Successful induction stories - gestational diabetes

[Minnie92]

Hi everyone, I’m being induced a week today at 38 weeks due to gestational diabetes which I’m on insulin for. I was induced with my daughter 2 years ago after my waters broke but labor didn’t start, so this time will be different, baby is on 95th centile, I had a 3rd degree tear last time and just feeling nervous and hoping to read some positive birth stories 😀 xx

[Seb9]

I have had 2 positive inductions because of having gestational diabetes.First baby I had a pessary for 24 hours, then waters broken, then a drip. I had an epidural while my contractions built up The only thing I didn't like was pessary. I felt it made me quite sore.

For my 2nd induction in September, I asked for a balloon induction instead of the pessary but they were able to skip that part and go straight to breaking my water and putting me on the drip. Was actually much better and quicker. I had my waters broken at 10pm, requested a break and some food before the drip started my hospital had a 24hr menu so I had lasagnaThey didn't have much diabetes friendly!) They started the drip at around midnight and I gave birth at 4.45am, I had listened to a hypnobirthing audio book this time round and think it did help in terms of recognising and working through the contractions and advocating for myself in terms of what I wanted. I ended up not having an epidural this time and by the time I asked for one I was minutes away from meeting baby, so had got to fully dilated on just gas and air. I got shot of pethidine for the painsand baby came out minutes after. I had a papercut, minimal blood loss and was up and walking within a few hours.

It was such a great experience, it did hurt but it was also so amazing to feel the whole thing, which I missed a bit with the epidural.

[Minnie92 in reply to Seb9]

Thanks so much for your reply, sounds like you had positive experiences both times. Can I ask were you on any medication for your diabetes or just diet controlled? Did you need the insulin pump during labor?

[Seb9 in reply to Minnie92]

My first pregnancy I got diagnosed at 28 weeks, controlled just with Metformin, diet and exercise.Second pregnancy already had it by my 8 week booking in appointment, I was on rapid insulin in the day and then slow insulin overnight, plus a full dose of Metformin daily.

I didn't have an insulin pump during either labour.

[Minnie92 in reply to Seb9]

Mine wasn’t diagnosed til 33 weeks 😬 I was on metformin for high fasting sugars but didn’t do anything so was put on insulin last week and only this morning has it been within range after increasing to 5 units, a week before I give birth 😂 that’s good you weren’t on the pump. I’m just worried about being connected to so many things and being immobile in labor, as have group b strep too so need Iv antibiotics!

[Seb9 in reply to Minnie92]

Mine definitely got worse as pregnancy went on, I got to nearly 6 months on just Metformin, before I started on the insulin. My nose started me on 4 units, which she said was a tiny dose, so 5 is really good if your numbers are in now in range. I think by the end I was on 8 units before meals and 16 before bed to keep them down, so if you're still struggling to get them down speak to you nurse and get them to up your dose.

My absolute best purchase for labour was a set of wireless headphone buds. All the monitoring stuff was such a faff, monitor on baby, monitor on me, cannula etc. I put on an audio book, held the gas and air tube close and drifted off into a good book. They gave my husband a thin mattress and I gave him a blanket and he rested on the floor until it all kicked off.

I also took lots of coconut water with me, low sugar and full of good stuff. I sipped this throughout.

Good luck with it all, really not long till you meet baby now, so exciting 😁

[Jess994]

I had an induction with my little one, first baby and the experience was so positive! I was induced by balloon at 2:30pm it dilated me to 3cm by 8am the next morning. There wasn’t any room on the delivery suite so I waited until 8pm when we were taken down and my waters broken at 9pm and I was put on the drip. My little one arrived at 3am. I just had gas and air, I recovered really well but found I pushed myself to do too much to quick because I felt so good. I hope it all goes well for you