Hey Moms & Moms-to-be, just wondering how common induction is with Diabetic moms? I'm a T1 for 19 years, it's my first pregnancy, I'm currently 33 weeks and my OB decided weeks ago that she wants to induce me at 38 weeks. She said for some reason waiting longer than that has a higher risk of stillbirth. I just learned that induction is a LONG process when starting from scratch (meaning the body not being ready naturally-water not breaking yet or cervix being ready or anything).
So, I just wanted to know what your experiences were with labour & your diabetes. Were you induced? Did you sugars get in the way? etc.
I have been induced both times at 38 weeks. My waters broke on the day with both of them. My first I went into labour without being induced but still ended up with a section as I got stuck T 8 cm and my second I had the pessary which fell out and lits of bleeding. I then opted for a section after hearing risks of continuing to be induced. Yes I did want to do it all naturally but tbh im just glad that I can have healthy babies and am so well looked after and the risk of still birth is greatly reduced. Yes I could of insisted I be monitored every other day to go over 38 wks but I didn’t want to be waiting to be seen at hospital so heavily pregnant. All my next babies will be sections now and I will be glad to have them out at 38 weeks. I wish you luck with your birth x
Nope, I was not induced. I went into labor when I was at 38 weeks 6 days, and my son was born naturally at 39 weeks. My doctors were talking induction from 38 weeks on, and they were using very scary language like "stillbirth" with me too. The reality is that the risk of stillbirth is EXTREMELY low, even for Type 1 diabetics. A lot depends on certain factors associated with diabetes, such as glucose control during pregnancy. You and your doctor should obviously make whatever decisions are right for you and your unique situation. However, know that you are not destined to have an induction or risk some terrible outcome simply because you fall into the category of Type 1 Diabetes. Best of luck! Remember, this is YOUR pregnancy and YOUR baby, not theirs. :)
Good to know there are other options. Now I have to go back and actually read up on the stuff I skipped (c-sections & natural labor)! I just thought induction is what it'll be, but it looks like I could still deliver naturally before then and I could end up having a c-section, too.
I am 39 weeks today and am getting induced this week. Tuesday I go in for a foley bulb induction, which works to ripen your cervix without drugs. From what I've read, this sometimes is enough to start labor. Wednesday morning I check in at the hospital for the real induction.
I really did not want to be induced and my OB's are saying it's mainly for the "stillbirth" reason, merely statistics. Her size and everything are really good, which is reassuring. I will be managing my insulin pump on my own. My perinatologist recommended that I get an epidural to ensure that I would be able to regulate my pump throughout labor. I think if I end up on pitocin I would probably need an epidural anyways since the contractions are so much more intense.
Wow, best of luck to you, this is a huge week for you!
Yeah, I'm supposed to get my cervix ripened as well before induction, don't know which method(s) they're going to use yet or if (fingers crossed) maybe I'll already be 'ripe' by time of induction.
I'll keep that in mind about the epidural after induction.
I was induced at 37 weeks after an amnio. Went to the hospital at 8:30 pm. They started the induction with cervadil for the first 12 hours. Got to 2 cm. They broke my water and my body kicked in immediately. I transitioned in 45 minutes and he was born 3 hours later. Total of 6 hours of "labor". I, too, had heard horror stories of induction and that was NOT my experience.
Also, I had 2 high risk OBs giving me opposite advice. One told me that he reccommends all T1 be induced at 37 weeks. The other said never before 39 unless absolutely necessary. But both let me make the choice.
In the end, I couldn't keep my bgs up and my entire care team and I decided that it was time. I could not have asked for a better team of doctors to care for me and my son.
I was induced at 37 weeks since I was already 2cm dilated and the baby was gaining some hefty weight in the last two weeks.
18 hours later, an emergency C-section took place (which seems to be the norm for inductions) and my beautiful healthy daughter was born!
During those 18 hours, I walked a good 10km and climbed flights of steps. I struggled with low sugars the entire time. I think that was probably the worst part, since I had to eat/drink while in contractions. Regardless of lowering my basal to below half, I still struggled with sugars hovering at around 4.0. Let me tell you how excited my anesthesiologist was when I had to be rushed in for the c-section! (a belly full of food is not cool when getting a spinal block)
To be honest, if I had the chance to have another baby, I would skip the induction and wait til the baby was ready.
WHERE IS THE "LIKE" BUTTON FOR YOUR COMMENT?? I'm applauding over here.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why doc's always want to induce T1's. I have had a relative and a friend who were both induced (not diabetic in any way) and both of their labor's took FOREVER and they both ended up with a c-section, one baby ended up in NICU for a week. How is putting all that stress on mom & baby good for anyone?? Leave the kid alone until it's done cookin' in there and let him come out naturally, the way God intended! Not through yet another hole in your body!
Unfortunately, I suspect that too many docs (and we can all agree that even ONE doc like this is too many) just want the extra costs tacked onto your hospital bill for surgery, anesthesia, etc.
I was induced at 37 weeks and 5 days... I was scheduled to be induced at 38 weeks but at my ultrasound a few days before, He wouldnt move... while I was on the table... alll 30 minutes of me being on the table, my little boo would not move... needless to say when I got off the table and went to the waiting room, he started thumping around.... he pulled that same stunt when I ws about 33 weeks and they ended up keeping me overnight... Now that he is 2, I can totally see the "stuborn - I do what I want, when I want" thing in him... at any rate. I can tell they get nervous with us T1'ers, so my OB was like "we are doing this now, just to be safe." He came out 7lbs 11oz, healthy and beautiful...
I was induced at 40 weeks and ended up with a c-section. Not impressed! Early induction does run a higher risk of c-section. I'm not quick to defy drs but this is my second pregnancy only 16 months after my first delivery and my Dr won't induce because it's too much pressure on the section scar. She wanted to section at 38 weeks but I refused and told her that I wanted to wait until at least 39 weeks (we never put a date on it) Right now because my baby is doing so well and is so active I'm hoping to push her to 40 weeks. I'm afraid I don't have the confidence to go beyond that, plus as it is she's threatening extra diagnostics after 38 weeks to keep an eye on the baby. I already have a little one to take care of and I just don't know how I'll manage all these extra diagnostics if I push her beyond 40 weeks. I'm praying that we'll go into labour early this time and that we'll manage a vbac. I would try to avoid being induced too soon for sure, but I really don't know about going to beyond 40 weeks. I must start a discussion thread to find out if there are mum's who've insisted on waiting past 40 weeks...
I was induced at 38 weeks after an ultrasound measured my son big…they were estimating somewhere around the 9lb 8oz mark. We went in on a Friday night. They used cervedil as a “ripener” (I hate that term). I was already 70% effaced prior to going in. The cervedil started contractions that night and then in the morning they broke my water to get the contractions stepped up. I was then started on a pitocin drip…12hrs later (24hrs in the hospital) I was only 3cm dilated. I opted for an epidural at this point. It took another 12 hours of active labor (4hrs of pushing) before I developed an infection, the baby and I were stabilized, and we were rushed into an emergency c-section. Subsequently, I’m not a big fan of induction. My body/baby clearly wasn’t ready for delivery. Oh and that baby with an estimated weight of 9.5lbs was 8lbs3oz and he did not have a large belly (common fear for doctors of diabetic mommas). My blood sugars were well controlled during pregnancy and impeccable throughout delivery. I wore my pump the whole time and used my own glucometer. It’s my understanding that there is a pervasive fear among doctors that the placentas of diabetic moms age more quickly and subsequently can’t support a baby to 40+ weeks. This may be true with poor glucose control but with optimal control our bodies shouldn’t be any different from non-diabetic women. I would argue against that induction if you can. Has the doctor given you a concrete reason for early induction? Weight? Body shape? Good luck!!
