Generally, your experience should be the same as anyone’s – you’ll be able to hold your baby, begin breastfeeding if you choose to, and enjoy the happiness of your first moments together. But because you have diabetes, doctors will take some extra steps to make sure you and your baby are off to a healthy start.
Your baby
To prevent your baby becoming cold, skin-to-skin contact should be made as soon as possible after delivery. All babies experience some level of hypoglycaemia after separation from the mother. Breastfeeding within the first hour after birth usually resolves this.
If you have delivered a large (macrosomic) baby weighing more than 4.5kg (9lb 9oz), the baby’s blood glucose level will be tested earlier in case your baby needs extra treatment. This extra treatment may include a ‘top-up feed’ of artificial milk or breast donor milk (depending on availability), that is given to your baby by mouth, via a syringe – but with your consent. This is a temporary measure and is usually resolved within the first 24 hours. The hypo generally does not harm the baby.
Within the first 24 hours after birth, doctors will check your baby for any malformations. Some babies develop jaundice and may require treatment – phototherapy is usually enough.
Many hospitals used to automatically admit babies of women with diabetes to the neonatal unit. But most hospitals now admit babies to this unit only if the baby needs special treatment.
You
After delivery of your placenta, your insulin needs will drop dramatically. You may be kept on an intravenous insulin/glucose drip for a few hours after delivery and your insulin dose will be adjusted as needed.
Your blood glucose will be checked regularly after delivery, until your levels stabilise. When you resume your normal diet, you should also return to your pre-pregnancy insulin dose. If you were taking insulin for gestational diabetes, the insulin can usually be stopped immediately after delivery.
Most women who deliver by Caesarean section are given antibiotics after delivery in order to decrease the risk of infection at the wound site.
After your pregnancy
You’ve just delivered a beautiful baby and you should feel proud of the effort you’ve made.
Even if you and/or your child have some difficulties to overcome, despite your best efforts to maintain control over your diabetes, take heart in the fact that you made the best possible effort to avoid them.