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Clearly I am in a rant!


I had to go back to the hospital today to see 1) the diabetic consultant and 2) the Gynae/Mat consultant and have a scan as last week there was a noticeable drop in amniotic fluid around the bubs (little drama king!), and also to check re my csection and get a date for both that and for admittance the week before for 2 days to have IV steroids with bubs being delivered early.


The Diabetic consult was laughable, he looked at my levels, put them up, garbled something then said bye and made for the door (clearly had somewhere better to be!). I had to ask him to wait, ask for a pen and ask him to repeat the dosage adjustments he wanted me to make as he hadn’t written anything down, just thrown some figures and fancy words around and attempted to flee. What a waste of time! I am rung every other day by the diabetic team who are nothing short of fantastic, they take my latest blood readings and adjust over the phone (bearing in mind its a 30min one way bus journey to the hospital). So why waste my time?


The Maternity appointment – well that was equally amusing. After a lengthy wait I had a scan looking specifically for the fluid levels. Then bloods and gubbings then after more of a wait- the consultant. This was not my usual consultant but not unknown to me as she was my fertility consultant!!
The conversation went as follows:


Her: Ok, so you are here because…..
Me: *Sigh*, baby’s amniotic levels were pretty low last week and I was told this is usual as with G Diabetes babies they usually have excess fluid.
Her: Ahh yes.
Her: Well it says the levels are normal on last week’s?
Me: Yes but on the scan report on the next page it says different.
Her: Ahh yes.
Her: Well because of your levels (diabetes-wise) you will have to be induced at 38 weeks.
Me: Yes I am having a csection  at 38wks and I was told by the other consultant to talk to you regarding booking a date today for that and for being admitting the week before for steroids as baby is being delivered early.
Her: Well looking at your levels (blood sugar wise) we may need to induce earlier than 38 weeks.
(Please bear in mind I am 34wks tomorrow)
Me: OH! I hadn’t realised that, how much earlier?
Her: Well I don’t see the point of discussing your csection plans etc when I am not your usual consultant and you have been in discussion regarding this with her already. I see you are in to see her on Tuesday after another growth scan, so you can organise dates with her then. I want you back in on Friday for another scan for the fluid to see if there is any change.
Seeing as your fluid is low we are going to put you on a CTG monitor so we can properly monitor baby’s movements and heart as it is easier to detect any abnormalities when you have less fluid.


And she was gone. Seriously. I am not amused. So 1) I do apparently still have lower fluid, the significance of this at this stage with everything else I don’t know, 2) Heart defects? Who said anything about that? 3)You don’t see the point of discussion my impending csection or booking dates, ok so why are you here, or more to the point why am I? Oh and just to point out- IF 37weeks is when I deliver, and I don’t find out until next week (35wks), I have a maximum of 2 weeks notice of csection, 1 week notice of the date I am admitted for pre-delivery steroids.
Um, I don’t drive so need to sort transport, I have a 4year old to look after / arrange care for, school pickups/drop-off etc, Roy hasn’t any leave left to take and I will need him at home from csection day so I definitely need to tell him a date so he can tell his work for paternity leave!


Arghhhhhh!


Am I being ridiculously hormonal or was today one of the biggest wastes of time ever?
Thank gawd the support staff were on usual top form today (they are fab, both in the diabetic team and the lovelies in maternity) else I might have stolen a buggy for consultant ramming purposes!


Back on Friday for another scan to check the fluid, then Tuesday to see my “proper” consultant, and boy will I have some things to discuss!


Watch this space!

Firstly….I hate unexplained gaps in activity on the blog, so apologies for my quietness. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again!


A quick catch up in the mad world of pregnancy that I currently reside in. The (very) short version…

I mentioned earlier that my homebirth dream was shattered when I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes (humph). From that day, it’s all changed! I am no longer allowed a homebirth due to being “High Risk” now. I was a bit gutted but lets face it, baby 2’s safety is much more important than my birth plan!
So… after scans and consultant appointments I was told I was being induced at 38wks, that myself and bubs would be closely monitored, I would need a drip for the glucose, another for this, this and that. Jeez! Not the active birth I expected and I was very upset to be told that as baby is bigger than he should be for his dates (due to the GD) there is a much higher risk of forceps (etc) and I’m at least three times more likely to have to have an emergency c-section. Add to this the fact that bubs may need to have a short spell in Special Care to regulate his levels as he will be making too much insulin to combat my too-high sugar. Ok then, didn’t expect that.


Since then I haven’t been able to control my sugars with tablets and am now on insulin, the dose of which is increased every 2-3 days as the levels are still not anywhere near where they should be, and I am on first name terms with everyone at the diabetic centre at the hospital and the maternity unit, as I am at both at least once a week. Bubs seems fine so far as am I (although absolutely shattered, both bodily and mentally!) but I have to have yet another scan next week to recheck the amount of fluid around baby as he is on the low side of the expected amount, and GD babies usually are the opposite- with extra fluid.
Never rains but it pours!


It’ll all be fine but we’ve had to really think a lot about the birth and how it’ll all work and after much research, discussion and soul searching we spoke to the consultant about an elective csection. I must admit I half expected to have to really fight for one but in light of everything going on, and the risk of having to go through a lengthy and quite possibly unsuccessful induction and an emergency c-section, (further distressing bubs!) and the fact that I was well aware already of the pros and cons, they agreed without too much wrangling at all.
So – do not have a homebirth, do not stop at hospital natural birth, go straight to csection.
And this is why I’ve been a bit quiet the last week or so, it has all been very full on!


I will get my date for csection next week after the next scan to check the fluid (I don’t know what will happen if the fluid has dropped further, I imagine I might meet bubs sooner than expected!), and the date when I will be admitted the week before for two days for IV steroids, so at least will be able to plan around that. Boy will I be glad when this fella is here and safe and we can all get home and start life as a family of four!


(I know I promised the short version… this was the short version!).


So, I think this is a credible reason for being AWOL! Heres hoping there are no more spanners in the works eh?!