34 Weeks- Insulin Plateauing and Breech Baby

34 weeks along! I can't believe it. My insulin needs have been plateauing over the past week, which is something that I do not remember from my first pregnancy. My doctors say that my placenta is realizing that it's job is almost done, so it's not requiring as many hormones, therefore as much insulin. I've actually had to back off a bit on my basal rates. I don't know if it will continue or not??

I got my last A1C back....4.8%! I was pleasantly surprised!! I have had some lows, but not a lot. The doctors see my numbers every week and have been very happy with them! I have had few high numbers and if it is elevated, I get it down very quickly. I will change my inset if I don't see a change within an hour usually...or if my sugar rises. But overall I'm happy with that result! I guess the testing 20 times a day (ouch! lol) is paying off:)

And now the little one is Breech....;/ she has 2 weeks to turn before they do an external version. This is where they will try to turn the baby from the outside of my stomach. If it doesn't work, they will schedule a c-section. On the day of the c-section they will give me a spinal tap and then try to turn her one more time. If it works, they will induce natural labor (vaginal delivery) and if not, they will proceed with the c-section. I'm praying that she turns on her own! Until then, I'm visiting the chiropractor and acupuncturist to help. Fingers crossed!

32 weeks and Anti Natal Testing begins

The insulin resistance continues! At the end of my last pregnancy I was at a 1:3 carb ratio and now it's slowly creeping upwards and I'm only 32 weeks! I'm at about a 1:3 +1 carb ratio in the am now. The rest of the day isn't as bad, about a 1:6-1:8. But my fasting sugars have been a really big issue. I keep waking up between 140-170. The doctors and I have upped my basals, which will do me great for 1 or 2 mornings, then I'm up again. My sugars are decent the rest of the day. The doctors don't ever seem freaked out (though I do a bit)....they think I'm doing a great job. I guess they see more diabetics in pregnancy than I have experience with, so all I can do to relax about it is trust them. I used to be at a .950 in the morning about 5am for my basal rate. I am currently at 1.7!! It's crazy how insulin resistant pregnancy can make you! My correction has doubled in the am too!

So we had our 32 week growth Ultra Sound on Wednesday...so far so good, but a Big baby!! She's averaging in the 77th percentile! Already 5.3 lbs! Her head and abdomen are in the 95th percentile!!! The doctors don't look at those numbers, but the overall average they told me. She's also currently Breech so let's hope that she turns within the next 4 weeks! Turn baby Turn!:) I don't know how I feel right now about a C-Section......

When I left the doctors office I was more nervous and freaked out rather than excited. That seems like a BIG baby to me! My Endo office called later and they said it was totally fine after the numbers I told them. They baby's size is not diabetes related. So during Thanksgiving yesterday I asked my family how big all the babies were....my family makes BIG babies!! LOL. We range from 8 lbs to 10 lbs 5 oz!! So she's right on track!

My Anti-Natal testing starts next week and I will go twice a week until I deliver. This really makes me feel like I'm getting into the home stretch! I know I won't be completely comfortable and relaxed though until she's here in my arms. The anti natal testing will monitor and track the heart rate, contractions and movements of the baby.

Not too much longer...soon my fingers will get a break from the 15-20x+ a day of testing!! But it will have all been worth it!

30 Weeks...High fastings & Induction Date Set

I can't believe I'm already at 30 weeks! It's been slow, yet fast at the same time. I have a little kick boxer in training moving around in there! I'm slowly starting to get more and more excited! The baby is definitely sitting low and causing me more discomfort this time. Sleep is getting harder too...which is to be expected! Still having to take my Zofran Every day.....

The doctors think I've been doing really well with my sugars, sometimes even being too hard on myself. I've only had a few numbers in the 200's. I've definitely had high 100's, but they don't seem as concerned about them as I do. They tell me they get more concerned with people whose sugars are in teh 200's-300's and they don't correct right away. I think the most difficult time of day for me is the AM. I've been waking with a high fasting for the past week or two. I usually catch it and correct right away, but I get super frustrated. More probably because I can't find the right pattern in my sugars to correct it overnight. I usually test around 2am and 5am and then when I wake between 7-9am. I've been low and higher at different times throughout the night so without being able to find a pattern, all I can do is the consistent testing to stay on top of it. Frustrating!!

My pump was having problems over the weekend so I had to get a replacement sent to me overnight on Monday. I would change the battery and the screen wouldn't come back on! I checked the batteries and they were all good. Thankfully it came back on again and I didn't have to switch to my Lantus backup. I've Never done Lanus so I had to call my doctors and figure out what my emergency plan would be just in case. Thankfully I didn't take that route!

An induction date has been set! It's funny, it's almost like calling up to order a pizza delivery. LOL "Yes, this date, this time please"...woo hoo! So my 37 weeks when they would like to induce me is the day after Christmas.....so we pushed it out a few days to Dec 30th! I will go in and they will do an amnio to see if the lungs are developed...if not, I get a shot of steroids and stay in the hospital and have them induce me 2 days later. If the lungs are ready they will induce me that day!

Sugar Mommas!! The Type 1 moms group that I started will meet again this weekend. Very exciting! You can find us on Facebook if you're local and would ever like to join!
www.facebook.com/type1diabeticsugarmommas

My Anti-Natal testing starts soon! 2 more weeks and a growth ultra sound right before Thanksgiving!!

28 Weeks: Growth Ultra Sound, Rhogam and More Resistance

Had our 28 week Ultra Sound today and she's growing well! With Type 1's they are concerned the baby will get to be too big if sugars are not controlled, but my doctor told me that a lot of Type 1's end up having smaller babies. Well as of today we're measuring in the 73%. I asked my doctor if I should be concerned and she said no, it's actually great where we are at since most Type 1's tend to have smaller babies as mentioned. So that made me feel better. I've been doing my best to keep good control with my sugars and if the baby was larger because of my diabetes, I don't feel that I could make my sugars any better at this time to change that.

Insulin resistance is just getting more and more every couple of days. I was told to expect this until about 34 weeks and then it should level out a bit. We'll see what happens! Right now I'm on anywhere from 15-25 more units Per Day than normal and having to change my inset 1-2 times a day! Sometimes they just don't seem to work so I change it.

My blood type is O Negative so I have to have a shot of Rhogam today. I didn't see any affects on my blood sugars from the Rhogam.

I'm still battling morning sickness and think it will stick with me throughout the pregnancy! I take my Zofran every day, which doesn't affect my sugars, but makes me feel much better! :)

26 Weeks: Failing Insets, Travel & Eye Problems

26 weeks brings the need for more and more insulin and having to change my inset almost EVERY day! One of the reasons I got on the pump was so that I didn't have to poke myself with a needle every day, but this is what this stage of pregnancy brings. With my first pregnancy I had to do it starting at about 17 weeks, and this one it's just starting now. I did realize that sometimes I wasn't be patient enough and giving the insulin time to work, which is probably why I changed it more often before....but now at 26 weeks it's becoming necessary for me.

We just got back from a babymoon to Mexico! It was awesome! Not too hard to control my sugars abroad. But it was very hot and humid, therefore I experienced some painful water retention. I didn't realize what it was until I got back. My calves were HUGE and I felt like I pulled a lot of muscles in them. My face was also slightly swollen as well. I've been drinking a bunch of water which has helped with the water retention as well.

My back has been starting to really hurt. Traveling on an airplane and with airport delays it was no fun. I'm going to a Chiropractor and Physical Therapist too. I am going to do some acupuncture as well. I had issues during my last delivery with my back and want to prevent them as much as possible if I can. 

Eyes- since last week I have noticed some blurriness in my left eye. As I drove today and it covered briefly my eye I freaked out and went to the eye doctor. I was worried because I'm type 1 and pregnant. My doctor told me my eyes could get worse in pregnancy. He told me today though what he see's is the residual blood left over from when my eyes bled before when I was doing fertility treatments. It was such a great relief to know that it wasn't anything new! After all the back issues I've been dealing with , I didn't want to have to deal with that too. They said it can take anywhere from 2 months to a REALLY long time for it to go away....let's just hope it goes away on it's own!

Next growth scan is in 2 weeks!! I'm looking forward to that....and then maybe after that I'll start ordering some baby furniture! :)

24 Weeks....HBA1C and Growth Scan

Ahh, as I threw up today in Bed Bath and Beyond, I was once again reminded that I need to continue to take my Zofran. Morning sickness has not left me yet....urgh. I guess it just is what it is. It's just hard when it hits at all the inopportune moments! LOL

24 weeks and one day last week we had a growth ultra sound. It went well! She is measuring in the 61%. I'm not worried that she is over 50% because my first daughter was around the same range. She came out at 7lbs 3oz.

I got my A1C done last week too.....4.9%!!! I said to the doc, "You're Shitting Me?!?!" wow!! (lol, I didn't mean for that to come out!)  I was expecting a 6.0-6.5%, but I guess I've been doing better than I thought. Insulin resistance is kicking in even more though. I'm having to change my inset once every two days at minimum now and sometimes once a day. There are more and more consistent changes with my basals happening now too.

Babymoon! Off for a surprise destination babymoon this week! My husband keeps telling me to pack my Parka....off to the South Pole! haha. I have a feeling it's really somewhere warm though so I think I'll risk it and pack a swim suit! :)

23 Weeks along! Volunteering with the JDRF for T1 Mom's and Mom's to Be!

As each week goes on the aches and pains get a little worse in my back and I see slightly more and more insulin resistance. I have been wearing my Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and have been having nothing but problems with it....what kind you ask....for example on sensor reading on the CGM said I was 274 and going straight up!! OH CRAP!!! So I immediately tested my blood and had a reading of 186. That was less than an hour after eating...So almost 100 points off for the CGM!! How am I supposed to rely on this machine if I am having such crazy readings? That was the worst of them, but others will say: CGM: 140 Actual: 85 CGM: 199 Actual: 130....a LOT of readings are more than their 20% variable. If this is what the artificial pancreas technology is supposed to be based off of, don't sign me up yet!! I have called Dexcom too, done the calibration changes they have suggested....and it's just not working! It gets SO Frustrating!

On a happier note, I'm feeling the baby move a ton more which is awesome! Everyone keeps asking us if we have a name...nothing yet, but if you have any cool girl name suggestions, send them our way please! :)

I'm having to change my inset site every 2 days or so now. It just stops working after a while.

I've been trying to work out at least one day a week still, it does help my sugars and my back. I've been having to go to physical therapy for my back.

Also in staying busy I am volunteering with the JDRF and starting a Type 1 Mom's Group Meetup called Sugar Momma's! It will be for Type 1 Expecting Moms and Moms of Infants, Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers. Our first meeting will be Oct 13th in the San Francisco Bay Area! Very exciting! Message me if you know anyone in the area who might be interested in joining!

Well, next week we'll have a 24 week Growth Ultra Sound! Will let you know how it goes!