women with gestational diabetes, how big was your baby?

[oxfairycakexo]

I had GD with my son, had a growth scan at 37+4 and was told he was about 10-11lbs so booked in for induction the day after and turns out he was only 7lbs 7oz!! Growth scans can be very misleading so don't worry too much x

 

[Tanikit]

I am a type 1 diabetic on 4 injections a day - my first baby was 8 pounds 3 ounces at 38 weeks (and the U/S scan done two days before the birth was totally correct) My next baby has been measuring 1 week ahead since 12 weeks, but I know the growth begins now and will have to see what happens as the pregnancy progresses (I am having 4 weekly scans at the moment)

 

[DanielleM]

I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size.

 

[angelstardust]

I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size.

This is what it is all about really. Amber was on a drip for a week to regulate her blood sugar levels and it wasn't a nice time for any of us. Although she was within normal weight range for her gestation, the GD affected her quite a bit.

 

[DanielleM]

I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size.

This is what it is all about really. Amber was on a drip for a week to regulate her blood sugar levels and it wasn't a nice time for any of us. Although she was within normal weight range for her gestation, the GD affected her quite a bit.

Is everything ok with Amber now? Have there been any other complications later on caused by GD? I also see you have a 5 year old with cerebral palsy, my son also has this and he is 6!! I suppose when you already have a child with special needs you are constantly thinking about it with the new child, well I know I do!!! xxx

 

[angelstardust]

I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size.

This is what it is all about really. Amber was on a drip for a week to regulate her blood sugar levels and it wasn't a nice time for any of us. Although she was within normal weight range for her gestation, the GD affected her quite a bit.

Is everything ok with Amber now? Have there been any other complications later on caused by GD? I also see you have a 5 year old with cerebral palsy, my son also has this and he is 6!! I suppose when you already have a child with special needs you are constantly thinking about it with the new child, well I know I do!!! xxx

She was released from hospital and was fine. Didn't do to well being exclusively breastfed though. She was always so sleepy. Combine fed her from about 8 weeks and then fully formula fed from 14weeks and she started putting on weight and waking up.

Since then she has been fine. Okay, at the begining of the month she suffered from Acute Hepititis and was in hospital (scary times). But that had nothing to do with the GD... or we don't think it did. She is recovering from that and we just have to wait on all the blood tests to come back to normal and wait for the big tests to see if there is anything long term (hopefully not).

DS2 has a right sided hemi. He was born at 33weeks when I had an abruption caused by pre eclampsia. He does amazingly well though. Walking, running... speech is coming on well. Goes to a small ASN unit in a mainstream school.

You are right, one of the things I had to think about was the prospect of having another child with special needs which is very scary since you already know what it's like. I read up on the dangers of hypoglycemia and made my mind up that I would do anything to try and prevent it. So she got formula top ups in hospital before she went to SCBU (a lot of the pro breastfeeders have been a bit off with me because of that). She ended up with a drip and after a few days I had to assert myself...loudly. They were trying to make her go 4 hours between feeds which is far too long for a breastfed baby, my boobs were saying 3 hours. I had to sit through a lot of dirty looks and sighs before they accepted that I was right and her blood sugar levels were improving with the 3 hourly feeds. Probably good that I had lots of practice at being assertive with DS2

 

[Tanikit]

My first DD was born at 38 weeks and was taken to ICU immediately after birth because of a large hematoma on her head from the ventouse. Her sugars did drop low (to 1.2) and she was on a drip and had some glucose but was back out with me the next morning. She did also develop bad jaundice - I called someone to help with the breastfeeding at that stage and had her under lights at home where I was less stressed.

I am worried about the birth of the next one - my sugars were low a lot of the labour and yet she still went low afterwards, but will see how it goes. I did manage to breastfeed all the way through (til 26 months) but even that was a battle as I kept going low with the diabetes from the breastfeeding. At the same time a healthy baby is all I want so they must do what is in her best interests.

 

[thesmiths88]

I had GD and was predicted around a 9lb baby but she ended up being 8lb2oz. I was massive all the way through too and wondered what kind of monster I would have!!!!

 

[TripleB]

At my growth scan yesterday at 33+4, current estimated weight was 6lbs4oz! I was really surprised as 4 weeks ago it was 3lbs7oz so this seems like a massive difference when I have been controlling my blood sugar. One odd thing is that 4 weeks ago femur length was just below average and now its 90th centile - contributing to the high estimated weight - do unborn babies have growth spurts in their legs?! They have now put me on night-time insulin (dosage 6) as my morning sugars were right on the limit. Seems to have done the trick as it was much better this morning, I just hope it slows the growth down too. I was also given an amniotic fluid index of 21.1 and am really worried about the size of this little one! Induction wasn't mentioned but at this rate I can't see me going beyond 39 weeks.

xxx

 

[Tanikit]

Because of what they are measuring (head, abdomen and femur) the growth scans are not always that accurate - you need to see if you can check what percentage the other measurements are on - for example if the abdomen is 60% and the head is 65% and the femur is at 90% then most probably the weight they are giving you is not that accurate - however if they are all very close to the same percentage (eg all on 60% then the weight is more likely to be accurate) - your baby may just have longer than normal legs.

 

[TripleB]

Just checked - both the femur and abdomen are over 90 (not sure exact number) and head is around 50. Not sure what that means, maybe the estimate is a little over but not by that much? xxx

 

[angelstardust]

Abdomen size is too variable for my liking. Femur legth can mean he or she is a tall one. Head circ is bang on normal. If anything I'd ay you will have a long baby.

 

[TripleB]

Thanks ladies - I really appreciate it. Hate coming away without proper explanation then trying to interpret my notes! xxx

 

[Tanikit]

Diabetic babies apparently do tend to have a larger than normal abdomen with a normal head size - well that is what I have been told - that is why they are always worried about shoulder dystocia, but a long femur length would be more likely just to mean a long baby.

 

[angelstardust]

Our babies have wee fat bellies. All the better to blow raspberries on

 

[TripleB]

Our babies have wee fat bellies. All the better to blow raspberries on

cute. xxx

 

[AmeliePoulain]

My baby popped out weighing 6lb 7oz when I was induced at 39+1.

I am a bit dubious about the scan I had at 35+4 now that said she was already 5lb 9oz!

The nurses on the ward found it a bit strange that the only GD lady on the ward had the only baby under 9lb.......hmmmm

 

[Caezzybe]

Logan was 6lb 13oz, arrived spontaneously at 38+5 and was long and lean on his body, with no sign of a tubby tummy!

 

[tjw]

I had Ruby at 36+2 and she weighed 8lbs 3oz.

 

[going_crazy]

My baby was estimated to be born at about 11lb (- my GD wasn't THAT under control TBH)
She popped out spontaneously at 40+1 weighing 9lb 6oz, which was average for me as my last baby was 9lb 8oz!

Good luck ladies xxxx