Diabetes after birth and breastfeeding

It’s ideal if the baby is allowed to be with you right after birth. That bonding is emotionally significant and helps your new baby regulate body temperature and pulse rate.

Blood sugar management and monitoring

If your baby was exposed to elevated blood sugar levels during pregnancy, the baby's pancreas was actively producing insulin to cope with those maternal blood sugar levels. After cutting the umbilical cord, the excessive sugar supply is eliminated. However, the small pancreas cannot regulate insulin production fast enough and may still produce too much insulin at first. This may cause the baby's blood sugar to drop too low after delivery. Therefore, these babies, who were exposed to higher levels during pregnancy, have routine blood sugar checks for safety.

Breastfeeding

Breastmilk is produced beginning in mid-pregnancy in the form of colostrum.  The baby will feed on the colostrum right after birth. It is perfectly adapted to the calorie needs of the baby and just right for their small stomach. The colostrum, also referred to as liquid gold, contains immune substances and provides early protection against diseases. Once your baby and the placenta are delivered, your body starts to produce more milk.

Breastfeeding is good for you and your baby. However, many women with diabetes experience difficulties in terms of milk production. There are many factors involved, but may include things like fluctuating blood glucose levels, maternal obesity, or PCOS. Additional attention to breastfeeding management and good preparation is important, as breastfeeding helps in many different ways.

If you were diagnosed with gestational diabetes during your pregnancy, breastfeeding helps reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the following years. In addition, breastfeeding helps post-pregnancy weight management and has a longer-term positive effect on your weight. The extra benefits of breastfeeding aren’t all for mom! Breastfeeding for more than 3 months has shown to have a positive effect on the long-term weight of the child. Also, for parents with type 1 diabetes, prolonged breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of the child also developing type 1 diabetes.

Your insulin requirements after birth

If you use insulin to manage your diabetes you’ll notice a dramatic drop in your dosing needs almost right away. With gestational diabetes, insulin is often completely discontinued. Within about 3 days after delivery, insulin requirements are almost 20% lower than before birth and your risk of hypoglycemia is increased. Basal insulin should be adjusted. The best way to manage blood sugars amidst so much rapid change is to check often, log regularly, and review for trends.

Insulin therapy during breastfeeding

Insulin molecules are large and do not transfer into your breast milk, so there’s no direct concern for the baby in that regard. But you can expect to use up to 25% less insulin while breastfeeding, which means you need to watch out for low blood sugars and always have fast-acting glucose within reach. Of course, it’s great if you can include regular exercise and balanced nutrition along with managing blood sugars to help get your metabolism on track. And remember to drink a lot of water! Staying hydrated is important while breastfeeding.

Sources: https://lllusa.org/bfinfo/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19364685/