Your health after pregnancy with type 1 and 2 diabetes 

You will need to make changes to your medication and monitor your glucose levels with care after you’ve had your baby.  

On this page

Your care after the birth 

Your medication after birth

Skin-to-skin (also known as kangaroo care) 

Breastfeeding after the birth

Hypoglycaemia

Managing your glucose levels with a new baby

Your mental health

Looking after yourself

Retinopathy

Having another baby

Your baby’s health

Your care after the birth

You and your baby should stay in hospital for at least 24 hours after the birth. This is so your healthcare team can check that your baby has stable glucose levels and is feeding well.

You will be offered a review with your diabetes team a few months after birth, and return to your normal schedule of care. Contact your healthcare team if you’ve any queries before this appointment.

It’s bound to be harder now that you have a newborn baby to look after, but try to take extra care of yourself. Do your best to eat well and stay active, but also give yourself time to rest, relax and keep your stress levels as low as you can.  

Your medication after birth

Your body will need less insulin to control your glucose after your baby is born. If you were using insulin during your pregnancy, you should reduce the amount you are taking straight after the birth.  

Your healthcare team will help you to put in place a postnatal plan for your medication and insulin requirements. After that, you need to keep checking your glucose levels regularly. 

If you changed your medications before you got pregnant, don’t go back to your usual medication just yet. First, check with your healthcare team that they are safe to take while you’re breastfeeding, if that’s the option you’ve chosen. If you have type 2 diabetes and have been taking metformin, you can carry on taking it.

Skin-to-skin (also known as kangaroo care)

Skin-to-skin means having your baby on you, their naked skin next to yours, with a blanket over both of you for warmth. You or your partner should be able to do this straight after the baby has been born, even if you have had a caesarean section.
You should be able to keep your baby with you unless there is a medical reason they need to be admitted into intensive or special care. Having skin-to-skin contact with your baby can help you (and your partner, if you have one) bond with your baby. 

Find out more about your baby after giving birth.  

Breastfeeding after the birth

'After I'd had my daughter and had started to breastfeed, I was struggling to manage my glucose, so I rang up my diabetes specialist nurse and she gave me advice over the phone.'  
Zoe, mum of one

You should start feeding your baby very soon after birth (within 30 minutes), and then every 2 to 3 hours after that, to help their glucose stay at a safe level.

Colostrum

You may have heard about collecting colostrum in the third trimester. This is the first breast milk that your body makes. It contains all that your baby needs in the first few days after birth.  

It’s thought that giving your baby extra colostrum from before they were born may help stabilise their glucose levels, although more research is needed to be sure.

Either way, if you have issues with breastfeeding, harvested colostrum can be given to them instead of formula milk, to help stabilise their glucose levels. If you want to try to harvest your colostrum, your midwifery team can help you.  

Hypoglycaemia

You are more likely to have hypoglycaemia after giving birth. It’s most likely if you choose to breastfeed.

Try to keep food nearby in case you need it before or after feeding your baby. You will need to adapt your insulin doses – your diabetes team will help you with this. 

Find out more about feeding your baby after birth with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Managing your glucose levels with a new baby

Many people with diabetes find it hard to manage their glucose levels after they have a baby. Newborn babies sleep a lot (it can be up to 18 hours a day), but your baby will have their own pattern of waking and sleeping.  

Their pattern is not likely to fit in with yours. Newborns don’t know the difference between night and day, and it’s very normal for babies to wake up often. Like all new parents, you’re bound to have a lot of sleepless nights and feel tired a lot of the time in the early weeks.  

This can make it harder to remember to take care of yourself. Your healthcare team can support you with this and help you adjust.

'Always remember to sort yourself first as long as your baby is safe. I found a few times that when I injected, my son cried – so I dealt with him and then forgot to eat and had a hypo.'  
Megan

Find out more about what you can do to cope with sleepless nights.  

Your mental health

You will have a lot on your plate right now. Pregnancy and childbirth can be emotional, even if without any medical complications. But if you have diabetes too, this can cause extra stress. It can take some time to feel better, physically and emotionally.  

'After my baby was born, I began to suffer with anxiety relating to my diabetes. I didn't tell anyone about it for a while. But as soon as I did talk to someone, there was lots of support available.'  
Maria

If you are feeling overwhelmed, it may help to talk to someone, such as your GP or diabetes healthcare team. You won’t be judged for how you feel.

Up to 1 in 5 women and birthing people develop mental health problems during pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth. Low mood, anxiety and depression are common, so you’re not alone if you need some extra help and support. 

Find out more about type 1 and 2 diabetes in pregnancy and your emotional health.

'Being pregnant with diabetes can be hard work, but there is so much help available.'  
Hazel, mum of one

Looking after yourself

Having a baby can turn your world upside down, especially if it’s your first. You’re so busy learning how to care for your baby that it’s very easy to forget about yourself.

But if you have a long-term condition like diabetes, it is important to look after yourself because of the risk of long-term health complications, such as heart or kidney problems.

Your baby needs you to be as healthy as you can be. Try to make sure that you eat a healthy diet and stay active. Taking steps to maintain a healthy weight is a great start.

Here are some tips:

• Sleep when you can. For example, sleep when your baby sleeps. Find out more about coping with sleepless nights.
• Eat healthy meals. You could ask to be referred to a dietitian if you feel it would help.
• Keep healthy snacks in the house.
• Move more, when you feel ready after the birth. Taking your baby for a daily walk is a great start.  
• Check your glucose levels often.
• Get support from others, such as your healthcare team, your family and your friends.
• Try to take some time for you (such as having a relaxing bath or reading a book) when you get the chance.
• Keep your follow-up appointments. These should start within 6 to 8 weeks after the birth.

If you have any questions or concerns about your glucose levels or diabetes symptoms, contact your regular diabetes healthcare team.

Learn more about looking after your body after giving birth.

Retinopathy

If you had diabetic retinopathy during your pregnancy, you should be offered a check within 6 months after your baby’s birth.

Having another baby

You can get pregnant 3 weeks after you’ve given birth, even if you’re breastfeeding and your periods haven’t started again yet.

Unless you want to get pregnant, it’s a good idea to use contraception every time you have sex. You can discuss the options with your healthcare provider. Some forms of contraception can be used straight after giving birth.

If you have type 1 or 2 diabetes, it is important to talk to your healthcare team before you start trying for a baby. This is because you and your baby have a higher risk of health problems, so will need extra care to keep you as healthy as possible.

You can’t remove these risks, but you can lower them by making sure your diabetes is well managed before you get pregnant.

The best thing to do is use contraception until you and your healthcare team have agreed that you are ready. Discuss it with your GP as soon as you can. You can ask them to refer you to a local diabetes pre-conception clinic.

Find out more about planning a pregnancy with type 1 or 2 diabetes.

Your baby’s health

If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, your baby may be at higher risk of obesity or diabetes later in life. Although your baby may have an increased risk of diabetes, it doesn’t mean that they will develop it for certain.  

Breastfeeding can help reduce your baby’s risk of obesity and diabetes. Breastfeeding can be a challenge at first, but there is lots of support if you want to keep trying. You can ask your midwife or health visitor for more information.  

You can also help your baby to be active from an early age by having some tummy time every day. Tummy time means giving your baby some time lying on their tummy. It helps your baby to build the muscles they need for sitting, crawling and eventually, walking.

When you start giving your baby solid foods (weaning) from about 6 months, try to introduce them to a varied diet, with no added sugar.

Start4Life has a lot more information and ideas about healthy lifestyle choices for you and your baby. They also have an email with monthly tips up until your child starts school.  

Learn more about your care after giving birth with type 1 or 2 diabetes.