I’m almost 30 weeks into pregnancy. Sugars remain mostly good, though I’m now requiring more insulin to keep them level than before.
Baby still seems to be doing well, but he’s getting larger. He was 50th percentile at 20 weeks, then in the 70th percentile at my next ultrasound, and my most recent ultrasound yesterday (on my 37th birthday!) shows him at over 90th percentile, 3 lbs and 13 oz already at 29 weeks.
Well! Still wondering how he got so big. My sugars have been good, so I hope he can still avoid being a large baby at birth. It’s starting to look like he might end up big anyway, though. My husband and I are both normal BMI, so hopefully he won’t have weight issues? I just want him to be healthy. I know big babies are a thing with many T1 mothers, but I was hoping my decent sugars would help prevent that. At least, I hope he can slow down a little as he gets older.
Anyone in this community deal with T1 pregnancy? How did it go? Any long term effects or things of note?
Hello @tingbot , Just in case no one answers your message about pregnancy (and congratulations by the way), I wanted you to know that there is also “Beyond Type 1” diabetes community and some of the regulars there are posting about pregnancy. You can find the community here https://community.beyondtype1.org/ and look up the “Pregnant & T1D” identity. there are many active people there who may offer advice.
I had three live births. The first was premature, but large for a premature baby. The second was born a normal weight, but at 37 weeks, so he was large for his date. The third had her heart slow down at 38 weeks and was induced. Had she gone further, she would have been huge. I just think there is not much you can do about this. But, be careful on the day the baby is born. You will need less insulin than before becoming pregnant. Make sure your specialist prescribes the lower doses immediately. Mine prescribed half my pre-pregnancy dose and that was still way too much. The next day he prescribed 1/3 my pre-pregnancy dose, and that worked. It gradually returned to normal. After my second child was born they asked how much insulin I had taken the day before, which was triple my pre-pregnancy dose, and they were all set to inject that amount. I threatened to walk out of the hospital, telling them that dose would kill me. Fortunately, they listened and called the specialist. Good luck!
33 weeks and 3 days today…and big boy is 5 lbs and 9 oz already! He’s already bigger than his own mommy was at full-term birth (I was 5 lbs and 6 oz)! All other measurements were right around 33 weeks…but he’s still several weeks ahead on abdominal circumference.
Yep, my mom had fairly small babies (she was admittedly a smoker back in the day).
My A1C has actually been as good as it’s ever been (below 6), but it saddens me that because of T1D itself – no matter how well controlled – baby’s abdominal circumference (AC) is well beyond 99th percentile. His poor tummy was so bloated and balloon-like in the ultrasound. His overall weight is somewhat down from my previous month – he went from 90th percentile to 82nd – but the AC went from 97th to beyond 99.
I was looking at some medical articles indicating that even well-controlled type 1 diabetes, like mine, is no guarantee of avoiding macrosomia (large babies). Even our brief highs, immediately corrected, apparently contribute to excess fetal growth over time, especially as pregnancy progresses in the second half. (My sugars have actually IMPROVED in the last couple of months, and they were pretty good to start, but it’s just not enough.)
Health seems otherwise good for me and the little one. His right kidney was slightly dilated, but not by much, so it’s in the lower risk category (7.1 mm; anything below 7 is normal). And due to his growth, I have a slight excess of amniotic fluid, but again, not at levels highly concerning (mild polyhydramnios is 24 to 29.9 cm of AFI; mine is 24.2).
I don’t know anything about this, and really appreciate you sharing, in case my daughter decides to get pregnant someday. So forgive what is probably a dumb question: is abdominal circumference actually body mass, or is it affected by things like fluid retention, so it’s not “fixed” and could still fluctuate? I’m thinking about baby’s proportions, and how that all works.
Thanks! I’m not quite sure why my little guy’s abdominal circumference is so large; I’m going to ask my obstetrician about that tomorrow, because I’m concerned, and I want to know if it can be reduced in some way (beyond having apparently perfect sugars, lol). I do know that estimated fetal weight takes several other measurement proportions into consideration, including head circumference; my little guy is developing normally in all the other measurements, which altogether are thankfully keeping him below the 90th percentile (82nd) for fetal weight this time (despite his abdomen increasing since my last ultrasound). Despite being on the high end, his weight for this stage is considered ‘appropriate’ whereas he was considered ‘large’ for gestational age in November. But I still don’t like to see his abdomen looking so swollen and being on the extreme end of the percentile for what he’s supposed to be at in this stage. That can’t be all that good for him. I just wonder how important that is relative to the rest of his size at this point, so I’ll ask the obstetrician about it tomorrow.
Hello! I had a baby in 2020 aged 40 and have had T1 for over 25years. Like you, I battled to keep my HbA1c below 6 (managed 5.5) but remember waking up several times in the night to check, I was so anxious. It sounds like you’re doing everything you can, and you’ve also managed to get it below 6 - well done. There were hiccups like pump canula kinking and not delivering insulin, trying to navigate the hormonal changes that increase your needs for insulin - all of this will mean that your sugars aren’t perfect, its impossible. My little boy was big - just over 10 pounds at 38 weeks. I cried with relief when he came out and seemed healthy. He’s now nearly two and thriving, so far so good. Try not to be too anxious, you’re doing everything you can and that’s all you can do. Enjoy and have faith your team are keeping a close eye, I am sure.
tingbot/Khendra here again. I’m 37 weeks in and just learned I have cholestasis. Baby was originally set for a C section on the 18th, but I’ll have to have one immediately in the morning tomorrow due to the cholestasis. And here I thought diabetes would be the most problematic thing in the pregnancy! Little guy last had an ultrasound on Monday and was estimated to be 7 lb 13 oz. Hope all goes well with the birth tomorrow. Husband and I are ready.
Hi @khendra . I’m praying all goes smoothly with your procedure tomorrow as you welcome your little one a little earlier than planned. Hopefully all of you will be settling in at home soon. Congratulations and best wishes.
His overall weight is somewhat down from my previous month – he went from 90th percentile to 82nd – but the AC went from 97th to beyond 99.
Yay!