GD moms, how is it going? - Page 17

[livacreature]

Shonahsmom: He is a sweet guy.  I don't think that you did anything reckless that somehow got him to almost 10 pounds.  Lots of non-GD babes are that big, and he is healthy.  Second babies run larger many times.  I understand the guilt.  Mine isn't here yet, but I feel bad that she is a tad bit smaller per ultrasound than your typical little one.  If she was a little bit bigger, I know i would feel badly too, because a big myth with diabetes is that we ultimately have a lot of control.  Also, all those prenatal measures they do are so inaccurate.  My friend was told hers would surely not break seven pounds, came out healthy and over nine!  Yes, we can do everything right, and yes, in doing so we can still have some wonky numbers or experience complications because of it.  It doesn't make it our fault.  There is no way of knowing if Darwin would be big without the GD or if you would have opted for insulin.  I'm glad he (and you!) haven't had any blood sugar issues post delivery.  I hope that you are able to process in a way that is useful and helpful for you.  

AFM: Blood glucose has improved, I'm glad.  When not pregnant, I control it well, but I don't stress over the randomness.  I just bolus a bit more and move on.  I get all frantic now if I'm out of range. I'm still sick, I have lost my voice and am hacking up a lung.  My sinuses hurt so badly.  I just am soooo done.  I'm kind of bummed to be spending my last kid-free days at home under a blanket, but at the same time, I'd rather feel sick now than once she is here.  I never thought that she would stay in utero this long.  I'm glad, I just thought she would be here by now!  The home A1c kits are pretty cool.  They took them off the market in the states a few years ago, but they are available again.  I can't remember what the issue was.  

[nmouse]

Shonahsmom congrats on your baby! My midwife and her apprentice today told me that they have had 10 and 9 pound babies, respectively, and they are each very small women without GD. They also said that a bigger baby can be a bit easier to take care of, less fragile temp-wise. It looks like I might have a larger-than-average baby myself despite all the dietary care, exercise, & daily pep talks to this baby about how he should keep growing but not too much, so I'm glad I have a relaxed care team to talk me down. 

[NicaG]

Originally Posted by Shonahsmom 

This might not make any sense.. I'm not sure what it is that I want to say, but I am feeling... I don't know. guilty or something.

Darwin is perfectly healthy. He's three days old, no signs of blood sugar issues, my blood sugar was in the low 90s the one time I tested during his short labor. He's got no signs of jaundice yet. He was born quickly and easily... but I am feeling strangely guilty that he was so big. He was 9 lb, 12 oz and that was after  HUGE meconium poop.. my MW said he was probably closer to 10 lbs at birth.

Its so weird because I measured exactly right the whole time, I actually lost a total of 5 lbs and all of my midwives pegged him around 8 lbs. I just have this nagging feeling that I wasn't controlling the GD as well as I thought I was. My GD was basically self managed. When I told my MWs that I had suspected GD the last time and that I managed it well with diet and self monitoring and that I intended to do the same this time, they were totally fine with it. I updated them a few times on my numbers and they were like "cool, we're not worried." I tested 4x a day, ate a diet that kept my numbers in check.. but I don't know.. maybe I wasn't keeping it in check as well as I thought I was. I just feel like there is no way he'd be so big if my numbers had been better or if I had gone on insulin. I don't know. Does this make any sense? I just.. I don't think I naturally grow big babies. My 2.5 year old DS was 7 b, 6 oz. I had GD with him too, but honestly I was really, really neurotic about my numbers and my diet and never, ever allowed myself a single cheat, where this time I was more laid back and did allow myself the occasional treat and didn't stress too much over higher than ideal numbers here and there.

But now, knowing his size, I feel like I put him in harm's way. Does that make any sense? This might just be crazy, postpartum, sleep deprived thinking but I just am trying to process.

Please don't beat yourself up.  You have a beautiful healthy baby. You did not put him in harm's way.  There is no way of knowing what his size would have been without the gd.  Please don't second guess yourself.   You did the best you could with the information you had, and you birthed a healthy baby.  There's no reason to dwell on the past 9 months.  Enjoy your sweet baby!

[NicaG]

Feels like everyone has had their babies already, who's left?  I'm 37 weeks tomorrow, just went in for another nst today, everything is looking good.  Baby was holding steady in the 80th percentile at the last ultrasound.  Talked to the OB about induction, I think I am going to schedule induction for 39 + 1 because I am so tired of being pregnant and so burned out on the GD management and honestly, with no family nearby, I could use the predictability of a scheduled birth. So it looks like October 21 might be the big day!

I am so tired of eating green salads and cottage cheese I could scream!

[Teruterubozu]

I hit 37 weeks yesterday and have an OB appointment tomorrow. Sugars have been pretty good lately. I'm doing low pre-bed insulin which has gotten my fasting under 90 too. They're still talking about inducing though as Sprog is measuring small. They're more concerned about Sprog not growing any more and being better off out than in.

Unfortunately, I'm seeing Dr. Jerkface tomorrow so have no idea what he's going to say about it. I may just roll my eyes at him and grumble quietly to myself and then fly through the NST like I have the past few weeks.

[emmaegbert]

I'm just 37 weeks as of Monday so probably here for a bit. I have very relaxed caregivers so no induction planned, I might be the last GD mom standing... my blood sugars have been good this whole pregnancy, got a little touchier a few weeks ago, but are getting better again lately. I am not sure what to think! Why would one pregnancy be so different from the other? Not that they were so bad before, but it seemed like I had to work a lot harder to keep them low. Maybe I am just used to eating differently so it doesn't feel so onerous. I don't know.

Shonahsmom, its just crazy PP hormones making you crazy. You had great numbers and you just had a big baby. It happens. And people CAN have very different-size babies (I know a few IRL moms whose second kids were 2-3 lbs heavier than their first). FWIW, I fully expect to have a big baby and my numbers have been excellent. I will be very surprised if this one is under 9lbs (unless its born this week).

[lifeguard]

emmaegbert - I most definitely have found it easier to manage my numbers this time. Much, much, much easier.

[samie1400]

i hear some of you about being burnt out with GD management. its annoying and requires a lot of discipline- remmebering to poke finger, eat regularly then of course what you eat.

38 wks here. so just a few weeks to go. NST looked good so no induction yet. ive never done a cheat but accidentally slip in a few extra carbs. always work out if i see high numbers.

also occasionally forget to test if im out or fall asleep.

wanted to ask you all- what were your "Ooops, I shouldn't have (eaten that)?" moments. The other day I went to a bakery craving chocolate. Got a few cookies, had a few bites of each, was fine, then had a few bites of pasta. I ran into trouble when someone ordered chocolate cake triple layered. Had a bite of it, then couldnt resist like 2-3 more bites. This was supposed to be my snack, but it turned into my dinner and of course I was still hungry and my sugar was in 150's..Then the other day at bed time, I had some bannana flavored Ben and Jerry's (1/2 cup, 27 g sugar). Woke up and had one slice of wheat toast with cream cheese and a 1/2 tsp of sugar free jelly. Forgot to do fasting but post-breakfast was 170, highest number I saw yet and I suspect the ice cream. I didnt check the carbs when I got it since I was rushing and normally I can eat regular ice cream at bedtime and be fine but this one was extra sugary. i checked the other regular ice creams i had and they were around 20g carb with 15 g sugar (not sugar free.) splenda ice cream just isnt the same.

[Teruterubozu]

Lately I've been cheating with bakery items. I had a big corn muffin yesterday but that still only had my up at 146, so things are definitely getting better here. That said, I was rushing out to my OB appointment this morning and then on to work and completely forgot my test kit.

[DragonflyMom]

I have been a bad girl for about a week now.

My battery in my tester died and I dont have the cash to get a new one so I have not been able to test.

However, even at my worst (two ice cream bars,several sushi rolls and several crab ragoon puffs) my numbers have been acceptable (I think that one was 119 after two hours) and I have not been splurging much lately...in fact I have yet to even have a single carb today (Water and celery with dressing for breakfast/lunch....I slept in...lol!).

My OB has been treating me as if Im not GD based on my numbers and weight gain so Im trying not to worry at all.

[livacreature]

I had a mega splurge today...two strawberry pancakes and a chocolate milkshake in one sitting.  My blood sugar after was...not in range....but it wasn't horrible.  Came down quickly enough.  Induction is scheduled to begin on Sunday night at 10pm.  I'm a bit nervous.  But that means that she's staying in long enough for me to go on the hospital tour on Saturday night!  

[DragonflyMom]

Originally Posted by livacreature 

I had a mega splurge today...two strawberry pancakes and a chocolate milkshake in one sitting.  My blood sugar after was...not in range....but it wasn't horrible.  Came down quickly enough.  Induction is scheduled to begin on Sunday night at 10pm.  I'm a bit nervous.  But that means that she's staying in long enough for me to go on the hospital tour on Saturday night!  

I have been resisting my chocolate milk and chocolate shake cravings the past week....yay me!!

Good luck with the induction, Im trying to decide if I want to wait till 41 weeks for a membrane sweep or if we should just try it tomorrow at 40 weeks...so torn...I want my baby now but I dont want to force it.

[Teruterubozu]

I am SO having a big, extra thick chocolate malted once this baby is out!

[NicaG]

Mmmmm....chocolate milkshake!

My oops snacks....strangely, the worst offenders are triscuit crackers and Graham crackers. These are not my favorite foods but sometimes I have been tired or failed to plan snacks properly, and I end up just having too many crackers with the kids while they snack. I think 165 is about the highest i've had, and only once or twice.

I have "cheated" and had a little chocolate cake and ice cream for dd's birthday last week, and for my birthday last month. Had a salad for dinner, and with cake I was under 120, barely. I have a cookie once in a while, doesn't seem to affect my number much if it's early in the day (when I am often battling lows).

I have really lost all discipline this week, have been forgetting to test, snacking before 2 hour mark. I totally have gd fatigue.

[emmaegbert]

I make myself a kind of "cocoa" with hot water, unsweet cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, stevia and cream (half-and-half, or real cream if I have it). Actually I've drunk this all my life and it helps me a little wee bit with the GD management to still have a warm chocolately drink that I can have completely guilt free. I thought it was just a gross (but good) thing we drink in my family, but then it turns out I've read/heard about people who call it "cocoa tea" and drink it will all sorts of interesting spices, etc.

But a milkshake sounds so darn good.

I do allow myself a mini donut or a small breakfast bread type thing about 2ce a week in the mid-morning. I have usually had a big walk first. I don't test afterwards either.

mostly I do okay with staying away from stuff I should have by just, well, staying away from it. Graham crackers etc would be hard for me. I don't keep anything like that in the house or I would just be "cheating" so often it would be more like a "habit"... I guess my kids are just halfway deprived but I just don't really give them snacky stuff like that. I buy it for them in small packs or on the go if at all.

Going to bake my baby's birthday cake layers this weekend and freeze them. DS and DD will frost (with whipped cream) and decorate the cake after baby is born (gives them something to do with one of their labor support people while I have my shower, exam, etc). So, I fully plan to have a freaking big slice of chocolate cake not long after I give birth to this placenta.

[livacreature]

Talked to the hospital, had to just smile and nod.  No food for 12 hours before COMING IN?  Seriously?  What part of why I'm being induced don't they get?  I eat like eight times a day!  I will not be gorging myself before induction because I do have a sensitive tummy, but jesus-h-christ I am having at least some soup and salad.  Especially since I'm being induced at night when I ALWAYS have lows, no matter how much/well I eat during the day.  They don't get to tell me what I can put in my mouth!

I'm so excited, DH and I are going for indian food tomorrow night.  I love indian food.  The one thing I don't like about our new neighborhood is there isn't an indian restaurant.  We're going to the place near our old house...I'm pretty sure I could eat it for every meal.  I love nothing more than vegetable curries.  I could totally take or leave the rice and starchy stuff, but I will be having some naan.  

Emma: I do a similar cocoa mix.  Sometimes I will also toss in a chai tea bag.  It makes it nice and spicy.

[lifeguard]

livacreature - that is ridiculous. Enjoy the indian food!

I wish now I had taken the time & effort to pump some colostrum. Despite bfing immediately & several times dd bg kept dropping & we ended up giving her 1oz of formula by syringe. I know bg is important but I wish we didn't have to do the formula. Waiting now for the most current bg results.

[emmaegbert]

livacreature, I am totally going to put a chai tea bag in my cocoa water, that is brilliant. Then its like chocolately-creamy-chai. yum.

and that is so weird no food for 12 hours before induction?!? what is up with hospitals having such different protocols? No woman should be half-staved going into labor, diabetes or no, but that sounds nuts.

alright. going for groceries. Indian food sounds so good.

I was out and ate a wrap sandwich (mushrooms, veggies, and goat cheese in a tortilla) for dinner last night, and green salad, and 2 small wedges of pita bread with hummus. Obviously I could have skipped the pita but it looked good and I was HUNNNNGRYYYY. The choices for vegetarians at this place were basically all sandwiches or pasta, so I tried to get the lower carb option. WELL. Wish I'd eaten only the filling of my wrap... I tested when I got home- a little over 2 hours later, got first 177 (I've never even seen such a high number all pregnancy), then I washed my hands and got 156, 129 and 132. Blah. None of them a number I'd want to see more than 2 hours after eating. Oh well. I tried to relax and realize there is nothing you can do after the fact. I ate 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and drank a bunch of water before bed and had a fasting of 82 so I am determined to do less cheating since obviously I can't handle even one full-on normal-carb meal. I am supposed to go to a 3-day conference next week (with breakfast and lunch provided) but realizing I'd better pack my own foods or at least high protein snacks.

[livacreature]

I thought it was off.  I talked to my best friend's parents who are both OBs and they told me that it must just be an weird hospital policy and to ignore it.  More important for me to have energy since labor is a lot of work.  I'm so tired, getting ready to go on hospital tour (yeah, I procrastinated) and get my indian food.  DH has been hilariously nesty this morning.  He vacuumed the whole house, finished all the laundry, deodorized the carpets, washed the dog crate, dusted the baseboards, and cleaned the guest bathroom.  I'm glad he is channeling my impulses that exhaustion won't let me act on!  I didn't even have to ask, he just woke up and started cleaning.  

Lifeguard, I hope her blood sugar gets stable soon.  Thinking of you both!

[samie1400]

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Edited by samie1400 - 10/8/11 at 11:43am