
2. I CAN have chocolate - Phew... My first thought on being diagnosed was that chocolate was out the window. I can eat chocolate as long as I inject for it though the best bet for me is to eat smaller amounts at a time.
3. I CAN eat out - sounds silly but when I was diagnosed this was a total nightmare, the same with takeaways. I would stress out at the size of portions -how would I know how much insulin to give? Now I look at menus online and in advance and I am upfront with the staff, explain I'm Type 1 and ask about the sizes of portions.
4. Relaxation is really important - massage used to be a luxury, now I see it as a necessity for helping me feel less anxious, relaxed and on top of things. I try to factor in a deep tissue massage every 4-6 weeks.
5. A support network is everything - even a Type 1 diabetic with good control has bad days. Days where you can eat the same food as the day before but for some unknown reason your blood sugars rocket or crash. Having family and friends who you can talk to or offload to is really important. I still don’t know many people with Type 1 but having family who can listen when times are tough is amazing.
6. A good hospital team makes all the difference - a diabetes nurse you can call or email when times are rough, a dietician who can help you make changes to your diet, a consultant who listens and understands. A strong team is crucial.
7. Illness is tough - Flu is rough but for a diabetic it can be dangerous. Sickness bugs can play havoc with blood sugar (I have been in hospital twice needing a drip). I try to keep on top of sleep, eat plenty of fruit and veg and I always have the flu jab as soon as I can when flu season approaches.
8. An online support network - There’s an online network of Type 1 diabetics who help and support each other - I find this particularly on Twitter. There are monthly meet-ups, Twitter chats & Facebook pages you can join. Whilst you can feel like the new kid at school, it doesn’t last long as you gradually get to know others with Type 1.
9. The NHS is amazing - Since being diagnosed in 2015, I have been sent on a diabetes education course DAFNE and been given an insulin pump. This has cost the NHS over £5,000 and I don’t forget for a second how lucky I am to have these things along with the staff who have made it happen.
10. Don’t sweat the small stuff. OK, I do sweat the small stuff sometimes; we all do. But I’ve learned to live my life more, try new hobbies and activities, be grateful for each day and always try to focus on the positives. Type 1 diabetes is part of me now and I need to do my very best to look after myself physically and mentally. Looking for the positives and making the most of every day is crucial - simple as that.
T1 Diabetes - Five ways to wear an insulin pump
This blog post is aimed at insulin pump users like myself who have struggled to find clothes to wear. I hope this helps with inspiration and ideas!
