October 31, 2000
Family Planning
Question from Michigan, USA:
My doctors have told me that it may take up to a year to get my blood sugars back under my normal control since I had my baby. Is this true? I have been doing pretty well, but occasionally I have some highs of 200mg/dl [11.1 mmol/L] and then some lows between 25 and 50 mg/dl [1.1 and 2.8 mmol/L] on the same day. The doctors had said that the hormonal changes that one goes through after pregnancy can do this, and I just need to do the best that I can. Is this true? I certainly never expected it to be this difficult after the baby. Does breast feeding have anything to do with it? They said possibly. There really needs to be more support for women with type 1, and the issues dealing with before, during, and after pregnancy. Any thoughts?
Answer:
It should not take very long (certainly not a year) to readjust your insulin dosing. By six weeks, the hormonal changes of pregnancy are resolved. Actually, shortly after delivery many of the hormones that led to insulin resistance are gone or back to near normal.
The irregular schedule of a new baby does make it difficult and breast feeding requires a higher calorie intake. Your control will be better with frequent blood sugar checks (before and after meals), paying attention to your diet and adjusting your insulin dosage based on the carbohydrate content of each meal. If you are not getting the care you want, you should write or telephone the medical director of your insurance company. Do not let them “get back to you”. Ask for an immediate resolution.
OWJ
