What about BaBiEs?

The first thing my mom said to me when I wanted to start trying to have a baby was, "I don't want 'Steel Magnolias' to happen to you!". When I went to my GYN to find out what I needed to do to prepare to get pregnant, I asked about the risk of dying like "Shelby" did. (sorry if I spoiled it for you!) The doc said with the technology today and my overall health, that I would be fine. My HBA1C was 11, tho, and she discouraged me from getting pregnant until it was a 5 or 6. I spent the afternoon crying. I wanted a baby so bad! I'm not known for having patience. I'd only been married for 7 months, I was only 20, what's the rush? I decided, on my own to stop taking birth control pills. We'll see what God wants. If we get pregnant, then great!! My husband, Brian and I went skiing/snowboarding a few weeks later. When I was younger, I was a speed demon on the slopes. I had no fear! This time, however, I was really nervous once I was on the trails. I was terrified of falling or crashing! My husband went down a blue run, and I opted for a green run about half way through the day. In the middle of the run, I felt the low blood sugar symptoms of sweating, shaky/wobbly, no energy, emotional and panicky! NO ONE else was in sight!! I took off my skis and started walking down the run. Amazingly, my sweet husband came around a turn towards me. He knew something was wrong when I wasn't showing up at the bottom of the hill! He carried my skis down and got me what I needed to bring my blood sugar back up. The following week, I was having a whole lot of low blood sugars, which for me wasn't normal! (Which was obvious from my 11 HBA1C. I was also easily irritated with Brian (poor thing). I decided to take a pregnancy test, and sure enough, I was pregnant! 4 weeks along!! We were so excited!! I was working part time at the credit union, so I worked from 10-3 everyday. One morning around my 4 month mark, I had a dream that I called my husband at work and said funny things to him. A little bit later I woke up and started getting ready for work. My blood sugar was low, so I fixed that when I got up. My husband called me and said that I called him and said weird stuff. (Now that I've been through it a few times, I know that I was in insulin shock). That happened one more time in my 4th month. My daughter, Ashleigh was born perfectly healthy after being induced at 38 1/2 weeks. She weighed 9 lbs 3 oz. Eight months later, I was pregnant with our second child. I didn't plan on it, and wasn't wanting to have to be so careful again so soon! So basically, I didn't take care of my blood sugars! (Read more about mental blocks on another blog) This pregnancy was hard for me mentally partly because I had to go to a perinatologist group due to insurance changes. I went often. At four months, one day Brian brought Ashleigh who was 10 months now, to me in bed at 8 am before he left for work. Then I had another "dream". I was on the beach eating a delicious fruit. The ocean breeze was blowing through my hair. It was so peaceful! Then shortly after that, I "woke up". It was 1 pm! I had been in insulin shock for 5 hours!! My poor baby was hungry, and while I was in shock I got an apple out of the refrigerator and ate it, then gave the core to my daughter. I totally freaked out!! My poor baby! The doctor told me that at 4 months along, hormones are going really crazy and your body is working hard! In the early mornings its the worst! So, my blood sugar would drop rapidly in the morning before I woke up, and send me into shock. My big belly was all you could see! It was HUGE!! In my 9th month, I was desperate to have him. I was so uncomfortable! I had heartburn, my lower back was hurting, and the tendons (or something) was hurting under my belly. At my 37 week ultrasound, I asked if I could be induced. The doctor did an amnio to see if his lungs were developed enough to be born. According to the ultrasound he was over 10 lbs already. The amnio results proved he was ready, so we set up for me to be induced the next day. At the hospital, the doc talked me into having a c-section due to the risk of the baby's shoulders being too big to pass through the canal. Hunter weighed 11 lbs 1 oz! He was so fat!! The nurses loved holding him all the time. He too was perfect!
Nine months later on 9/12/2001, I found out I was pregnant again! This time I made 2 decisions: #1. This is the last pregnancy. I'm getting my tubes tied after this one is born! #2. Since this is the last one, and I don't want another HUGE baby, I'll take care of my diabetes better. So, I did take care of myself. My HBA1C was 6 in the middle of my pregnancy! Woohoo!! One thing I love about being high risk is having a whole lot of ultrasounds. I had zero insulin shock episodes! I was scheduled for a c-section at 40 weeks and had my precious Kassie. She weighed 9 lbs 11 oz. (Which I think is weird since I found out I was pregnant with her the day after the 9/11 attacks!)
I successfully nursed her for a year. My kids have no sign of endocrine problems, or any other problems so far! My docs told me that even tho I saw older ladies in the waiting room, it was good that I was having my kids so young. My OB/GYN was glad that I was done having kids because he was worried about me pushing my body too far! What is your type 1 diabetic pregnant story?