Kezia’s Birth Story: Gestational Diabetes, Yoga and Waterbirth

After having a traumatic first birth, I really invested informing myself about birth choices and hypnobirthing which I didn’t think was possible being consultant led, but it definitely is. I wasn’t convinced at first, but it helped so much with the anxiety and when you start to doubt yourself during the birth it can get you back in the zone and focused.

Esther was my third gestational diabetic pregnancy. Diagnosed early on in all three pregnancies, even with no risk factors and on insulin to control blood sugars with all three pregnancies. I started attending pregnancy yoga at 20 weeks. I enjoyed having that one to one time with my baby and it gave me an evening a week to relax and bond specifically with baby having two young children already.

In Esther’s pregnancy she had followed her own growth pattern all along in between the lines on the chart. I was insulin for fasting and all meals but my consultant was still so supportive of my birth intentions. I was desperate for a spontaneous labour rather than induced like with my first two children and agreed with the consultant that I would go to 40 weeks, if no baby be induced on my due date.(NICE guidance advises before 40+6). I tried everything for natural encouragement – acupuncture, yoga, pregnancy massage etc but nothing worked!

I went in to be induced on my due date, after being monitored, my midwife said I was already contracting. I felt no different than I had over that last week, so straight to breaking of waters as no pessary/ balloon was needed. My waters were broken at 7pm, I did some pregnancy yoga, keeping active on the birthing ball and yoga mat. I played Tessas playlist used in the yoga sessions to relax regularly in my pregnancy to help make that connection between the music and being relaxed, so I could have this foundation for the birth which I associated with being calm. Practicing yoga during the contractions made a positive impact, distracted me, gave me something to focus on and helped relieve the pain.

Every staff member that came into the room were amazed with the set up, dimmed lights, essential oils, my midwife went searching for a yoga mat for me and brought me back a massive floor gymnastics style mat! I think more because we were on the doctor led ward and it’s not seen there very often.

The labour progressed well, after four hours which was the guidance given by the consultant if nothing was happening to have the hormone drip, however we had the most amazing midwife who was totally on our wavelength and watched my behaviour over the monitors and guidelines/ times. She could see that I was making significant progress, I kept active with a wireless monitor attached to me, which didn’t like how active I was being so my midwife was with my on the floor next to me whilst I was keeping active to ensure it would stay on.An hour later at 12.16am baby Esther came into the world in the birthing pool weighing 8lb 8oz (the same pool her older brother was born in) We got to spend time cuddling in the pool, we got the golden hour we wanted and spent four hours together as a family in the room before heading to postnatal. She passed her blood sugars amazingly and we left hospital that day at 3pm.

I have been extremely lucky to have amazing supportive midwives and consultants on the diabetic team where I am based in East Lancashire, whom have given me the information unbiasedly for me to decide my birth preferences. I wanted to share my story to inspire others, you can have a water birth if you have gestational diabetes and on are medication, even if you’re consultant led have confidence to ask for the birth you imagined. Medication doesn’t mean you need to be induced early, if blood sugars are controlled and growth charts controlled then you can go further into your pregnancy than you first thought.

Tessas pregnancy yoga is more than yoga, it is a community and the importance of a community when pregnant and becoming a new parent again is invaluable.

Tessa Clemson Yoga – www.tessaclemsonyoga.com

Kezia’s Birth Story: Gestational Diabetes, Yoga and Waterbirth