Anyone fancy a gestational diabetes support thread?

[charlottehere]

Just found out today I have GD. I was hoping to have a homebirth but think thats not going to happen now. I'm just so shocked although I shouldn't be, I'm over weight.

I have so many questions, seeing ob consultant on friday.

If you fancy supporting each other, answering questions for each other, please join me. Moaning!!!

[ThreeWheelsGood]

Very recent thread already here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1554832-Anyone-else-got-gestational-diabetes-Top-tips-welcome

[charlottehere]

Thanks Three, i have had a read of that but was hoping to start a new one as lots of posters seem tp have had their baby's now.

[Secondsop]

charlotte I'll join you here - the other thread is brilliant for reading about experiences and food suggestions but as you say, most of the ladies there have had their babies now rather than struggling through the early days of the diagnosis. I will be 30 weeks tomorrow - was diagnosed a week or so ago and got my finger-pricky blood tester thing yesterday.

[Secondsop]

Also: I'm overweight but have lost weight in the pregnancy so thought I was doing really well before the diagnosis... I found out yesterday that the cutoff for GD is 7.8 and I was 7.9 - so near yet so far.

[charlottehere]

Hi Second, your situation sounds very similar to mine except for I didnt loose any weight in pregnancy but hoping to now.

I am just one point over too and am nearly 32 weeks, diagnoised on tuesday. I thought the cut off was 7.6 but might be wrong or prehaps different areas?

I have briefly spoke on the telephone to a diabetes nurse and am waiting for a time to see a specialist obs on friday. have you had any info regarding diet, I have looked it up on the internet but would like to see someone to discuss. feeling a bit lost. xx

How are you feeling in yourself?

[Secondsop]

I'm feeling ok thanks. I was told 7.8 was the cut off and 7.8 is also the maximum I'm meant to be at an hour after each meal. I did have a session with a dietician who said to have a portion of carbs with each meal and advised on portion sizes and on what foods had carbs in, and told me that if I couldn't control it by eating in this way then I wasn't to change my diet further but was to speak to them and they would consider whether I needed medication.

I was surprised by some of the dietary advice. Eg she recommended baked potatoes in their skin but I thought they were just about the most high-release carb you could get. She also said brown rice was no better than white.

Haven't had a brilliant day numbers-wise - the dietician told me a portion of bread was 2 slices so I had that (brown bread) for breakfast with 2 scrambled eggs with cheese, and I was 7.7. Then for lunch I had an open sandwich (again brown bread but quite sweet - it was called honey bread) with roasted veg and it was only 1 piece of bread that I didn't even finish but my sugars were 8.5! I'm wondering whether there was insufficient fat or protein to slow down the release of the carbs - yesterday I had pizza express lasagne and my reading was 5.8!. I would actually be quite happy on a no carb diet (or one with much-reduced carbs; eg a slice of vread with the scrambled eggs is plenty for me) but the dietician said I had to have a portion per meal.

[Secondsop]

Oh I'm actually 31 weeks not 30 - dont know why I said 30.

[charlottehere]

Hi Second, its a bit of a minefield foodwise it seems! I spoke to a different diabetes nurse today and am seeing her tommorrow. My numbers are the same as you, got it wrong. She said that the number we are at is nothing to worry too much over and that she will give me a blood checker and talk about diet, however it is pretty nomal for your body to be unable to deal with sugar as well this far in pregnancy and sugar can show up in your wee and not mean alot!!

This is totally different from what the other diabetes nurse said! (different hospital) She was most concerned and said that even at this level I could end up on insulin and it needs to be taken very seriously, scared the life out of me.

Are you planning a hospital birth? Have you been offered extra scans?

[Secondsop]

I had an extra scan at 29 weeks (head and tummy on 95th percentile but the fact that the head is big suggests the size is not from GD) and I have another one at 32 weeks (next week), and I might need to have another one at 36 weeks. The 2 extra scans were already scheduled - I've had pregnancy induced high blood pressure which can restrict growth so they were booked to check on that.

Definitely hospital birth for me. I have a high BMI so wouldn't be able to use the midwife led unit and the thought of a home birth scares the bejesus out of me. Plus what with the blood pressure, possible low-lying placenta, plus the fact that the baby's down's risk is over the "high risk" threshold, I'd rather be in the hands of the hospital.

Food wise I think it'll take me a little while and a bit of trial and error to work out what works for me. I am currently getting a perverse pleasure from the finger pricking and blood testing but I am sure that will not last.

[blonderthanred]

Hello, I was on the other thread but the only one left who hadn't had their baby!

I'm due to be induced at 38 weeks, 23 Oct. I found the diagnosis very difficult and was terrified at first but have come to terms with it and after the initial flurry, all the medical people seemed to calm down a bit.

I've had my 2 extra scans and the baby was measuring 2 weeks ahead on the first, but still in the normal range. On the 2nd it is now growing at a normal rate so the diet and meds are working. My GTT was only just above the level as well, so I bemoaned my fate, but actually if it hadn't been diagnosed I could have ended up with many more complications so it is worth the tedious finger pricking, tablets & insulin.

Protein + carbs at every meal, but if you need meds, it's not a failing, it's just that your body needs help.

[WerewolvesDoTheFandango]

Morning all, I was diagnosed last week at 29 weeks. Gtt was awful (10.8) and I am completely shocked. I feel absolutely fine, was normal weight before pregnancy and very fit. Have kept fit throughout and gained only a stone. Was not amused when they started running the risk factors past me and I had none! wanted to have a toddler tantrum

Sugar Levels are very stable and baby is growing nicely on the scan so I suppose I should just accept all the extra scans as a lively bonus. Fed up of the thumb pricking already though!

I will be induced at 39 weeks, which is nice as I'll definitely have my baby for Xmas.

[Secondsop]

Hello, yes that is the one thing about this that I like which is that I'll be induced a little early. My actual due date is 13 Dec so I was worried about the prospect of hanging on over Christmas but i'm more likely to he end nov / early Dec now.

werewolves your experience shows just how randomly this can strike - I had risk factors such as very overweight (though I've controlled it very well in pregnancy, about which no-one was more astonished than me), grandparent type 1 diabetic, probably a bit insulin-resistant beforehand anyway (eg I couldn't easily eat white bread for lunch without feeling really hypo a few hours later), and yet my GTT came in at 7.9 so only just over the threshold.

[charlottehere]

Hi Blond and Were

I had my diabetes nurse appointment this morning, ended up being there for three hours! They forgot me, then I saw obs and went round to scan dept to make extra scan apps.

So, I now have my finger pricker which although a bit of an inconvience, is reassuring to know where I am. I found the diabetes nurse lovley and very helpful. I'm now not too worried about the diet maybe foolish.

The obs consultant was horrible was not very helpful. I am measuring two weeks ahead but she said she thinks basically I am fat. Homebirth is not on the cards although I could fight for it, I'm worried about the baby will be huge and don't feel scans are all that accurate/also not sure what effect low sugar levels have on the baby?

[charlottehere]

How come you ladies are being induced ? The obs doctor sadi that they induce at 40 weeks at this hospital anyway.

[WitchesTitWhistles]

I'm in. I have it again .

Just started on Metformin. Am hoping to avoid insulin this time round.

[charlottehere]

Hi witches, how far along are you?

[WerewolvesDoTheFandango]

Charlotte the diabetes clinic near me warned me that it always takes ~3 hours. I did 4 on Monday and they told me they couldn't fit me in so I went to another hospital on Wednesday and waited another 2!

In my area they induce at 39 weeks at the latest. They said that after 39 weeks the placenta can be less effective and the baby can be big. If your baby is measuring normal size and you really push for it they will let you go to 40 weeks, but not over.

Welcome Witches

[WitchesTitWhistles]

I'm 24 weeks. I had an early GTT due to last pregnancy being GD too. So I've been monitoring for 3 weeks and already seen the results creep up a little despite always having eaten a low carb diet.
It's a big pain!

[Secondsop]

Welcome witches.

charlotte in my hospital they induce generally at 38 weeks for the placenta reasons werewolves describes, and also to try to prevent the birth being complicated from the baby being too big. I was told that if everything was going brilliantly I might be able to rumble along a bit longer but that I definitely wouldn't go beyond my due date.

I'm very pleased that I've been under 7.8 all day. My big bowl of porridge was 7.7 (so I'll need to watch that in future , lunch (chicken salad with bulgur wheat and new potatoes) was 7.3 and dinner (out at a restaurant: haddock confit with Melba toasts, followed by halibut with gnocchi and creamed spinach) was 6.6.

[blonderthanred]

My hospital induce at 38 weeks too because of the placenta issue.

Porridge didn't work for me at all, even with insulin I've had to steer clear. Wholemeal toast with egg or PB is my staple breakfast. However breakfast is apparently what most people struggle most with because your hormones have a surge at that time causing the insulin resistance, so it's the most likely meal you might need help with (as I do).

[Secondsop]

blonder I read on the older thread that some people struggle with porridge - I wouldn't be surprised if I end up doing so as well assuming I get more insulin-resistant as I go along, given I'm at 7.7 already with it. I put a big dollop of creme fraiche in it yesterday and the fat from that may have slowed down the glucose release. I need to buy some burgen bread to see how I get on with that - 2 slices of other wholemeal bread with egg sent me to 7.7 as well. Someone on my antenatal thread also recommended Vogel bread.

[Secondsop]

Grrr. 8.7 after breakfast with the same meal that gave me 7.7 on Thursday.

[blonderthanred]

That's shit. How many weeks did you say you were?

[Secondsop]

I'm 31 weeks. I am not eating the recommended bread yet as I haven't had a chance to go out and get any but we're going out today. Have been eating co-op wholemeal bread with oats.

[blonderthanred]

I found no difference between the Burgen/Low GI and Hovis Granary or similar tbh.

Just had my highest reading ever after the baby shower my sister threw for me. Really shouldn't have had that scone! Still one ill-advised meal in 6 weeks is not too bad.