Dealing with Gestational Diabetes: please help!

[taffywelsh]

Hello Womyn

could I please have any and all tips for dealing with gestational diabetes?
I have only failed my screen so far, but my number was really high (154) so I don't have a lot of hope for the two-hour test.
The unfair-seeming part is that I already eat pretty well...not much white flour, no high-fructose corn syrup, lots of protein and vegetables, etc. The midwife's assistant said it is actually kind of normal for women who eat well to develop GD and women who eat junk food all day to pass the test. Not sure what to make of this information.
I really don't want to injure my baby and my goal is to get my blood sugar under control asap.

thank you much for all of your tips and suggestions!
TW

[umsami]

Ask your midwife if you could track your fasting and post-prandial (after eating... usually 2 hours) blood glucose levels rather than the two hour test. It is more accurate IMHO.

If you do decide to go for the 2 hour test, then please eat a high protein, high fat breakfast before. It's not normal for many pregnant women (or other people for that matter) to down 50-100 grams of pure glucose on an empty stomach.

Walking after your meals is a great way to help your blood glucose levels. OFten all it takes is a 15-20 minute walk. Doing this after dinner can help your fasting levels.

Your diet sounds good, just be sure you get a little fat and protein with every meal. If you do have GD, you'll probably be referred to a dietician for a diet plan. Often times, it involves carb counting.... so dairy, fruit, grains, etc. are all somewhat limited. Usually 30-45 grams at breakfast, lunch, and dinner... and 15-30 grams for snacks.

Oh...a bedtime snack of almonds or other nuts seems to help a lot of people with fasting blood sugar levels as well.

Good luck.

[~Adorkable~]

I thought based on another thread around here that the s reenact was the one you. An eat before and the 2 hr test was not, is there two types of the full test?

[scrandall1173]

With my first child my initial screening came back high and then my 3 hour test came fine. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[umsami]

Originally Posted by •Adorkable•

I thought based on another thread around here that the s reenact was the one you. An eat before and the 2 hr test was not, is there two types of the full test?

Typically, most OBs don't want you to eat prior to either the 1 hour or 3 hour GTT (typically the sequence)... or the 2 hour GTT that's given after your pregnancy ends to see if you are now type 2. However, there is an alternative view that it's 1) not a good idea for a pregnant woman to consume that much pure glucose..whatever the reason and 2) that as long as the breakfast contains no carbs (thus high protein/high fat)... it should not adversely affect the results but will, in fact, give a more realistic picture as to whether or not the Mom truly has GD. I've done it both ways. Regardless, I've been diagnosed with GD... but I didn't feel as horrible when I ate. The numbers were almost identical. (Note, I was a true GD... who required insulin during pregnancy.)