My little boy Hugo is now 5.5 months old, and in the last week I’ve been treated to six nights with him sleeping right through the night. Hurrah! I think it’s not til you actually start to get some sleep back that you look back and wonder how you did all those night time feeds in the first place (there were definitely times when I felt totally exhausted and zombie-like, that’s for sure…. but you just keep on trucking).
My last update of motherhood with T1 was at the eight week post-birth mark. My sugars were largely under control and when people asked me how my diabetes had been post-birth, I’d smile and genuinely say “It’s been great, really steady”.
I’m a bit frustrated to say that the answer to that question at the moment would have to be “not great, unfortunately”. The last four weeks in particular have been dreadful on the sugars front, and I’m getting very over it all. My theory (and my midwife’s) is that my post-pregnancy body is starting to get itself back into the business of cranking out monthly cycles, and as a result, the hormone surges are causing all sorts of havoc with my blood sugars. I’m back to writing down blood sugars hourly and trying to make sense of it all. At the moment it’s hard to try to pinpoint any kind of pattern at all – I’m just getting random 14, 15 and 16s all over the place. I can eat the same breakfast three days running and get wildly different post-meal results. I’m spending a good amount of time feeling hazy, headachey and grumpy with all the hypers. Groan.
I’ve spoken to a couple of my pals who’ve been through T1 pregnancies and they’ve reported similar happenings. They seem to recall that this sort of thing happened to them for a month or two then they kind of got back into some sort of pattern. I really hope so, I am dreading to think what my HbA1c has crept up to – through no fault of mine, nor lack of trying.
Posted in Hypos & Hypers, Pregnancy
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Sarah wrote
I hate breakfast – I can never tell whether I’m going to have a hypo or hyper at 9 am. Same breakfast every day (porridge, fruit and plain yogurt) but different hormonal interference! Sometimes I think I should skip breakfast altogether and wait till 10 when all the insulin resistance has settled down until I eat. Also heard that coffee might have something to do with it? I find also that if Violet sleeps through the night rather than waking for her customary 2-4 am feed I have high blood sugars. Gaargh, too many variables, it does your head in! On the other hand, I could tell my 6 year old that Mummy does maths in her head ALL THE TIME.
Nic wrote
I’ve also heard that caffeine can have an effect, but did a little bit of research and found arguments for and against. Hmmmm some interesting theories there about sleeping through the night as well – as you say – TOO MANY VARIABLES!!
Alana wrote
I just read this in diabetes mag about caffeine: Large doses can reduce your body’s insulin sensitivity and increase adrenaline levels, stimulating your liver to secrete sugar. Not sure what is considered to be a large dose though..
Roy wrote
I can not even begin to imagine the daily struggles of motherhood, baby and T1, but your smile Nic, suggests to me that it must be all worth it. Eda J Le Shan said,
“Babies are necessary to grown-ups. A new baby is like the beginning of all things – wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. In a world that is cutting down it trees to build highways, losing its earth to concrete…babies are almost the only remaining link with nature, with the natural world of living things from which we spring.”
I guess T1 and its additional strife has to be a part of the territory mum.
Kathy wrote
Roy – what a wonderful quote! and Nic I thinkk you look fabulous! It sounds like you are doing a wonderful job as Hugh looks so happy and contented. I had my ‘flu jab on Friday and that did my BGs in – I took my pump to pieces on Saturday and reloaded everything, put in a new canula etc. to no avail. Finished up having an injection and finally got everything back to normal only to have it shoot up to 17.6 before bed! It is just the nature of the beast. Things are reasonable today. Sigh – not sure whether that is of relief or frustration.
Nic wrote
That is a wonderful quote indeed, thanks for that Roy!
Kathy – glad to hear things have settled down… and you’re right, it’s just the nature of the beast – you have to stay on top of your game with the T1 – it’s ever-changing!! I think it’s often relief for me that I’ve singled out what the cause of the problem was…
Sarah wrote
Yes, Nic, I forgot to mention that you look great and Hugo is a total cutey!
Nic wrote
Thanks Sarah!
Roy wrote
Hi Kathy. Not sure how put this. I would like to know if there is detectable differences with going back to injections. I see them as something of a pump bolus shot and should work the same?
I did not find the flu jab too bad this year only a slight blag for a few days. I was already two-weeks into the seasonal change of the A&R / BARS. (Arron and Roy’s bodily absorption resistance syndrome, every T1 welcome and it’s free). I was surprised the BGs didn’t top out the same as you, but they stayed in the lower of the elevated range 10 and 12 peaking at 12 most days. This week, I have been back to my never the same per daily routine of all over the place but no more than 10 and because it is still rather warm for Dunedin, I am now not sure if the above mentioned interlude is the cause, which means it will still happen. Ugg!
I would like to say that a comment you made to Arron on a clinic or GP visit you had coming up, which you said you were happy with your BGs, but that you were in for a flea in the ear about something else for sure. Well Mamm! This was a real uplift and it was nice to know that other long termer’s are hassled some as well. I did not want to comment at the time, as I thought it might seem flippant. I beg forgiveness from The mama diaries for this shift of topic and will offer the book title by John Grey as my penance.
“Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, Children are from Heaven.”
Kathy wrote
Hi Roy, I had been ‘mucking about’ with my pump trying to see if the insulin was running through the tubing and mucked up all the settings on the pump, so I thought I would give myself 5 units by injection and not add to the confusion. I should’ve used a different button to run the insulin through but forgot about it at the time. My clinic visit actually went well and I didn’t feel so hassled this time. Maybe it is my imagination and they don’t mean to be hassling. Have nice Easter!- that applies to everyone.