Now that my big announcement is out and I’ve been mostly open about my pending dive into motherhood this fall, the whole “pregnancy with T1 Diabetes” is really starting to hit home. And I’m constantly reminded about it every time my Dexcom BLEEEEEPPSSS with a low blood sugar alarm. This is a whole different ballgame, kids.

Let’s begin with why I haven’t been blogging as much as I should. Like every matriarch in my family, I’ve been “blessed” with knowing my child is growing inside me via morning sickness. (Scratch that – try “all-damn-day sickness.”) I’m on a collection of drugs that kind of take the edge off, but at 12 weeks, I’m still making good friends with my bathroom. (And not so good friends with food.) The challenging part here is keeping enough food down to keep my insulin needs balanced. Especially since throwing up dinner leaves me with an empty stomach and 6 units IOB. (Jamba Juice and I have become close recently.) Saddle the sickness with the ability to fall asleep at a moment’s notice and this blog is toast. (Mmm… toast.)

Despite all of the GI issues, my docs are relatively happy with my control. (HA!) They aren’t thrilled with all the lows I have, but I guess the alternative isn’t great either. (But I’ve had a number of those as well.) My medical team is actually just the high risk OB department that specialize in mommas with diabetes. They mostly work with GDs, but they are seeing an influx in pregnant T1s. (Right now, there are 12 T1s, with pumps, in the department and that’s the most they’ve ever seen.) I’m not doubting their experiences with T1 moms, but I find it comical that it appears not many T1s seem to use my hospital. Anyway – since my OBs are the only docs I see, they control my insulin pump ratios. Yes – the OBs. I don’t see a separate endocrinologist (though, there is one on staff in the department that I’ve met once), nor do I see my own endo until after my baby is born. The nurses on staff are all CDEs as well. Somehow, this works in my favor as I don’t have two different doctors giving me two different opinions on how my insulin should be working, and since all of my maternity care is 100% covered via my insurance, I don’t pay a co-pay. (That will come in handy later.)

There are some other finer points that I’m sure other moms-to-be don’t necessarily have to think about, but I do. Things like maternity clothes, for example. I can find some great deals on maternity pants online. Same goes for dresses. The thing is, none of these cheap pants have pockets. At all. Same goes for dresses, leggings, etc. Clearly, cheap fashion and pockets don’t mix and I’ll have to figure out something else for my gadgets. Or my favorite “issue” from this week – sensor and set placement during ultrasounds. I’m still placing my infusion sets on my lower abdomen because I don’t really have a “bump” yet. I needed to do a site change on Thursday, right before my NT scan and opted to re-place it on my left hip instead. It worked out because the set would have totally been in the tech’s way. Plus ultrasound goo and adhesives don’t sound like they’d play well with each other. Things like that!

Oye – is it October yet? I really want to meet this little bean who apparently likes sleeping upside down in utero and likes to consume all my food before I get a chance to process it. (Figures.)

In other news, I might start buying stock in all Orange Juice producers as I seem to go through 2 quarts every 4 days.