I was referred to the diabetes clinic at the main hospital, had a rather brief chat about what I should be eating and given a kit for stabbing my own fingertips six times a day to test my blood glucose levels. I came away thinking that it was certainly an inconvenience but not the end of the world.
Over the next few days I became more frustrated. The pamphlet I was given gave me very little information about what I could eat and in what combination (which apparently matters). Food that I was worried about gave no sugar spike, and food that I felt should be fine did. It seemed that the easiest way to get the right numbers on the meter was to eat nothing but meat, cheese and eggs, and surely that's not healthy?!
On Tuesday it got worse. I spoke to my midwife to set up an appointment and asked if she had been kept up to date - she hadn't even been told that I had been referred. I found out that because I had been referred to the diabetes clinic I was officially out of midwifery care for the birth and that she had to advise me not to plan for a home birth or one at the local midwife-led unit.
To some mums that wouldn't be an issue. To others, that might be disappointing. Quite frankly, it's sent me into a bit of a panic. Baby Badger was born in record time, and its expected that Badger Cub could come out even quicker - perhaps as little as 30 minutes from first contraction to pushing. The hospital is 45 minutes away from my house on a good day, and that's without traffic, waiting for someone to drive me there and someone else to take Baby Badger.
I've now reached the point of annoyance. I've done lots of reading around gestational diabetes. I've talked to an acquaintance who is an independent midwife. Everything is pointing to there being nothing wrong with me: my readings are within normal parameters for third trimester. I'm guessing the hospital are covering their backs with the referral - they're better off monitoring someone who is healthy that not monitoring someone who later turns out to have related issues.
The problem is that in doing this they are preventing me from planning the birth that is almost inevitable, and as a result my stress levels are up and I can't concentrate on anything else. Add to that, I feel as though my diet is worse because of the monitoring.
Definitely annoyed.
Image courtesy of pakorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Oh I'm so sorry - in terms of an action plan try and get an appointment with the consultant midwife for normality at your hospital - they can hopefully help
ReplyDeleteExplain that you have heard the information, you have assessed the risks and, especially in the light of your previous precipitate birth, you are intending to birth at home (or m/w unit) and you are informing them of this so you can work out a plan together for your care and to ensure there is on miscommunication later on
They cannot ban you from doing things, they can inform, they can advise but ultimately it is not their decision but yours
((hugs))
Thank you for the very good advice. That's essentially what I did yesterday - sent letters to all the consultants I've seen, my GP, my midwife and the diabetes clinic, explaining the situation and requesting that they agree to a sensible birth plan that my midwife can help me with. I've been given an appointment with the consultant on Monday.
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