Am I putting myself at risk of GD?

[squizita]

I'm not at high risk of GD, although we do wonder if my paternal Grandmother had it (wasn't diagnosed at the time - 40s/50s but had huge babies).

Wondering whether I am placing myself at risk with diet? I am 22 weeks, high risk pg for other things so getting a glucose test in a few weeks amongst a barrage of other tests.

Just recently my pregnancy cravings have all been for sweet things! Like, really bad. I'm sure I'm piling on pounds. I usually don't like sweet flavours and go days without anything sweet. Right now I try to eat sensibly however (1) I get really hungry! I am shocked by my how much I can eat! (2) I really crave sweet flavours and carbs. I'll have a (generous) portion of cake or pastry or pudding/custard every day, and sometimes a hot chocolate or sweets. The rest of my food will be normal.

[squizita]

...it was in the 40s/50s... she wasn't 50! :)

[hubbahubster]

I had GD last time, but so did one of my colleagues, and she's a vegetarian whole food nut who ate almost no sugar at all. Actually, she had more trouble controlling her sugars than I did! Another of my mummy friends is whip-thin and eats a very low sugar diet, and she was on tablets for her crazy blood sugar levels. I just had to monitor my levels, no medication, and I actually carried on eating a lot of ice cream...

Obviously a balanced diet is best, but I don't think GD is something you can give yourself!

[hubbahubster]

BTW I've found soya and linseed bread brilliant for my sugar levels, and brown rice too - maybe switch your carbs to better ones anyway?

[SixImpossible]

Try satisfying your cravings with alternatives, first. Then, if you still crave sweetness you will already be Fulani may only needs mouthful or two to deal with the cravings.

Whatever you eat, eat it mindfully so that you really enjoy it and experience it fully.

Try starting your day with porridge or eggs. Both fill you up for longer. Cravings are easier to cope with if you are not hungry. Snack on oatcakes as well. Obviously not with jam or honey, but plain, or seeded, or with cheese etc.

Google low GI foods. They are better for blood-sugar control, and some are surprisingly sweet - 70% chocolate and sweet potato, for example - and can help satisfy sweet cravings. Some foods seem innocuous, but actually raise your blood sugar very fast, so are bad for GD risk - pasta and ordinary potatoes for example.

[UriGeller]

You can't put yourself at risk from it, you'll either get it or you won't. I've had it twice, despite being normal (to under) weight throughout my pregnancies, no cravings and very active). There's diabetes in my distant family and I have been told to regard the GD as a "warning" of pre-diabetes.

GD is different from type 1 and type 2 and is under the influence of your placenta which releases hormones as it grows that block the action of insulin. So its actually a sign your placenta is doing its job effectively.

[Blueberrybaby]

Eating sugar or more sugar than normal is not putting you at risk. It's all to do with pregnancy hormones and your body's ability to produce enough insulin when pregnant and to keep pace with your insulin requirements as the baby grows. In some people their body can't keep pace. You will either get it or not. It's not your fault. If you are diagnosed then you can control it by following the right diet, but you won't prevent it by steering clear of the chocolate bars.

[squizita]

Six As I mentioned, I am not at risk (and do not usually have blood sugar issues) and eat a balanced diet and am aware of GI - just with the addition of some sweet items. That was my specific question. Avoiding even 'jam' and 'honey' on some oatcakes would surely be for someone already with GD?

Thank you Uri and BlueBerry. :)

Hubba for your friend.

[SixImpossible]

AFAIK the GD test does not measure your risk or predisposition to GD. It is a straightforward challenge to see how your body copes with a glucose overload.

Your body may be coping fine day to day, because you are eating sensibly and not overloading with glucose. You could 'pass' the challenge today, and yet go on to develop GD a few months later. Equally, you could 'fail' the challenge, be diagnosed with GD, and find that it does not affect you in the least because you continue to eat sensibly. (The only effects being that your birthing choices are restricted.) Or you could have GD that needs insulin treatment.

So why not address it from the beginning? You stress that you are hungry, and are shocked at your appetite. Ravenous hunger is your body screaming for sugar. If you respond by feeding it sugar, you risk overloading it.

So you know about healthy eating and GI. Sorry for teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.

[Pregnantagain7]

No way! :) I had gd with my 2nd pregnancy but not with my 3rd.I had 1
risk factor my maternal grandma had it, I'm not overweight. I always eat a lot of sweet things when I'm pregnant and probably had a similar diet with both pregnancies. When I was diagnosed I asked the consultant if I could have caused it as I had been eating my fair share of cake and mountains of fruit. He said no way. I'm usually a very healthy eater but when I'm pregnant everything just goes to pot! I eat what I want within reason and don't deny myself anything, I make sure I eat the good stuff too but I try not to beat myself up about it. If that means I have an extra stone to shift at the end so be it I always get it off but it just might take afew weeks longer:)

[Boogles91]

I must eat more cakes and bourbons than actual food since about 23wks! Growth scan has shown babys massive and theres way too much fluid but im not diabetic though i had the test done. My mums type 2 so i can keep an eye on my sugar levels anyway. The midwife and consultants have said that its no risk and no cause for baby being big....just me deciding to create an elephant child lol so if thats what you crave then eat it imo lol i dont care to much about the weight ive not put on too much but have gone up a dress size lol thats only cus of the big bump though x

[ohthegoats]

I wondered about this too. I don't know the answer though!

Week 20 here, and my food preferences have changed completely too - away from healthy towards carb and sugar heavy. I gave up sugar last year, so really haven't had much of it in some time - part of me is enjoying my apparent 'need' for it, part of me is finding it a bit grim (I remembered how addictive it is, especially in my current state). So, this week I decided just to cut it out again as much as I can manage - and do the low GI carb thing instead (with some other small cheats like 95% dark chocolate). I think you're injecting too right? I really want to avoid injecting something ELSE as well!

[squizita]

Six I am shocked at the change but as I mentioned this is in contrast to before (and being pregnant, I have been warned by HCP I may start to eat more). I am not crawling round with a sugar craving consuming everything in sight.
Not allowing jam on an oatcake is a pretty extreme restriction, was all I was saying - most people with a normal reaction to blood sugar wouldn't need to change this I would think?
I used to suffer from mild orthorexia so am wary of food rules that are not 'required' as self-imposed rules were my problem (this is possibly also a source of my worry now, thinking about it).