Mum Emma raises awareness of diabetes in pregnancy
A mum-of-two is raising awareness of diabetes in pregnancy – after she battled the condition twice whilst she was expecting.
Emma, now mum to Ivy, aged two and eight month old Niamh, was under the care of our Women’s Hospital when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
She had no history of the disease and had put some of the symptoms down to her pregnancy when she first found herself expecting.
Signs include the frequent need to go for a wee, unusual tiredness, blurred vision and a dry throat.
She explained: “When I was first diagnosed it was a surprise, as it was my first pregnancy, I thought this must just be what it feels like. But after I learnt more about the symptoms, it did make some sense.
“I didn’t really know much about the signs.”
Gestational diabetes happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin while pregnant and can lead to problems including the baby growing larger than usual, preeclampsia and sometimes premature birth.
Emma, who was supported by her husband Jon, added: “The Gestational Diabetes Team really guided us through it and gave us so much help and advice.”
She undertook a glucose test at 20 weeks which detects the condition and was seen by the team, who worked with her t manage the disease.
She also had a growth scan every two weeks to carefully monitor her baby's development.
Emma explained: “Jon and I had a limited knowledge of diabetes, but the team equipped us in how to manage it and the signs to look out for.
“They helped me with my diet and offered me tips to manage my cravings and gave Jon advice on how he could support me at home too.
“We went to education sessions and learnt how to inject the insulin which was daunting at first, but it soon became part of our routine.”
Careful monitoring of Emma led to the early detection of high blood pressure and preeclampsia and midwives were able to act quickly and deliver Ivy safely at 37 weeks.
Shortly after the birth, Emma's glucose levels shortly returned to normal and she had no further symptoms. In 2024, Emma was pregnant again.
She said: “At 10 weeks I was feeling thirsty all the time and realised that it was most likely diabetes, which was later confirmed.
“Of course, I didn’t want to go through the worry again, but I felt reassured because of the support throughout my first pregnancy,” she recalled.
Emma said: “The second time was much harder. I was worried about my glucose levels dropping too low suddenly if I was driving with Ivy or looking after her alone.
“I was so regimented with what I ate, but we had some experience now and knew a bit of what to expect. Niamh was born healthy and again the diabetes disappeared.”
Emma hasn’t had any more symptoms of diabetes and the family of four have been enjoying time together.
She added: “It was a whirlwind getting here, but we're living our dream.
“We love being parents and feel so lucky to have two amazing little girls who fill our lives with so much happiness and fun.
“We treasure our family time and we’re eternally grateful to the diabetes team, it was thanks to their support that got me through some dark days to get here.”