Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: Post-Pregnancy | JDRF

Join Sarah, a new mother with type 1 diabetes, as she talks about her childbirth experience, as well as the challenges she’s faced with diabetes management after pregnancy, and some of her top postnatal diabetes tips.

Sarah had opted for a natural birth with induced labor, but her baby began reacting negatively to the medication. Ultimately, her medical team decided a C-section would be safest for both mom and baby.

Sarah managed to keep her blood sugar stable throughout the long birthing process. It helped that she could keep her insulin pump on throughout the surgery, and simply let her surgical team know beforehand.

What Sarah found more challenging was her diabetes management after pregnancy. On top of the difficulties faced by all new mothers, regardless of their health, Sarah, like many other moms with type 1 diabetes, spent much of her time monitoring and stabilizing her blood sugar.

Fluctuations in blood sugar levels are typical in postpartum type 1 diabetes,. As your body re-adjusts to post-delivery insulin uptake, breastfeeding, and the many stresses of being a new mom, blood sugar levels are often unstable.

Getting to know the ins and outs of managing blood sugar post-pregnancy means more regular blood sugar checks and learning to anticipate your needs by always having a snack ready should your blood sugar drop.

So what’s Sarah’s advice for women worried about type 1 diabetes and motherhood? Be confident, be positive, and find a doctor you have a really good relationship with so you can get your diabetes under the best control possible both before and after your pregnancy. It also helps to find organizations within your community that can help with pregnancy and diabetes tips, postpartum diabetes control, and glucose monitoring after childbirth.

Want to learn more about how you can have the safest birth possible with type 1 diabetes? Visit: https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/li...

To learn more about what during and post-pregnancy care entails for women with type 1 diabetes: https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/li...

At JDRF, we aim to further type 1 diabetes research and make diabetes resources and treatment accessible to everyone. Learn more about what we do here: https://www.jdrf.org/

Timestamps:
0:03 - Sarah talks about her childbirth expectations
0:40 - Discussion on induced labor and vaginal birth as a type 1 diabetic
2:00 - Describing the weeks following the birth of her son
2:50 - Blood sugar fluctuations post-partum
3:30 - Sarah’s advice for type 1 diabetics who want to get pregnant