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Gestational Diabetes Support Group

99K views 1K replies 168 participants last post by  janenedalrymple 
#1 ·


Well this is a thread/group for anyone dealing with GD on any level. Newly Dx'd, had it before, have it again or lookign at the possibility of dealign with it. Whoever you are - regardless of whether you HAVE GD or support someone (mother, sister, Daughter, Client) with it. This (I hope) can be a place for you to vent, bitch, whine, complain, share, support, give hope to, give suggestions to or whatever for whoever/whenever/whatever issue you might have that is related to GD and it's complications and concerns.

Be blessed.

This spawns from my recent Dx of early onset GD (I'm 11w2d) and was Dx'd two weeks ago when I failed my GTT with a number of 188.

 
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#802 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by KarlaC View Post
Ty for the ideas ladies, I'm feeling so dead tired it's been hard to think straight & I believe a good part of it is my sugar never being over 75 for a few days now.
If your sugars are so low, sounds like you maybe need to eat more carbs. High quality, of course, but that sounds like you are taking the low-GI/low-carb to too much of an extreme. That is really low sugar if its after you are eating!

Actually since until last week I was losing weight I decided to try and eat a little MORE carbs and see if I could get my BS reading a little closer to the limit- they have me testing on-hour after I begin eating, and my new goal is to get it BETWEEN 110-129 at one-hour (I am supposed to be under 130). That means with a meal I can eat a half a piece of whole grain bread, or 8 strawberries, or a half an apple, 1/4 c of whole wheat pasta with dinner, etc. Anyway, its not always above 110 after a meal but I've eased up on my restrictions and its nice.

I agree with Amy that high quality fats are good too. My MWs have all along been urging me to NOT restrict fats, that they are important for my health and for the baby (I think our brains and nervous system are made up of mostly fat!). I also love avocados. I slice them and sprinkle with sea salt and lemon juice. I also love them mashed straight onto bread, or as part of a chopped salad (with some sort of riff on sweet peppers, cukes, jicama, beans, fresh cilantro, salt, lemon/lime juice, pepper, olive oil, all cut up to similar sizes).

And I hear you all about the kind of blah full feeling. I am 35 weeks now and I think that eating all this harder-to-digest food with my increasingly squished stomach isn't so appealing. Ah well. Particularly at night- sometimes I don't want my nighttime snack and then I see that in the AM my BS is 90, 91, rather than in the low 80s where its been until now. (and I'm supposed to be below 90 fasting, but I think my care providers are extra strict on this!)

Good luck everyone! Sounds like we're all doing well despite these moments of becoming discouraged. Working so hard at our self-care can get exhausting.

-Emma
 
#803 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by emmaegbert View Post
If your sugars are so low, sounds like you maybe need to eat more carbs. High quality, of course, but that sounds like you are taking the low-GI/low-carb to too much of an extreme. That is really low sugar if its after you are eating!

Actually since until last week I was losing weight I decided to try and eat a little MORE carbs and see if I could get my BS reading a little closer to the limit- they have me testing on-hour after I begin eating, and my new goal is to get it BETWEEN 110-129 at one-hour (I am supposed to be under 130). That means with a meal I can eat a half a piece of whole grain bread, or 8 strawberries, or a half an apple, 1/4 c of whole wheat pasta with dinner, etc. Anyway, its not always above 110 after a meal but I've eased up on my restrictions and its nice.

I agree with Amy that high quality fats are good too. My MWs have all along been urging me to NOT restrict fats, that they are important for my health and for the baby (I think our brains and nervous system are made up of mostly fat!). I also love avocados. I slice them and sprinkle with sea salt and lemon juice. I also love them mashed straight onto bread, or as part of a chopped salad (with some sort of riff on sweet peppers, cukes, jicama, beans, fresh cilantro, salt, lemon/lime juice, pepper, olive oil, all cut up to similar sizes).

And I hear you all about the kind of blah full feeling. I am 35 weeks now and I think that eating all this harder-to-digest food with my increasingly squished stomach isn't so appealing. Ah well. Particularly at night- sometimes I don't want my nighttime snack and then I see that in the AM my BS is 90, 91, rather than in the low 80s where its been until now. (and I'm supposed to be below 90 fasting, but I think my care providers are extra strict on this!)

Good luck everyone! Sounds like we're all doing well despite these moments of becoming discouraged. Working so hard at our self-care can get exhausting.

-Emma
Well I was actually doing great with my sugars until my appetite took a nose dive. Fbs was usually 80 or below & pp about 95-110. I've never been able to reach my drs goal of 2200 calories/day with the 40 carbs/meal & 20/ snack that he set out though.


Now if I eat more than a few bites at each meal I get sick so I guess I'm just working on what will pack the most bang for my bite in calorie/carb ratio & not give me any worse heartburn than I'm already suffering(if that's even possible).

Thanks again everyone, it's great how helpful you all are. I haven't found any active gd threads or boards until now.

~K.
 
#804 ·
Hey everyone, I just started my diet on Monday night after I had my appt with my OB earlier that day. I start my 32nd week tomorrow. I weighed 138 at the appt on Monday and went in today to see how things were going with the new diet. My blood sugars have been great and doing well with the diet, but i've gained 5 lbs in what 4 days! She acted a little concerned but said since my sugars were so good we wouldn't worry about it, well I'm worried about it. I only got to 150lbs total (gained 30) with my last child without GD. What does this all mean?
 
#805 ·
Has anyone had problems with having #'s that are too low and #'s that are too high. I've had a couple of #'s in the 60's and a couple in the 140-160 range. The 60's haven't been at normal testing times. I've tested then because I was feeling horrible. My Dr. looking to induce between 38-39 weeks because of this.

Any ideas?
 
#806 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by KarlaC View Post
Well I was actually doing great with my sugars until my appetite took a nose dive. Fbs was usually 80 or below & pp about 95-110. I've never been able to reach my drs goal of 2200 calories/day with the 40 carbs/meal & 20/ snack that he set out though.


Now if I eat more than a few bites at each meal I get sick so I guess I'm just working on what will pack the most bang for my bite in calorie/carb ratio & not give me any worse heartburn than I'm already suffering(if that's even possible).

Thanks again everyone, it's great how helpful you all are. I haven't found any active gd threads or boards until now.

~K.
Yikes I hope you start to feel better. I suppose in your situation you just need to eat as best as you can.

Early in my pregnancy I was feeling sick a lot- a friend who is a traditional chinese medicine student gave me an herb called "perilla leaf" (extremely mild, and tastes a bit like basil or something). I would drink a simple, unsweetened tea from it and it settled my stomach so fast. Speaking of which, I should start making it again b/c I am starting to feel sort of gross every time I eat.
 
#807 ·
Leav97- I have some #s that vary greatly too- but not quite that high.

Today my 2hr after lunch was 68, yesterday 63. I started to eat 4 carb serving at lunch instead of 3 in response- soo far not working. I even nap after lunch most days! know a big no-no w/ gd. I am 36 wks and think my body is really getting ready for labor by exhausting me at certian parts of the day.

When my #s get that low I usually try to eat a little extra carb for my snack. Like fruit so instead of 2 I have 3 carb servings- but most of them are small for me. Fruit carb, cup of skim milk, and a serving of whole wheat crackers- and still have protein like cheese.
 
#808 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by KatyKate View Post
Hey everyone, I just started my diet on Monday night after I had my appt with my OB earlier that day. I start my 32nd week tomorrow. I weighed 138 at the appt on Monday and went in today to see how things were going with the new diet. My blood sugars have been great and doing well with the diet, but i've gained 5 lbs in what 4 days! She acted a little concerned but said since my sugars were so good we wouldn't worry about it, well I'm worried about it. I only got to 150lbs total (gained 30) with my last child without GD. What does this all mean?
Wow! I'm not sure what advice to give, I lost weight on the diet and that is with highish fasting numbers and great aftermeals numbers. Are you consuming more fat than before?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leav97 View Post
Has anyone had problems with having #'s that are too low and #'s that are too high. I've had a couple of #'s in the 60's and a couple in the 140-160 range. The 60's haven't been at normal testing times. I've tested then because I was feeling horrible. My Dr. looking to induce between 38-39 weeks because of this.

Any ideas?
I'm so sorry you are having these fluctuations. Are you eating 6 times a day? Spacing out the foods every 3ish hours? Eating protein with carbs? Mine stay pretty much in the middle, highish for fasting, although I have managed to get it at least into the 90's with eating in the middle of the night, and normal range for 2 hours post meals (80's and 90's).
 
#809 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by KatyKate View Post
Hey everyone, I just started my diet on Monday night after I had my appt with my OB earlier that day. I start my 32nd week tomorrow. I weighed 138 at the appt on Monday and went in today to see how things were going with the new diet. My blood sugars have been great and doing well with the diet, but i've gained 5 lbs in what 4 days! She acted a little concerned but said since my sugars were so good we wouldn't worry about it, well I'm worried about it. I only got to 150lbs total (gained 30) with my last child without GD. What does this all mean?
If you just started the diet, it may take a little while for your body to regulate-- a weight gain like that could be water, etc. If your health care provider isn't concerned yet, I would relax. They tend to be really conservative!

And-- fairymom, I almost always take a nap after lunch and my numbers stay pretty low. My HB MW is really into having a daily nap. I actually read that sleep is really good for insulin function anyway. But if you are really dropping below 70 then maybe you should have a little snack right away- some fruit or crackers or something? Or test an hour after your meal and if you're already low eat a little something? You must be feeling really out of it.

For lots of people, insulin response is supposed to plateau and even improve after around 34 weeks- the placenta matures and stops interfering as much with maternal functioning... (I'm noticing my 1-hour numbers seem to be dropping and I'm adding more carbs back into my meals as I think I posted recently).
 
#810 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by emmaegbert View Post
For lots of people, insulin response is supposed to plateau and even improve after around 34 weeks- the placenta matures and stops interfering as much with maternal functioning... (I'm noticing my 1-hour numbers seem to be dropping and I'm adding more carbs back into my meals as I think I posted recently).
Oh you are giving me hope! If I can just hold out for 3 more weeks without the insulin then things will get better.
 
#811 ·
Yes I have noticed my #s have been dropping since passing the magic 34- I think that may be why after lunch #s are getting so low. Had really low #s all day yesterday and then this morn had a 96 for fasting- that's 1 too high- not too worried about 1 point though. Will just be careful with what I eat for breakfast.

What do you predict for yourself after los here? Do you think your GD will go away? Anyone know what "normal" #s are- say if we weren't pg and were testing? Just thought I'd ask since a few of us a getting so close to D-day?
 
#812 ·
Ds actually moved down a bit or something last night & I was really hungry. I have to confess to having a carb binge which normally would have shot my numbers through the roof since I ate a regular dinner along with it...instead they stayed low? Pp was 79..

For weeks I've had to have a late night snack or my fbs is close to 100, I didn't have one last night & yet I'm at 65 this a.m.

Does anyone know if something else might be causing the nosedive in #'s?
:
 
#813 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by fairymom View Post
Yes I have noticed my #s have been dropping since passing the magic 34- I think that may be why after lunch #s are getting so low. Had really low #s all day yesterday and then this morn had a 96 for fasting- that's 1 too high- not too worried about 1 point though. Will just be careful with what I eat for breakfast.

What do you predict for yourself after los here? Do you think your GD will go away? Anyone know what "normal" #s are- say if we weren't pg and were testing? Just thought I'd ask since a few of us a getting so close to D-day?
GD goes away as soon as the placenta is delivered unless you are an undiagnosed type2 diabetic. That's why it's good to have another blood sugar test done at your 6 week postpartum appointment. You do have a VERY high risk of getting diabetes later in life though, well I don't just mean you, well all do. I'm going to be very careful with my eating the rest of my life.
 
#814 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by KarlaC View Post
Ds actually moved down a bit or something last night & I was really hungry. I have to confess to having a carb binge which normally would have shot my numbers through the roof since I ate a regular dinner along with it...instead they stayed low? Pp was 79..

For weeks I've had to have a late night snack or my fbs is close to 100, I didn't have one last night & yet I'm at 65 this a.m.

Does anyone know if something else might be causing the nosedive in #'s?
:
I have no idea! Are you very close to delivering?
 
#816 ·
I know my clinic doesn't do a gluclose test at the 6 wk pp check up but want me to test regularily (sp?) 2 wks after birth until the pp check up. I think a fasting and a 2 hour daily.

KarlaC- what are your drs/mw saying about your numbers? What is a typical day (for food/meals) like for you? How far have you cut out carbs in your diet? Are you varing the foods you are eating on a weekly biasis? This is tech a diet and the body gets used to eating certian things and "shaking" it up a bit can help with numbers.

Amy- Congrats!
 
#817 ·
I have always heard like Amydoula that our GD should "disappear" after the birth, but that a fair number of cases of "GD" are really undiagnosed type II (or insulin resistance-- not quite diabetes).

I found this website very interesting and informative about type II diabetes (not about GD):
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/index.php

The author is really focused on self-care, though from a pretty medicalized standpoint. She talks about typical trajectories for developing type II diabetes, debunks a number of myths about WHY people get it. She suggests ways to keep one's BS in control to slow the onset of diabetes and prevent degeneration and complications if you do develop it, how to monitor yourself and modify diet/lifestyle EARLY before you have a lot of damage, when you are still "pre-diabetic".

Anyway, like Amydoula, this seems really worth educating myself about, b/c of the much higher risks I have of developing type II later (in addition to the GD, I also have a strong family history of type II on my mom's side).
 
#818 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by emmaegbert View Post
I have always heard like Amydoula that our GD should "disappear" after the birth, but that a fair number of cases of "GD" are really undiagnosed type II (or insulin resistance-- not quite diabetes).

I found this website very interesting and informative about type II diabetes (not about GD):
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/index.php

The author is really focused on self-care, though from a pretty medicalized standpoint. She talks about typical trajectories for developing type II diabetes, debunks a number of myths about WHY people get it. She suggests ways to keep one's BS in control to slow the onset of diabetes and prevent degeneration and complications if you do develop it, how to monitor yourself and modify diet/lifestyle EARLY before you have a lot of damage, when you are still "pre-diabetic".

Anyway, like Amydoula, this seems really worth educating myself about, b/c of the much higher risks I have of developing type II later (in addition to the GD, I also have a strong family history of type II on my mom's side).
Thanks for the link! I"m going to really check it out when I have time later tonight. I too have a strong family history, including both my parents.
 
#819 ·
I have been lapse in posting most of my last trimester and since my delivery, but I was on here quite a lot before the first of the year. Just wanted to share my story to give some hope to all of you still getting through your GD until delivery!

We had another baby boy (#3!) on Feb. 15. He weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and was born at 38 weeks. My u/s two days prior said he was 7 pounds, 11 ounces, so just a bit off. Thank goodness I didn't carry him any longer! My first baby was 9 pounds and my second was 7 pounds, 11 oz., both without GD.

I really believe that had I not been on the GD diet that I would have had a much larger baby. I also had to take Glyburide for the last two months. I did find that my hormones changed a bit the week or so before delivery and I actually stopped taking it a day before I delivered. Call it my gut instinct, but I didn't want it in my system when I delivered or for it to be passed onto the baby thru breastfeeding. Just my personal opinion, even though the midwife and doctors said it was okay.

As my lack of luck would have it, my midwife was out of town when I delivered. I had a hospital birth planned, but baby came so fast, (20 minutes after our arrival - and one hour after my water breaking), that it wouldn't have mattered much anyway. One of her OB partners delivered my placenta, but the nurses handled the delivery.

Our blood sugars were good after the delivery although the baby's temp was slightly lower than they wanted (by 3/10 of a degree), so they kept him under the warmer for 5 hours, while I breastfed off and on.

We are doing great now at home, although my weight is not coming off as quickly as I would have liked. I gained 40 pounds with the pregnancy and have lost 20 so far. Any time I attempt exercise, my lochia picks up, so I'm trying to rest as much as possible.

I have taken my blood sugar once since being home and it was totally normal. I feel so much better without the GD! And I can have the occasional cookie without a major guilt trip.

Hang in there girls!
 
#820 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Amydoula View Post
I have no idea! Are you very close to delivering?
No, only 26 weeks.


Quote:

Originally Posted by fairymom View Post
KarlaC- what are your drs/mw saying about your numbers? What is a typical day (for food/meals) like for you? How far have you cut out carbs in your diet? Are you varing the foods you are eating on a weekly biasis? This is tech a diet and the body gets used to eating certian things and "shaking" it up a bit can help with numbers.
I haven't been able to get a hold of anyone yet. I forgot Friday was their 1/2 day of being open so I'm stuck waiting until Monday.

Trying to bring the #'s up some I ate lunch out with dh today. Had part of a mushroom swiss burger, about 8 fries & 8 tortilla chips with cheese dip...pp was only 81.

I guess I'll just deal with being tired & eat as healthy as I can when I can, the last couple of days I can barely eat for squat & I really paid for what I ate at lunch today. It feels like I had thanksgiving dinner. I'm not spilling any ketones so that's a bonus.

Before I started getting full & feeling sick so easily I was hitting the 40 carb/meal & 20 carb/snack quota easily & my bs were still fine.

Thanks again ladies.

~K.
 
#821 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by concadmom View Post
I have been lapse in posting most of my last trimester and since my delivery, but I was on here quite a lot before the first of the year. Just wanted to share my story to give some hope to all of you still getting through your GD until delivery!

We had another baby boy (#3!) on Feb. 15. He weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and was born at 38 weeks. My u/s two days prior said he was 7 pounds, 11 ounces, so just a bit off. Thank goodness I didn't carry him any longer! My first baby was 9 pounds and my second was 7 pounds, 11 oz., both without GD.

I really believe that had I not been on the GD diet that I would have had a much larger baby. I also had to take Glyburide for the last two months. I did find that my hormones changed a bit the week or so before delivery and I actually stopped taking it a day before I delivered. Call it my gut instinct, but I didn't want it in my system when I delivered or for it to be passed onto the baby thru breastfeeding. Just my personal opinion, even though the midwife and doctors said it was okay.

As my lack of luck would have it, my midwife was out of town when I delivered. I had a hospital birth planned, but baby came so fast, (20 minutes after our arrival - and one hour after my water breaking), that it wouldn't have mattered much anyway. One of her OB partners delivered my placenta, but the nurses handled the delivery.

Our blood sugars were good after the delivery although the baby's temp was slightly lower than they wanted (by 3/10 of a degree), so they kept him under the warmer for 5 hours, while I breastfed off and on.

We are doing great now at home, although my weight is not coming off as quickly as I would have liked. I gained 40 pounds with the pregnancy and have lost 20 so far. Any time I attempt exercise, my lochia picks up, so I'm trying to rest as much as possible.

I have taken my blood sugar once since being home and it was totally normal. I feel so much better without the GD! And I can have the occasional cookie without a major guilt trip.

Hang in there girls!
Congrats! and thanks for the positive story, it does help to hear them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarlaC View Post
No, only 26 weeks.


I haven't been able to get a hold of anyone yet. I forgot Friday was their 1/2 day of being open so I'm stuck waiting until Monday.

Trying to bring the #'s up some I ate lunch out with dh today. Had part of a mushroom swiss burger, about 8 fries & 8 tortilla chips with cheese dip...pp was only 81.

I guess I'll just deal with being tired & eat as healthy as I can when I can, the last couple of days I can barely eat for squat & I really paid for what I ate at lunch today. It feels like I had thanksgiving dinner. I'm not spilling any ketones so that's a bonus.

Before I started getting full & feeling sick so easily I was hitting the 40 carb/meal & 20 carb/snack quota easily & my bs were still fine.

Thanks again ladies.

~K.
I then just really power packing what you can consume will be important. Really high density foods. I'd definitely get in to see a good dietitian, they are hard to find but they are out there.
 
#822 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by concadmom View Post
Just wanted to share my story to give some hope to all of you still getting through your GD until delivery!

[...]

I have taken my blood sugar once since being home and it was totally normal. I feel so much better without the GD! And I can have the occasional cookie without a major guilt trip.

Hang in there girls!
Concadmom, thanks for sharing your positive story, and congratulations on your baby!! Its just so encouraging to hear things like this when in the throes of trying to stay healthy and deal with GD.

And gosh, if your body is telling you to take it easy, just take it easy! Your baby wasn't born very long ago- you'll have time to exercise later. I am sure that every pregnancy, birth, and delivery is so different. So great to hear that your blood sugar is back to normal, and that your baby's was at birth too.

I am looking forward to some guilt-free cookies, but its also been really good for me to see what it is like to totally eliminate sweets, simple carbs, and such a reliance on grains from my diet- not nearly as hard as I would have thought (there are TIMES where its hard, but in general, its okay). I hope I can keep up some of it up after baby! I always was a healthy eater, but I do have a sweet tooth! And this diet has me eating vegetable like crazy- even more than before.
 
#823 ·
In my DDC we have a thread talking about what we're bringing to/having to celebrate baby after delivery- well I bought 2 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for the hospital! i probably won't eat even one box- never have much of an appitite after birth. I thought you mommas may understand this better than some as to why it's "special"- not a drinker so no wine or champange for me- just give me the cookies!
 
#824 ·
fairymom, I sure do know what you mean! I have also been thinking about this... if I'm feeling up to it (and its the right time of day) I am thinking about baking in early labor- maybe trying a fancy-looking recipe for whoopie pies that was in the NY Times this week! Makes 6- perfect # for who will be here. Not sure that is what I will want after the birth either- though a nice cake/pie and a glass of cold milk sure sounds good to me now. W/ my son I was starving after I gave birth, everything tasted good for a few days. (I also have some less exciting snacks packed in our hospital transfer bag).

I've been seeing those girls out selling the cookies and I just make a wide berth around them...
 
#825 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by fairymom View Post
In my DDC we have a thread talking about what we're bringing to/having to celebrate baby after delivery- well I bought 2 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for the hospital! i probably won't eat even one box- never have much of an appitite after birth. I thought you mommas may understand this better than some as to why it's "special"- not a drinker so no wine or champange for me- just give me the cookies!

Dude, I have 2 boxes of tagalongs in my freezer JUST for afterbirth
 
#826 ·
ha, you girls are funny. I might just have to buy some cookies myself... but on the other hand, I don't want to go crazy on the junk food after baby is born either! But, I'm going to give myself a week or so to be a little more indulgent, and then get back to my healthy ways. I think its been good for my body to get off sugar and simple carbs, and to radically reduce the amount of grains I eat.

But- I am confused about my blood glucose levels. All my daytime blood sugar readings seem to be going down (1-hour post-meals are frequently under 110 now, I am starting to add in some modest servings of fruit and grains to meals). But, my morning numbers are creeping up- I'm supposed to be under 90 but I am getting right up close to there, and I have always been well under up until now. (and- I am not on medication.)

I am 35 weeks and I've been slacking off a bit with the exercise (I am still making sure to get daily exercise, its just, sheesh, its getting harder to actually do it and so definitely my exertion level is lower than it was.) So I wonder if that is it. I'm also feeling less hungry in general, getting some mild sour stomach feeling (not enough room?) and having to sort of remind myself to have the evening snack. Anyway, I think in another 2 weeks I may drop out of my medical co-care and just see the HB midwife since I am doing really well with this GD and I don't think I'd consent to medication at this point when clearly diet is working. But thats not to say I'd be happy to see my fasting levels to keep going up.

I have my first- and probably only- consult with the "diabetes doctor" a week from Friday. He'll be the only MD I'll have seen this whole pregnancy- or for that matter during my first pregnancy too. I am kind of interested in what he says but I am also contemplating whether I should be honest with him about my HB plans and that I am not going to start the NST they want me to do. They sort of use this reasoning "you have to do xyz so that you can deliver in the Birth Center" but its a bit of a moot point b/c I am not planning to birth with them at all. Plus, I am pretty well convinced that with my high risk label, they would eventually risk me out of the birth center regardless of how perfect my numbers are.
 
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