Diabetes in pregnancy doula · Cumming, Forsyth County & north metro Atlanta
"I have diabetes in pregnancy."
Type 1, Type 2 or gestational. Your calendar just got a lot fuller, and you still want a say in your birth. I've managed Type 1 through two pregnancies, so I know these appointments from the inside.
Which kind do you have?
You may already know your diabetes care team well. In pregnancy, your OB joins in, often alongside a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist: an obstetrician with extra training in high-risk pregnancies. Expect to be followed more closely.
Source: Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Your OB or MFM team knows your situation best.
Expect your care team to follow you and your baby more closely than in a routine pregnancy, with glucose monitoring throughout and, often, more ultrasounds.
Source: MotherToBaby (OTIS). Your OB or MFM team knows your situation best.
Gestational diabetes usually develops around the 24th week of pregnancy and is found through screening. If you're at higher risk, your doctor may test earlier. It can feel like it came out of nowhere.
Source: CDC. Your OB or MFM team knows your situation best.
What's probably on your calendar
Not everyone gets all of these, and your care team decides what's right for you. But these come up often.
Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) visits
An MFM doctor specializes in higher-risk pregnancies and often works alongside your OB.
Extra ultrasounds
More scans than a routine pregnancy, to check on your baby's growth.
Non-stress tests (NST)
They monitor your baby's heart rate for about 20 to 40 minutes. Bring a snack and a charger.
Logs for your care team
Keeping records to share at each visit, and remembering to bring them.
A talk about your delivery date
Sometimes an induction date comes up earlier than you expected.
Sources: Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, MotherToBaby, ColumbiaDoctors.
What people worry about
These are fair questions, and most people don't say them out loud. You can. We'll turn each one into something to ask, and something to plan for.
- "What if they schedule an induction I don't want?"
- "Will anyone listen to me, or just my numbers?"
- "Who manages my blood sugar while I'm in labor?"
- "What if my baby needs the NICU?"
Questions to bring to your OB or MFM team
Check the ones you want to ask. Print the page or screenshot it before your next visit.
Your OB or MFM team knows your situation best. Bring this list to them.How two birth plans help with diabetes
- How you'd like to labor, and who's in the room
- Your blood sugar plan for labor, written down in your care team's words, so nobody has to remember it in the moment
- Comfort techniques that work with monitoring and an IV
- If an induction is scheduled: what you want to keep, and what to ask first
- If you have a cesarean: who's with you, and the first hour with your baby
- If your baby needs the NICU: who goes with baby, and a feeding and pumping plan
I've been pregnant with Type 1 twice. I know the drill.
The logs, the extra ultrasounds and how much you're expected to remember from every appointment. Being pregnant with diabetes is a full-time job... and I already had one of those, so then I had two!
What the guidelines say
People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes may need more prenatal ultrasounds, and nonstress tests in the third trimester are common (MotherToBaby).
What I did
I paced myself. I was doing well, and my babies were doing well, so my care team and I settled on one ultrasound and one nonstress test per week.
What to ask your doctor
How often will I need ultrasounds and nonstress tests, and what would change that plan?
Let's talk about your birth.
I take one or two births a month, so start with your dates and I'll reply with the times I'm free.
No medical details needed here. Prefer to text? (478) 974-3434