Avoiding Gestational Diabetes #3

[musicangel813]

I just found out that I am pregnant with baby #3. I was diagnosed w/ GD with my last 2 pregnancies and controlled them through diet alone. My blood sugar levels have been fine when I'm not pregnant. I lost all my baby weight from baby #2, but am still about 10-15# over an ideal weight. I exercise 2-3 times a week and eat semi-healthy (I know I could probably do much better). Any tips for trying to avoid GD this time around? I'm assuming it's probably inevitable I'll have it again, but would love to hear other natural ways to try & avoid it! Thanks!

[julieinthesky]

I had GD with my first and was eventually not able to control it with diet and had to be medicated.  I was determined to not get it the second time, so I lost as much weight as possible and was very active before getting pregnant again. During my second pregnancy I took cinnamon and chromium supplements, tried to exercise every day if possible, and I didn't really count carbs too much but tried to limit them and always paired them with a protein.  During that pregnancy I never took the GD test, but I monitored my sugars 3-4x a day starting around 15 weeks and was always able to keep my numbers in range.  I would have times when my fasting would be in the 90s and I would limit my carbs for the next few days and get it back lower, but that didn't happen too much.  So, I don't know if I had GD, didn't have it, or just controlled it or what, but I didn't have to be medicated and my midwives were happy with all my numbers.  They felt confident that the supplements helped, so it could work. 

[musicangel813]

I've been looking into the cinnamon! Did you take cinnamon supplements or does ground cinnamon work as well? I've been starting to mix a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in with something each day (coffee, yogurt, etc.). Have you heard whether that is as effective as the supplement/pill form?
 

[julieinthesky]

Hmm, I don't know. I took 2-4 supplements a day.  I am  pretty sure it's just ground up cinnamon shoved into a capsule so I would think it's the same.  I am not crazy about cinnamon so it was easier for me to just take the pills. I think anyway you would take it it would help.

[sky_and_lavender]

I would follow this eating style or something similar, maybe eating just one fruit a day or whatever was needed to keep things well. And I would exercise daily, maybe even twice daily.
 

[myra1]

I also did not do the GTT to avoid the diagnosis, since I knew I react to the glucose solution. I tested 4 times a day and controlled w diet. A high protein bedtime snack controlled my morning numbers. I took cinnamon as well as tumeric and apple cider vinegar. I walked after eating and any time my sugar got high. Best of luck!