Hi ladies,
I have some questions regarding birth control and pregnancy. Two really different topics but here it goes:
1st question- I noticed when I’m stressed out my blood sugar naturally spikes. Usually I have really good control but a couple of things have been stressing me out and all the sudden I’m spotting daily even though I’m taking my pill at the same time everyday. I’m wondering if high blood sugar (200-250) can cause spotting on birth control?
2nd question that’s focused around pregnancy: I’m in my late 20s and people are pressuring me due to biological clocks(yay for being a lady am I right?) I’m not in the place in my life where I’m ready or want kids yet, but even my endo made a comment that right now is when most people start thinking about kids. I’m really enjoying my career right now. I’m wondering if there’s any reason to truly believe that waiting a few years until I’m in my early 30s is a bad idea. I know I want children but I want to finish out my 20s just for me, my career, and the right relationship. Any ladies on here have healthy kids later than 29?
I know these are two very different topics but appreciate the help!
Hi - I had my 1st @ 33, then 35, then 36 and all are doing fine! My Endo made me come in weekly but it was worth it. I was very closely monitored. Also my 1st didn’t want to come out so when a new Dr came on duty at 10pm he said he was doing a C-section. To make things easier, my other 2 were also C-section. Best to you!!
hello Taylor., sorry to even make a comment here (please forgive me) but my wife and I waited a long time before having a child (she way into 30’s) . My sister-in-law had eggs frozen in her 20’s and was able to have her child, even after ovary problems and radical surgery, years later. in my unqualified opinion, if you control your blood sugar, you have the same issues around pregnancy as anybody else, and unless your endo is a superhero and also specialized in ob/gyn, it’s like taking advice from me or from your landscaper… it’s an opinion. cheers good luck.
I was not able to become pregnant until the age of 41 (various infertility issues but mostly on my husband’s side). Worked very hard on good control (that is essential but thankfully easier now with CGM), and it was quite an easy pregnancy. Only difficulty at the end when I developed a form of toxemia. To deal with this, my daughter was delivered 4 weeks early by C-section, and all was fine including reasonable birth weight, 6.5 lbs. She just turned 30!
My advice would be not to worry at all about waiting a few more years - even 5 or 6.
I don’t have an answer to number 1, but like others can weigh in on number 2. I was diagnosed at 25 and had my first daughter a week before I turned 33. I had my second daughter when I was 36. Both were larger weight babies (my husband is a big guy so maybe they would’ve been big anyway!) even with attempts to keep my BG tight (having a pump and CGM helped and these were older models, so I think newer tech would help). I had c sections due to size. My second was born early, and was in the NICU, though no one really knew why I went into labor early. I didn’t have anyone pressure me on a time but with my first I made sure to get my BG in great shape before I got pregnant (my second was less planned). I had a great endo who saw me monthly and monitored my BGs more often than that, and a good OB who left my diabetes care to the expert.
I don’t have children myself - nothing to do with anything medical - but I imagine part of the “equation” may be how long you’ve had diabetes before becoming pregnant: a 35 year old woman who’s had it for 4 or 5 years may have different challenges than a woman the same age diagnosed as a toddler. Just a theory.
Thankfully there are tools available to help us manage things. Be sure your ObGyn handles what at least used to be termed “high risk” pregnancies. An acquaintance of mine, who is an ObGyn, walked in one day as I was doing something with my pump and asked me what it was, so don’t take anything for granted.
I’m unsure about spotting and birth control. As far as pregnancy goes, I had my first at 27 and my second at 30. I think as long as you have good control of your numbers you’ll be just fine.
Hi Tee! I was diagnosed at 16 and that was way back before pumps were a popular therapy. I was taking 2 shots per day with a mix of short and long acting insulin based on a sliding scale driven by my BG at the time. I got pregnant with my first daughter when I was 28 and moved to 4 shots/day. I was induced a few weeks early (still considered full term) and she was a beautiful and healthy 7.5 lb-er. Had my second daughter at 32. She was also healthy and a bit bigger (8.5 lbs 3 wks early). Both are now grown woman. I’m on a pump and CGM now. With today’s technology, you should be able to stay on top of your glucose changes and share that info with your endo throughout your journey whenever that happens. I think getting yourself well established prior to having kids is a very smart thing to do. I was a career mom and I’m glad I was on solid footing before starting a family. Do what you think is best for YOU. Good luck!
Hi Tee25,
I’ve never taken birth control, so I can’t answer that part of your question. I do have two children though, and both were C-sections. I tried both times to be induced, but I never dilated more than 1cm. Looking at the previous replies, I think perhaps this is more common than I realized! Anyway, I was 29 when my daughter was born. She was a full 40 weeks and 7lbs 3oz. No problems at all with the pregnancy. I was 33 when I had my son. He was bigger, 8lbs 8oz. The doctors were worried about his size, so he was delivered at 38 weeks. I had tight control during both, with my A1c’s at 6.0. My “children” are now 28 and 24 yrs old, respectively and both are healthy adults.
By-the-way, as for Wadawabbit’s response, I was diagnosed at age 2 1/2! And as for Joe’s response, the first person I called after telling my husband and my parents I was pregnant was my old endo. I wasn’t comfortable enough with the doc I was seeing at the time to discuss it with him. My old doctor (I had moved out of the area, or would certainly have still been seeing him!), gave me one key piece of advice, to keep my blood sugars low. “Fetus’s like low blood sugars,” he told me 60-80 is good. So, try to keep that in mind when you do decide to get pregnant!. Anyway, it really depends on the doctor and your relationship with him/her.
Pam K.
Howdy! T1D for 35 years now. Birth control always awful. Pills caused difficulty (I honestly do not think there is any relation to T1D/BS-it is just how your body reacts to hormones-I bled non-stop on them). Tried them all in my 20s. Yuck. Married at 30. 1st pregnancy and start of pump at 32.5 years old. Perfect control (my endo was a horrible woman. But my A1cs were borderline non-diabetic due to my fear of her-and yes good for baby). BIG babies run in my family so I was doomed. At 38.5 weeks induced and was psyched to have vaginally. Induced and well…2 days later nothing. Less than 4cm dilated. My beautiful wonderful OBGYN came in and said that’s it. C-section. Wheeled me in wheeled me out. Said to self; “should have done that 2 days ago”! 9lb “little” girl. 4 years later baby #2. Scheduled C. Good control. Scheduled C at 39.3 weeks (I am tall but really thin and gained 60lbs with both that came off immediately BTW. Also no idea why they let me go that long with big baby). It took 3 docs to get my son out during C (my same OB told me great stories of it-gross) 2nd C not so fun tho. Perfectly healthy boy who weighed in at 11lbs! My doc estimated I had 20 plus lbs of water weight from pregnancy and he got some of that. I still LOL about hm going to a follow up and the pediatrician saying “this is alarming he only weighs 9.5 now”…well he peed it all out as did I-breastfed perfectly unlike #1 The nurses loved him because he wrapped his arms around them in the nursery like a toddler. At baby #2 they asked if they could take him and bring him in to me just for feedings-I said hell yeah! It was like a vacation.
Birth control rec-IUD/IUD/IUD! Had one after pregnancies and the best thing that has EVER happened to me. No periods for YEARS. No crazy hormone fluctuation. The 1st 2 months were annoying with sporadic bleeding but hen NOTHING. AMAZING,
You are fine. You do not need a baby in the near future. You have NO time constraints. You will know when you are ready-and if it takes you by surprise you will also be ready. T1D has given you a better understanding of life in general-noting is too tough.
Have fun/be young. And also BTW some research shows later pregnancies for T1Ds produce less of a chance the child will get it (but with this disease I believe nothing I read). I have a 13 and 9 year old. No signs-knock on wood. But if it ever happens-we will manage. T1D moms rule.
Yikes-1st post on here is way too long!
Thank you everyone so much for your replies. This makes me feel a lot better hearing how so many of you had successful pregnancies in your 30s. Really appreciate the feedback and supportt!
