Tiana: Type 2 Diabetes, Pregnancy and a Pandemic

“Pregnancy and diabetes were a whole new ball game!” says Tiana Tongi.

Tiana spent most of 2021 juggling type 2 diabetes, pregnancy, and birth, all set against the background of the pandemic. As if that weren’t enough to keep her busy, she also celebrated her one-year anniversary with her husband and opened a wall-decor art business while working as a full-time photographer in Hamilton.

Despite feeling defeated at the outset of her type 2 diagnosis in 2019, 27-year-old Tiana has balanced medication, insulin, and carb counting while also managing other chronic conditions. Pregnancy brought new challenges: countless trips to the antenatal clinic, clinicians inexperienced with diabetes, and hospitalisation due to pre-eclampsia.

“It was hard adjusting to the new insulin ratios each week”, Tiana says. “And when I was in the hospital, some midwives didn’t know how to treat diabetes so I just had to manage as best as I could.”

During the birth, her partner and relatives were banned from the delivery room due to Covid restrictions, and she suffered a low-blood sugar event during labour that led to an emergency Caesarean.

Tiana overcame all these obstacles and gave birth to a happy, growing baby girl - Sona. She says being a new parent is exhausting, but she’s taking things one step at a time. By reaching out to her community to help her when she needs it, asking for advice to get through tough moments, and delighting in each smile from baby Sona, Tiana is moving forward each day.

Now that many Covid restrictions have been lifted in New Zealand, she’s hoping her photography business will pick up again as she looks toward her family’s future.

“More than anything, I just want to be healthy and have a healthy baby and family. Our New Year’s resolution is to save for a house and grow our businesses as we continue to work towards financial independence.” Here’s to maintaining or relationships, our self-care routines, and our health.

This story was first shared in the Autumn 2022 issue of Diabetes Wellness. Got a story of your own to share? Get in touch editor@diabetes.org.nz

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