Hello everyone! My whole life changed when I got pregnant. I've wanted to have a baby for awhile. I didn't because of my situation, and because of my health, and all this time I worried that I couldn't have one. I miscarried twice. Once in 2009 and once again earlier this year. Both were very early-term. At 5 weeks I am still pretty terrified that I will lose my baby. But I am trying to tell myself it is normal to be worried and that the best thing I can do for my baby is control my diabetes and believe that with vigilant control, I can keep my pregnancy. Suddenly, controlling my diabetes feels like common sense. It feels easy. It feels so much easier than it ever did. I broke out all of my Diabetes Daycare info and re-read everything as though I were a newly diagnosed diabetic. I was misdiagnosed and for several years was schooled as a type 2 diabetic. So my memory of what controlling my diabetes should be like has been a bit confusing for the last several years- I've had to relearn everything I'd been taught. I bought a few books:
Released by the American Diabetes Association, this is a comprehensive guide for the woman with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes who is pregnant or is thinking about having a baby. Diabetes and Pregnancy: What to Expect explains the important elements of proper diabetes care during pregnancy, including meal planning, exercise, insulin therapy, and monitoring.
Also, between you and me, it is one of the most affordable books available about diabetes. It can be purchased from Chapters for just under $11. Some of their diabetes books are more than several hundred dollars. It's intense.
Whether you have been living with type 1 diabetes for some time, or it is new to you, there’s a lot you need to know about the new developments in treating, controlling, and living with this disease. This book explains everything you need to know and do to make living with type 1 diabetes easier and healthier. This reassuring, plain-English guide helps you understand and mange the disease with tips on working with your doctor, administering insulin, developing a diet an exercise plan, and coping with illness and travel. You’ll find out about the latest technologies of blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery, and get a handle on everything you need to do to keep yourself or your child healthy, active, and feeling good.
By drawing on the most accurate research, the personal experiences of many individual women, and the advice of midwives, physicians, and other health care providers, Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth will help you navigate the many choices you face during this exciting and challenging time, and addresses a wide range of topics, including:
- Choosing a provider and birth setting.
- Making decisions about prenatal testing.
- Arranging for continuous labor support.
- Exploring options for pain relief.
- Recovering from birth.
- Adjusting to life as a new mother.
To be truthful, the day after I tested positive, I bought this magazine. It was the only pregnancy magazine in the store, but I liked that it promoted health for Mom & Baby. It has some great recipes, and some excellent advice for pregnancy health. It has a lot of suggestions for decision-making and stages of pregnancy. There are lots of maternity clothing suggestions, and product suggestions (for swaddling, breast pumps, pads, etc). There are several articles about myth/fact in pregnancy. I really enjoyed the "What to expect at a certain age" article. Lots of great prenatal workouts, too. Entertaining and informative.
If you've ever heard of author Keri Smith, you'll love this book by Nikki McClure. Embrace, a Pregnancy Journal, is a book of creative prompts for Mom to fill out using her own interpretation of the experience of her pregnancy, stage by stage. It's creative and beautiful, and a lot of fun. When finished, it will be a truly personal record of your pregnancy and a keepsake you'll cherish forever. I truly recommend this to anyone looking to keep a record.
This beautiful, nontraditional baby journal showcases the papercut illustrations of artist and mother Nikki McClure. The charming illustrations divide up sections devoted to a baby's first 1,000 days of life-from the story of birth to jumping in her first mud puddle. Each page is a prompt of a particular day, or experience. You can color in pages, write down experiences you want to remember, paste in pictures. Once again, it makes a really personal, unique and artistic record of the first 1000 days with your new baby.
I also joined a website called BabyCenter, and downloaded their app onto my iPhone. They give you week-by-week updates on your pregnancy, food and health advice, things to avoid, and checklists for home and doctors. There is also a great forum at your disposal for seeking advice from other Moms on-the-go. It has been really handy, not to mention interesting.
Today, my Husband and I are going to Canadian Tire to start baby-proofing and preparing. We're getting rid of our floor lamps and getting some wall-sconce lighting. He is hanging shelves in our room and painting. And yesterday I started my registry on Babies 'R Us! The reading I've done recommends starting early, especially for first time parents like me. That way, you have that much more time to edit your registry as you know what you need, or what the gender of your baby is. I'm not really going gender-specific on anything. I won't feel badly having a few girly things, or a few boyish things. I'm trying to keep things gender neutral, and just going with things I like. I'm kind-of obsessed with turtles. I want to get turtle everything! :P
I am supposed to see my GP and my Endo in the next three weeks, so I will be discussing getting a pump. When I met with CDA they told me that I really should get one, especially during pregnancy, and that during pregnancy my pump is fully covered. I'm still not completely happy with my sugars. They're hard to keep low in the morning. In the afternoon and evening they're pretty level, but too high in the morning. But I'm very aware of when they're rising, unless I've been sleeping. I can't recommend my new BG test kit enough. I am using the TrueTest BG meter. The strips are the least expensive and are no-code. The meter is very small, and clips right on to the lid of your test strip container. The lancet is actually quite nice, and hurts less than I'm used to. The test requires a lot less blood than other meters I've used so I don't have to poke myself as deep. Really awesome meter.
Thanks for all the well-wishes and support! If anyone has any advice, I will readily accept it. Right now I'm using the insulin pens. I want to switch back to Lantus and Humalog (currently on Toronto and NPH insulin -- NovoRapid aka Novolin) as soon as my current box is used up. Has anyone else had to control their diabetes with pens while pregnant? If so, what was your experience like? Is there anything I should be doing differently? I'm testing every 2-3 hours right now to make sure that I'm within target. Most nights I rise at 4am to test also. I am finding I'm a bit insulin resistant. I always take 2-3 more units than I've calculated for, and my BG is always just around target, below or above. I'm having to factor about 1 unit for every 1.5 mmol over target, or so.
Symptoms kicking in big time. I've grown two cup sizes this month, from a B to a D. I bought my C cup bra only last week and it already doesn't fit. Morning sickness kicked in about two days ago at 1am and has been with me around the clock. Fortunately I'm mostly just feeling gross, very little actual sickness. My middle feels really tight and I cramp on and off, but a lot lighter than last week. I hear this is all normal. Most of the time, despite the aches and the fatigue, I'm just ecstatic. THANKS EVERYBODY! I AM SO EXCITED!!! BABY DUE MAY 10!
I’ve been waiting to be a Mom for awhile, and I am really so excited. Probably a bit too much, but this is my first time, so I hope I can be forgiven. 
I am really looking forward to making Mom friends, too! Hehehe.