Baby Update

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes last week.  It really doesn't seem to be that big of a deal, it's more involved for me and doesn't seem to affect Ali all that much.  I go to the diabetes management center this afternoon to get all the stuff and will start tracking my blood sugars daily then fax it to the center every week.  As long as I can keep it managed with diet, we'll just keep this up till she's born.  If it doesn't respond to diet, then we'll have to look into insulin shots, etc. 

 

Gestational diabetes goes away after the baby is born, although more than likely I will have it again with the next pregancy and I'll have a slightly higher risk for Type 2 diabetes later in life.  But I was already at that risk due to family history so no biggie there.

 

What happens with gestational diabetes is that the placenta absorbs the insulin my pancreas produces and prevents it from being distributed in my body.  The placenta then gives all that insulin to Ali, which is why gestational diabetes babies are bigger.  I did have an ultrasound yesterday (at 31 weeks) and her head is measuring 31 weeks, her abdomen and thigh bones were measuring 32...so her frame isn't that much bigger than you'd expect.  But, her weight should be around 3.5 pounds and she's 4.3.  My doctor said that they are going to plan on inducing me before my due date because she doesn't want the shoulders getting too big and we get into the problem of the head coming out, but the shoulders getting stuck.  How early is going to be determined mainly by how much weight Ali gains, how big her shoulders get, how well the diabetes is controlled, and if I become pre-eclamptic. 

 

The ultrasound was exciting, she has a lot of hair (I did when I was born) and her face no longer looked like a skeleton, it looked just like a baby picture!  We think so far she has JM's cheeks and my jawbone structure. 

 

Along with the gestational diabetes, Ali and I will be monitored more often until she's born.  I will have ultrasounds done every 3-4 weeks (which I'm perfectly happy with) and then starting in August I'll go to the hospital twice a week for nonstress tests.  We had one done a few weeks ago, I just get hooked up to monitors and we listen to her heartbeat for an hour or so...which I'm perfectly fine with as well...I love hearing that sound! 

 

Another side note, my doctor said to be prepared because the hospital has a policy that all gestational diabetes babies get put in the NICU for observation after birth.  She said they haven't been as strict with that lately, but just in case they do it, it's their policy, not necessarily that they think something's wrong.

 

So that's the update for now!  A lot going on, but she's coming sooner than we thought AND I'm happy with being monitored more!!!