Gestational diabetes

What is gestational diabetes?


Diabetes is a condition where there is to much glucose (sugar) in the blood, this is controlled by the hormone insulin produced by your pancreas. When pregnant women who have higher than average glucose in there blood their bodies are unable to produce enough insulin to transport the glucose to the cells. This results in the build up of glucose in the blood instead of being converted into energy.

"Between 1 in 20 of expectant mothers develop this condition, making it one of the most common health problems of pregnancy" (Source: www.diabetes.co.uk)

Please note any of the following information should not replace that of your medical practitioner, Please consult them if you have any questions about your health care or that of your baby

What will a glucose involve?

If you are considered at risk of gestational diabetes you will be offered a Glucose tolerance test (GTT) around 24- 28 weeks pregnant. The test will consist of a blood test that will be done after a period of fasting. They will take a blood test then you will be asked to drink a glucose drink, after two hours they will then take another blood test to see how your body reacts. 

What puts me at risk of gestational diabetes?

There are various factors that can potentially increase the risk of gestational diabetes. You are at risk if:

• you have a history of diabetes within the family

• your origin is south Asian, black Caribbean or Middle Eastern  

• you have a BMI over 30

• you've had gestational diabetes before

What are the risks to my pregnancy? 

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes you will need to be aware of the risks this can cause for you, your baby and your labour, but do not let this overwhelm you as now you are diagnosed you can manage it. 

The risks if not managed:

• having a larger baby

• complications in delivery

• still birth

• health problems such as diabetes in later life

• issues for your baby after birth such as heart and breathing problems that will require hospital care

How can I manage my diabetes?

Most women who have gestational diabetes go on to have healthy babies. After they are diagnosed most can control it through diet and you will be given a kit to test your blood glucose levels. As a diabetic you can still enjoy most food but to keep your sugar levels balanced you must watch your portions and keep your protein, fat and carbohydrates intake balanced. You will meet with a dietician to help you choose the right food and portioning. On occasion if you blood sugar is constantly high or your baby is a little larger than usual on the ultrasound scan they will give you tablets or insulin injections. You will also have more frequent anti natal appointments to monitor your and babies health.


If you have had gestational diabetes while pregnant it is important you get tested each year as you are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

How will this effect my labour and birth?

If you have gestational diabetes it is recommended you give birth in hospital with a consultant lead maternity team who are experienced with caring for diabetic mothers and their babies.  If your diabetes is controlled it is unlikely that your baby's birth will be effected. However it might be recommended to have your labour induced at around 38 weeks or you might require a caesarean. 
Your baby will be monitored throughout your labour to insure they are safe and not distressed, you will also have your blood monitored and in some cases you maybe put on a drip so you can be given insulin to keep your sugar levels in the correct range through your labour.


How will this effect me and my baby after birth?

Once you have had your baby most women's gestational diabetes will go away, you will be able stop taking any medication you have been given for it. You will be offered another blood test around 6 weeks post natal to check that your levels have returned to the recommended levels. Even though your gestational diabetes has gone you should still have a diabetes test ever year and take care of your health as you are still at risk of developing diabetes type 2. 
After your delivery you baby their blood with also be checked by taking a drop of blood from their heel. You should feed your baby as soon as possible to help prevent or correct hypoglycaemia. 




It can be really difficult and frightening going through a difficult pregnancy and having an extra illness to deal with can be overwhelming, please don't feel you are alone, if you would like support or just someone who has been through it to please feel free to contact us: team@nurturingnatalsupport.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NurturingNatalSupport

Facebook closed group: (if you would like to speak to others in a similar position in confidence)
                        
www.facebook.com/groups/NurturingNatalSupport/

Nurturing Natal Support Meeting on 16th sept 2013

Some of you may already know us: either in person; on our facebook page; of our facebook closed group - but we thought we would share a bit more about us and what we are up to.

Nurturing Natal Support started officially on the 17th of March 2013, aiming to help families who have suffered from birth trauma;  difficult pregnancies;  pregnancy related illnesses; childcare concerns;  and loss.

To start with let me introduce you to the NNS Team

Victoria Stuart - Chairperson, Events Organiser and Head of Marketing and Promotion

I am a super proud mummy of a little boy. I founded NNS after having a traumatic birth which led to anxiety. I felt I needed to do something after receiving little support myself - I hated to think of others going through the same and having it swept under the carpet. I have worked in entertainment and promotion; and now with our NNS team I feel we can make an improvement to other families lives.

 

Graham Old - Therapeutic Consultant, Hypnotherapist and Workshop Host

Graham is a proud dad of 3 and previously worked as a Father's Worker with teenage dads. He is a qualified life coach and certified clinical hypnotherapist. He also works alongside professional bodies, offering support and guidance to families in crisis. He also has a background in pastoral counselling, and a long career in family support, mental health, and learning difficulties. 

 

 

Micala Wagstaff - Administrator, Finances and Graphic Designer 

Micala is a mummy of two and runs her own business, designing website and graphics. She previously worked in the public sector, dealing with benefits, finance and social housing.

Some of the NNS Team working hard and drinking copious amounts of tea

Now you know a little about us lets move on to our meeting. This months meeting was held at the King William IV in Kingsthorpe, Northampton. It was our first official meeting with our complete board of trustees. We very much like this pub, its beautiful and friendly and perfect for families. They completely stole my heart when they brought out tea in these cute little teapots! We want some for our office!!!  We spent our meeting going over our roles; what we would like to offer families and when. 

So I guess the first announcement we can share with you is that we have planned our first fundraising event! It will be held at the King William IV on the 15th March 2014 and will be a Garden Party. We will have demos, such as baby massage, baby sign, hypnotherapy. There will also be stalls, crafts, face paint, natural health and medical health info, games, music, photos and lots more.

If you think you would fit this event and would like to book a stall please complete our online Stall Holder Application 

We have so much exciting news for all our families and the local community - it would be hard to fit it all into this blog post, so keep your eyes peeled for our website going live soon and our weekly blog posts every Friday! TTFN - Vicky x

How does being rhesus negative effect my pregnancy?

What does rhesus negative mean?

Many of us don't know our blood type before becoming pregnant so at your first midwife appointment they will test this for you (amongst other things). Most people are rhesus-D positive, which means the surface of their red blood cells contains a protein called the D antigen. But around 15% of people in the UK are rhesus negative, known as RhD negative (Source: Mumsnet).



Please note any of the following information should not replace that of your medical practioner. Please consult them if you have any questions about your health care or that of your baby

How does it affect me?

Once you have your blood test results your midwife will tell you if you are rhesus negative or not. If you are rhesus negative don't panic - we are going to go through what kind of care you should expect and why.

You will need injections during your pregnancy called Anti-D. The frequency and amount varies depending on where you are in the country, but it is usual to have at least one injection during pregnancy.

The most common way of having this injection is in the top of your thigh or buttocks. Your midwife will ask you to lay down for this on your side, and may also ask you to wiggle your feet. Though you may feel slightly silly doing this, I would recommend you do it anyway. When I had my anti-d injection I found this helped releive the pain (yes unfortunately this injection can be a little painful).

Depending where you are in the country you may have a second or even third injection of anti-d. But you may also have an injection after birth. The midwife, nurse or doctor will take blood samples shortly after birth from you and the umbilical cord. This will be then tested for the D antigen - if your baby is rhesus positive, then you will need another anti-D injection within 72 hours.

Why do I need these injections?

These injections are important incase your baby has rhesus positive blood from their father - this would make your blood and the baby's blood incompatiable. If your blood then comes into contact with the baby's blood, then an immune response is triggered. Your body will then develop antibodies that fight against your baby's blood which is known as sensitisation.

It is very unusual for your blood and the baby's blood to mix during pregnancy (although this risk increases with each subsequent pregnancy), and sensitisation doesn't normally occur until after birth. The likihood of you having a sensitisation event increases when there is:

• Bleeding during pregnancy
• Invasive procedures such as an amniocentesis or CVS
• Abdominal injury during pregnancy
• External cephalic version (where the baby is turned in the later stages of pregnancy)
• Misscarriage
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Termination
• Blood transfusions

If you are rhesus negative it is important to carry a card or wristband around with you at all times so that if you are to fall, paramedics and doctors would be aware you needed an additional anti-D injection - this helps to limit the chances of having a sensitisation event. Anti-D neutralises the D antigen in foetal blood so your blood does not detect it and produce antibodies to fight it.




Once the antibodies are created in your body they won't leave, so having anti-d injections help to protect future pregnancies as they can cross the placenta and attack the babys blood cells. When this happens it is known as rhesus disease - it can be mild and cause anaemia, but it can also be very serious causing haemolytic disease to the baby which can be fatal.

I myself am rhesus negative so I know it can sound rather scary. At the end of the day it is your own personal choice if you would like the anti-D injections - but for my own peace of mind I felt the few seconds of embarrassment outweighed anything else. My children were both rhesus negative anyway so I didnt need to have the additional injection after birth, but it is something I would still recommend mums to think about - even if they know their partner is rhesus negative.

 

If you would like to talk about being rhesus negative, rhesus disease, or any other issues that may have been raised from this blog post, please contact us team@nurturingnatalsupport.co.uk

Visualisation and Relaxation for Anger, Anxiety and Stress

What is "visualisation" and how can it help my anger, anxiety or stress ?

Visualisation is a technique that is especially useful for anger, anxiety and stress. It helps you to teach your mind and body to react positively to situations, emotions or thoughts.

Research suggests that your mind does not know the difference between real events and visualised events - so imaging positive outcomes or going to a positive place will help you your mind and body to adapt to a new conditioning.

So how can it help your anger, anxiety or stress? It can help your body feel calmer, happier, peaceful and relaxed - its an added bonus that it will also help your mind to think more positively!

So how do I do this?

Visualisation does that some time and practise, however once you have been doing it for a while you should start to see some positive results. Please note that the advice found here should never be used to replace your doctors advice. If you think you are suffering from anger, anxiety or stress, please seek medical advice.

1. Find your safe place - your safeplace (or "happy place") is whether you feel the most comfortable. This could be a beach, forest, your home, bath, school, anywhere. It is your own unique safe space and there is no right or wrong answer as to what is best. My safe place is a fores with a stream running down to a river and then a lake.
2. Immersion - now you have in mind briefly where your safe place is going to be. Now you need to start to travel there in your mind. Close your eyes and take nice deep even breaths. Make sure your surroundings are relaxing like a nice chair, cushions or bed. The only noise we would advice is classical, new age or tranquil music that will help you to relax. 
3. Relax your body - start to think about your feet, and them relaxing and going to slow. Work up your body, focusing on relaxation and sleep. Think about how it feels to be relaxed, listen to your heartbeat and your nice even breaths.
4. Visualisation - Now you should be starting to feel more relaxed, but don't worry if your not. It is also okay to still hold onto anything that is worrying you, this is normal, so don't beat yourself up over it. Now start to imagine how your safe place feels under your feet. You imagine stepping into your safe place and smelling the air, what does it smell like? You imagine opening your eyes and taking in the beautiful site, what does your safe place look like? You imagine eating or tasting the air, what does it taste like? You ear the water running or a bird, what does it sound like? You brush past something, what does it feel like? Imagine everything with all your senses, this will help your mind to think it is really there.
5. Coming around - It is up to you when you want to return from your safeplace. A good way to come around is imaging leaving your safe place. Refocus on your breathing and heartbeat once more. Then slowly imagine waking your body up, but starting from your head and working your way down. Then slowly open your eyes
6. Practise - The best way to see good results is to keep practising. I make sure I do this at least 20mins everyday and find it really helps to shake off any feelings of anxiety.

If you aren't sure on where your safe place would be, you can also purchase relaxation cds. They will help to talk you through various safe places and take you on visualisation journeys. I started off with these myself until I felt more comfortable with how to visualise.

If you have any questions about visualisation, relaxation, anger, anxiety or stress please email us at team@nurturingnatalsupport.co.uk