Gestational diabetes - just been diagnosed and finding it hard to take in

[devoncreamtea]

Hi all,
This is baby number 5 for me - all other pgs have been totally fine with great births, I feel very lucky. From the outset this one has been more difficult (older, fatter, less fit, less time etc etc) and have been extra busy with work until last month when my project finished and we moved house..so generally more stress everywhere! I haven't looked after myself as well as I usually would and have felt so exhausted. Last week I had the GTT (sugar in my wee and family history of type 2) which I failed spectacularly. Now monitoring glucose 4 times a day, levels so far all in range required, but I am avoiding sugar and too many starchy carbs - goodness knows what would happen if I ate cake!
I am feeling so low about it, I feel terrible that body isn't providing a good environment for my baby and am generally just gutted about the health implications and the implications for birth and for my baby's well being. I am terrified that it will stay with me afterwards too...I just feel scared and ill informed and upset - I would be so grateful to hear your experiences. Many thanks.

[Loveallmyboys]

Hi, welcome to my world! It's not the end of the world though, by any means.
I had GD with last pregnancy(he is 2 now) and also have it again this time around. I was clicking my heels, as you can imagine! Same as you, I'm to avoid anything that tastes good and jab myself in the finger 4 times a day. I was pretty put out by this, as I only had to do it once a day last time! That p*ssed me off more than the cake-ban!
Saw the diabetic doctor this morning-levels all fine. I even indulged in a White Magnum yesterday. I confessed this to the doc today and he said don't worry, a treat every do often is ok :)
My 2yr old was born at 36 weeks, weighing. 6lb6oz, perfectly healthy, and the diabetes had gone after birth.
So it isn't all doom and gloom.

[GoldenDaffodil]

Hi Devon

I was in your position 3 weeks ago so I know how
awful it makes you feel. I cried for 3 days! Once I actually got started with the diet and finger pricking I quickly got used to it though. Of course it has implications for the birth and baby's health but for a large number of women diagnosed it can be well controlled and cause few side effects. In my case I've been controlling it through diet alone and I'm really hoping it stays that way. Even if the worst came to the worst and you needed treatment with medication it is still very likely to disappear after the birth.

I haven't had my baby yet but I've had two scans since the diagnosis and her growth hadn't been effected by the GD yet. She doesn't appear to be a whopper either and is following the 50th centile line. As for the birth you will almost certainly be induced at 39 weeks - 38 if you go on to medication. Whilst this isn't ideal (not what I wanted at all) it's not the end of the world and is something that could have ended up happening anyway.

Hang in there, you can definitely cope with this. Do exactly what you're told and try not to think about all the 'what if's'.
xx

[devoncreamtea]

Thank you both for you lovely messages. Such a lot to get your head round! Very glad to hear that things are going well with both of you.

[OnABabyDiet]

I cried in the hospital when I was told!
It naffed me off for a week or so but now I'm using it as a tool to limit my weight gain! :)
I put on a lot of weight with dd1 but haven't ballooned with this pregnancy - I guess due to compulsory healthy eating! My levels are pretty good and I've just been told that I only have to test every other day - hurrah! Plus, I get to jokingly tell people that when they come and see the baby, they have to bring me cake and chocolate

[devoncreamtea]

Ha! So there is a positive side then! What are your limits level wise?

[gunwalloe]

I was diagnosed two weeks ago same as you 5th baby never had it before im still not in the swing of it and have been really bad tonight as its my anniversary and had a Chinese which produced a 9.5. My aim is under 7.8 after a hour and between 3.5 - 5.8 before breakfast. Im hoping due to my major blip I wont get put on medication on Wednesday.

[OnABabyDiet]

My limits are less than 5.5 as a fasting level (before breakfast) and less than 7.0 2hrs after each meal... they neglected to tell me this for the first 2 weeks though and I was just merrily writing down numbers with no idea what they meant!!
Exercise really helps - on the evenings I go swimming, my levels are less than 5.0 2hrs after my tea, which is usually fairly carb heavy.

[gunwalloe]

It's strange that we are given different targets if I had 2 hours to get down to 7.0 I could currently eat what I want

[devoncreamtea]

Hi all,

Yes these levels are a mystery! Mine are below 5.5 in the morning before breakfast, below 7, 2 hours after eating. I'm pretty sure that if it was after 1 hour I would not be within range.

Query it at your app gun - it's worthwhile knowing why the goal posts are different in each area and what theirs are based on.

Are you testing x hours after you finish your meal? At the moment I'm testing 2 hrs after I finish eating, this makes sense to me as the time lapse must be to do with getting the food into your system and dealing with it.

Yesterday I baked a cake with my dc, wholemeal one with apple and raspberries - had small square after tea with a small spoon of sour cream - levels totally normal. Spurred on by that, I had 2 slices of wholemeal toast and peanut butter (the healthy stuff) and a cup of tea - 5.2 so well within range.

My partner spoke to a doc he treats last night (he is a physio) and mentioned my predicament as it will mean he has to shuffle clients around when I go to see consultant. This doc (anaethetist) was automatically talking levels of 14 based on his experience. It seems to be a narrow window for pregnancy - probably good as there is a vulnerable baby involved - but I hope not overly harsh. For instance it makes no sense to be induced at 38 wks if your baby is not large and your levels are within range....but I have read of that happening a lot. Clearly the safe outcome for baby is all of our main priority, but I am finding the anxiety and fear really hard to take - I don't want to mess about with the birth unless clinically necessary, that seems likely to create more problems than it solves.

Will ask some q's at my appointment on thurs...

Anyone else really hungry?!!

[gunwalloe]

They told me 1 hr after meals so im waiting until ive finished and timing a hr if I do go over I test 30 mins later just to make sure its gone down and it always has. Im being seen by consultant tomorrow so will ask why it differs.
Im already booked in for a cs at 39 weeks ( not GD related ) from what ive read its induction at 39 weeks if your diet controlled and 38 if your on insulin but I suspect its mostly down to the individual, consultant and area your in and of course you don't have to agree to anything your not happy with.

Yes im starving but the funny thing is ive had no appetite this pregnancy and was happily eating salads now ive got GD all I want is sugar and most of all a mars bar not sure if its psychological as I know im not allowed or something to do with the GD

[VJONES1985]

I've had type 1 diabetes since I was a baby and have been on four injections a day ever since. My sugar level limits during pg are similar to yours and we all have a few blips but generally, my control has been great. Other than having a larger baby, there should not be any issues as long as your control is good. I'm being induced at 38 weeks, as is normal for diabetics. You'll be fine :-)