The woes of Diabetes

Our baby @ 13 weeks

Our Baby: We are now in the middle of week 15 & moving right along in the 2nd trimester. As a diabetic I am learning that my blood sugar tends to have a mind of its own, regardless of what I eat. The scary thing is learning how much sugar effects the baby as it's developing, I was told with sugar levels over 130 consistently, its like I am drinking alcohol during my pregnancy. And its almost crazy to ever assume me drinking during pregnancy but eating sugar or carbs? Doesn't sound so crazy. 

The baby thus far is healthy & growing but it's not without sacrifice on my part. At the very beginning of our pregnancy I cried in the doctor's office for over 20 minutes refusing insulin, the thought of injecting myself not only terrified me but had a since of doom that I felt would plague me the rest of my life. It was just that serious for me. However, I yielded because I knew what was best for my unborn child, this little life within me, if I wasn't going to care for it's well-being then who would? I knew right then that this was only the beginning of sacrificial love I would continually demonstrate to my child, forever. I think in order to understand where I am coming from you must understand diabetes & pregnancy.

During the 1st trimester all of the babies vital organs are being developed and with high sugars there can be serious repercussions in their development. For example, enlarged organs or a hole in the heart are just a couple of possible problems the baby can develop. Normal diabetics are to have blood sugar levels of <100 when fasting (or first thing in the morning) and <180 within 2 hours after eating. However for a pregnant woman fasting levels must be below 90, in fact between 70-90, and 2 hours after eating must not exceed 120 (some doctors say 130, this is debatable). 

http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/checking-your-blood-glucose.html

For a type 2 diabetic who is pregnant, it is an uphill battle to control blood sugar levels, and it can be frustrating when you watch your numbers lower & raise, almost from hour to hour & not be able to control it. It is even more frustrating when you feel like no one else understands. A type 2 diabetic who is pregnant begins to produce hormones that are insulin resistant as the pregnancy progresses. So imagine this, you take insulin, manage your diet & still your sugars can go outta control, frustrating. And that is the battle I have had to fight. 

There are a few tricks I have learned...
1. high sugars = exercise, nothing too strenuous, especially if you are pregnant, but a nice walk usually drops my blood sugar levels about 20 less. 
2. Water= drinking lots of liquid in general but especially water can keep those sugars lowered
3.Stress = if your sugars are high don't freak out! that will just raise the sugars higher, relax, take a walk, drink some water. 
4.Protein= since i cannot enjoy all my carbs I love i have started a new love affair with protein! a vital trick I have learned is, if you have a little extra carbs on one meal, eat extra protein. But please don't over do it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xgeG2gtI0A  
5. Remember= remember who you are sacrificing for. Many times I have found myself completely discouraged but then I remember who I am doing this for, for a beautiful baby we have been praying & waiting for. Never lose sight of this.

Trust me, it's still not easy, & I don't imagine it getting any easier, but I know my goal is getting closer...the birth of our BABY!!!  In fact, just this week my sugars have been going nuts, & I had to remind myself that as I am newly in the 2nd trimester my hormones are nutty once again & there will probably have to be some adjusting of my insulin in order to level out. 

Just last week when we were at the doctor's waiting to be seen by the diabetes doctor a couple came into the room with my nutritionist & took a seat. The man was chomping on chex mix in a baggy & start taunting the woman (who had to be in her mid to late 20's) with the snack. "mmmm, mmmm" he said as he waved the baggy in front of her face. She was definitely a lot more pregnant that I am & she just laughed & shook her head. The man proceeded to tell her how she shouldn't have told the doctor what she had been eating the last couple of weeks, and she agreed. He then laughed and said "oooo you didn't tell him about the soda" she joined in the laughter. The two continued to jokingly discuss all of the mishaps with her diet. I sat back & just thought about how sad it was for that poor baby, it's mommy wasn't caring for him/her to the best of her ability. I felt bad because I wanted the mommy to really think about what she was doing to her baby. But then I was so thankful for my own husband who has also made sacrifices with his eating habits for me & for our child, he doesn't allow himself to have anything that I cannot have. And the main reason isn't because I told him to do so, but because he loves me & his unborn child. We heard later as I sat in my diabetes doctor's office that this woman before me (the one in the waiting room) was going to have to be admitted to the hospital because of her consistently high sugar levels, & believe me I've been there too but before I knew there was something I could do about it.


It is so important to have that kind of support mommies, & I do pray that right now you have that spouse, partner or friend who is walking with you along this hard path. I have been blessed with a dear friend who has walked this path before & she is now holding my hand & walking with me in my journey, along with my husband. 

Babies who are born to diabetic mommies have a higher chance of being very large, in fact, many times too large to be delivered vaginally & requiring a c-section. C-sections for diabetic mommies are not good, healing takes longer for diabetics & can have many complications. Also these large babies, tend to be larger their whole life, obese in fact. But not obese to where to tell them to run a few laps, this obesity cannot be solved, the weight cannot be lost. So mommies, please think before you have that extra serving of carbs, or have that regular soda or eat that whole candy bar, think about what you are doing for to your baby, think of the consequences. Believe me, its hard & I don't always make the right choices, but I am very very quick to get right back on track. Learn from the mistakes of your bad choices & just vow to choose better ones the next time. Tomorrow is a new day, a new chance to be better, a new chance to make changes.

So mommies-to-be don't be discouraged, but be encouraged by your sacrificial love you are demonstrating & how amazing it is to know that this little life is forming right now inside of you. Wow! What a phenomenal concept, a little life is being formed inside you right now...how beautiful!

 "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And [that] my soul knows very well."

Psalms 139:13-14 

Blessings <3

Angelia