After my gestational diabetes diagnosis, I was given time to see if diet and exercise could manage my blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough. I kept having slightly high fasting readings in the morning.
Because of that, the maternal fetal medicine docs decided to put me on insulin at bedtime.
A week or so after that, I had a few high readings after the evening meal, and I had to introduce another type of insulin to my before-dinner routine.
Oh boy… more needle pokes.
When I started taking insulin, I also had to start twice-weekly non-stress tests for baby Rowan. These tests are pretty simple, but I definitely feel like I’m at the doctor’s office all the time now.
What it boils down to is I sit with a nurse who puts two monitors on my belly. One to measure Rowan’s heartrate and one to measure my uterine movement (think contractions). While sitting there, I also have a button to click every time I feel Rowan move. He’s usually quite accommodating and moves a TON during these tests.
I go in every Tuesday and Friday, and so far, they’ve all been textbook.
Essentially, they like to see a baseline of baby being calm, as well as quick bursts of activity–all of which are perfectly normal. So far, there’s only been one appointment where Rowan seemed to be sleeping and the nurse had to “buzz” my stomach with flashlight-looking buzzer.
That buzz perked him right up for the required amount of activity, and then he quickly settled back down. (Hopefully a good sign for the future!)
One of the reasons these tests are necessary has to do with being on insulin. As it turns out, pregnant women on insulin are at a slightly higher risk of having a stillbirth. So, we’ll keep doing these twice weekly tests until it’s time for Rowan to make his entrance into the world.
And speaking of that big entrance… we learned at my latest 3D scan I’ll be induced on Sunday, May 5. I was really hoping to go into labor naturally (I’ve heard horror stories about inductions), but that isn’t our fate.
The reasoning is once again the stillbirth risk while on insulin. And, at 39 weeks, Rowan will be fully developed. The only thing happening between weeks 39 and 40 is the baby getting bigger. And since we recently learned he’s growing quite quickly (5 lbs. 6 oz. and a 13-in. head circumference as of last week), I don’t know the extra week of growth is necessary.
Oddly enough, only a couple days before this appointment, I was looking at a calendar and just happened to see May 6. I don’t know why it caught my eye, but when I saw it, I thought, that’s Rowan’s birthday. Maybe my motherly intuition is starting a little early? We’ll find out soon enough!
Nick was a little bummed about the induction. Apparently, he was really looking forward to the 100 mph mad-dash to the hospital… Maybe next time, love.
Knowing what day your labor will start does have a couple of advantages, though. Now, our families can plan when they’d like to come out to be here for the birth. It also allows both Nick and I to submit our maternity/paternity leave paperwork and generally be more organized about the whole process.
Completely unrelated to the blog, but I wanted to pause and wish my sister a very happy birthday!
IVF That 