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November 21st, 2008
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I know I said never again, but lately I'm finding myself thinking, "Next time, I'll do this, that and the other thing differently."

Yes, I'll admit it. My little boy is so ridiculously cute these days that I'm actually thinking about doing it again. I know, crazy. But for the next few paragraphs, I'll at least entertain the idea.

Next time, I will see fewer doctors. I was in a group OB practice, a group Maternal Fetal Medicine practice and a group PCP. Not counting a dermatologist and chiropractor, I saw no less than 13 different doctors during my pregnancy. Seven different OBs, three maternal-fetal medicine specialists, two PCPs and one endocrinologist. If I were to do it over again, I would find an obstetrician or perinatologist who specializes in diabetic pregnancies and was not a member of a group practice. Maybe a team of two, but not a group.

Next time, I will eat fewer carbs. Being able to use insulin to cover my meals offered me a little too much liberty with my meal choices. Plus, I recently found out that some experts recommend restricting carbs to 25g a meal during pregnancy. It sounds really strict, but when I was diet-controlled type 2, I was restricting carbs that way too.

Next time, I will watch my weight. Insulin also allowed me to eat things that I would never have touched, like chocolate lava cake. After all, I could no longer use my jeans as a gauge of my weight, so it seemed like a harmless rite of pregnancy (and a Right of Pregnancy) to eat Ben & Jerry's every night. Now that I have 30 more pounds to lose, I regret my Entemen's infatuation.

Next time, I will not pay attention to growth scans. In the final month of pregnancy, my baby went from an estimated 30th percentile, to an estimated 80th percentile, which totally stressed me out. He was growing at an estimated rate of 10 to 16 ounces a week, so at his 37 week growth scan when he was estimated at 7 pounds, 6 ounces, he had the potential to be a 10 pounder at full term. This of course did not happen. He was born at 38 weeks, at just 5 pounds, 14 ounces.

Next time, I will not stress as much about my blood sugar. Yes, I will still do my best to keep it as controlled as possible, but I think now that I know what to expect, I won't be so paranoid about having the occasional high blood sugar. I will trust my endo more too, since he did a great job.

Next time, I will bring a finger feeder or supplemental nursing system to the hospital so if the baby's blood sugar is low, there is an alternative to a bottle. I will also be more demanding of having my wishes met regarding breast feeding.

Next time, I will be nicer to my husband. Because as it stands right now, he's still saying "Never again." But then again, I was saying the same thing just last week.



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Rebecca Abma
What happens when a health writer develops a chronic illness? As Rebecca K. Abma can tell you, it turns into an obsession. Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in December 2003, 90 percent of her non-work computer time is spent researching the disease and chatting with fellow diabetics. (Read More)

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Nicole Purcell
Nicole has lived successfully with type 1 diabetes for 25 years. She hopes that by writing about her experiences, she can help others to face diabetes - and its challenges - head on.(Read More)

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