Pump start before school in Sept?

[KarenLynn]

I was just reading the thread about starting a pump before an overseas vacation and wanted your input. Since most people agreed it takes about a month to get comfortable with the new regiment, I was wondering what your thoughts were on starting before kindergarten. Grace was just diagnosed in February. She will start K in Sept. Talked to D team today re: BG #'s & ?s and also asked their protocol for pump. Was told she did not have to wait a required time period or "really want" it herself. I just need to tell them, 4 weeks of reporting everything re: diet and dosage. Along with them seeing that we are confident and competent. Then 2 weeks to be up and running. A total of 6 weeks from when I say we're ready.

Was this your experience?

I was thinking of actually HAVING the pump 2 weeks before school start, but maybe not such a great idea. Daughter is well adjusted but excitable and a little wild-Hence her nick name Monkey Girl! We are planning a late July/early August trip (on airplane) and then a driving trip last week of August just before school starts.

Thanks for your advice! You are all so helpful and I've learned so much already!!!!!!!

[Hollyb]

I don't know if there's ever a perfect time, but I'm just thinking your numbers during the air trip may not be very "typical" and you'd want to be well up and running with the pump before heading out on your road trip -- so that's a bit of a squeeze. What about aiming for early July? That way you'd be pretty well established with it before you go away and have the benefit of the pump during your trips, and by school start it would be old hat to your daughter so she could really concentrate on kindergarten.

If that seems too rushed, I might be inclined to let her settle in to school first?

[Mama Belle]

I agree that if you are going to do it this summer you should do it well before your trips. The first few weeks you spend testing out basals and boluses and predictability is a good thing during that time. It may be best to get on the pump before the new school year because then you will have to train the school staff twice (first her insulin regimen and then the pump regimen). Ultimately it is most important to do it at a steady time, when there are no big plans or big changes.

[Twinklet]

I don't think I'd be brave enough to go on a trip more than an hour from home during the first few weeks, but Emily did start pumping during the school year.

Honestly, it was tougher on me than her! I was the one who stayed up and did basal testing all night--several times, until we got it right; she slept through it (DH helped on weekends). I went to her school every day for snack and lunch, and any other time she was high or low or just needed me to go over things with her again. This lasted 3-4 weeks. Basically, I just ended up volunteering and doing odd jobs at the school during this time.

Of course, if you have a school nurse who can handle the pump things will be much easier for you.

I hope you find a good time that suits your life and schedule!

[Amy C.]

Our transition was very easy. Philip was in school during that time. I say if you have your child with you for a couple of weeks, you can figure out how to work the pump into your routine.

It can take a month to get settings correct, but only a couple of site changes to start to fall into the routine. As long as you begin during a time that your daughter is with you, you can test often. That is harder to do during school.

[Ginger9909]

I agree that you should start the pump ASAP before going on the trip. The pump will make your life so much easier on vacation so you should start it a few weeks or months before going. We started last May which gave us about 2 1/2 months before we went on vacation. I figured by August we would really know what we were doing and it work out great. We didnt have any major problems at all and it was so easy on us that we all enjoyed our vacation thanks to the pump. I just couldnt imagine going away and doing needles. It also gave my daughter the freedom to eat whatever and whenever she wanted. I would definitely not wait until after the vacation.

[yeswe'rebothD]

Karen-- We are getting ready to start my dd Grace on her pump right after school lets out. I have a similar situation-- we have a flurry of family and church activity from about the end of July until school starts, and I wanted to take the first part of the summer to really get the hang of everything.

Some have assumed that since I pump myself that this will be easy, but I don't expect a bed of roses... my pump is much older and I am not able to test as I should (insurance issues), while dd will have almost everything available for our use as needed.

When I started pumping, I remember about 2-3 weeks of reporting to the nurse who got me started, and her tweaking things for me. Of course, I was then a much-more-predictable-than-a-5/6-yo, adult...

I would definitely start earlier in the summer so you can make sure you have everything under your belt and feel 100% confident in your abilities with the pump while you'll be away from home!

~Iana

[Ellen]

4 weeks of reporting everything seems like a lot...but I'd get started ASAP.

It's helpful to read as much as you can about what pumping involves. John Walsh's Pumping Insulin version 4 is quite good...and there are other pump books out there. The more you know ahead of time, the smoother the transition may be.

Starting pumping over the summer and getting used to it while she's at home most of the day, may be much easier than starting the pump and sending your child to school in the next day or two.

[liasmommy2000]

Not pumping yet, but hoping too soon. We (I'm still trying to get dh on board with the pump, so maybe I should say, *I*), are hoping for early July. After school gets out and after camp which is late June. I'm considering perhaps between the end of school and camp, but not sure yet. Still have to get dh on board, pick a pump, order it, set up training etc. The CDE told me we should get it ordered by early May so as to be sure to have it by mid June/July. I need to convince dh as Lia and I are ready. Though I am VERY nervous about it!

[Tori's Mom]

Our pedi endo actually prefers starting the kids during school. They feel their schedules are less varied and therefore easier to establish basals initially when their schedules are pretty much the same on a daily basis.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

We were told the same thing- it's better while they're in school (routine). But if Grace isn't in school yet I'm sure your daycare has a daily routine, of meals and naps? That's the same if you ask me.

Our D team was different, they asked us if we were ready for the pump on our second appointment (6 weeks into D)! We held off till we thought as parents we we're ready for it, and our daughter's blessing. We do keep track of all foods to try and find trends in certain foods, so I'm not sure if the D team would have asked us to do that or not?!

Karen I was like you. I was trying to plan around lots of things this summer while having to learn and adjust to the pump. I finally just decided what are we waiting for, let's do it before summer gets here! We start on the MM pump with saline on April 25th! So my opinion is GO FOR IT- I wish you the best, Good luck!

[wendyc]

The one thing to keep in mind if you prefer to wait to start pumping until school is how well prepared is the school to handle your childs condition and the pump?
If you start asap, at least you will be comfortable, will be able to handle anything that arises while she is in school etc. You will have nearly 4 months of pumping under your belt, so you'll be an 'ole pro!