Worries!!!!! Gestational Diabetes, Low Papp A and not gaining weight

[bubbleblower85]

Hello all

Apologies for the length of this post.

I think I want some advice please or just reassurance.

I am 35 years old, 14 weeks pregnant, this is my first pregnancy.

Before I start, I just want to give some background so as not to drip feed.

I had food allergy issues from December 2016, originally I was told in 2017 that I had oral allergy syndrome but I also have dermagraphitis (when you scratch or prick my skin it turns red and the scratch becomes a welt), so the results weren't clear.
The issues were around fruit and veg initially.
All the things that has happend from December 2016 has left me with a lot of food anxieties and phobia.

November 2020 using just blood test I was told I had no food allergies BUT blood test could be double postive/negative meaning that you could have the allergy and the blood test didnt pick it up.
When I queried this with my GP, she said the results were good for me not being allergic to any food however she said re the double negative/positive and risk of being allergic that "its 1 in a million chance". Hearing this wasn't helpful to my anxiety! However I was prepared to test food again but then discovered I was pregnant so I did not want to experiment on myself.

NOW

At my 12 week scan I was told that evreything appears normal and baby was average (length etc).

Then I found out I had gestational diabetes (not a suprise as I was pre diabetic before pregnancy), and Low Papp A.

Met with the diabetes nurse on Tuesday and when she tested my blood it was 11.4 after my breakfas/lunch which was two handful of rice and two lamp chop. She told me to go low carb and increase protiens.

Now I am too scared to touch dairy, nuts and loads of fruits so mainly my diet is rice (asian background) and white bread (ciabatta or paninin) that I feel safe to eat (no additives, no soya etc), meats etc.

I have since stopped eating jam on bread, having only one bread (sliced in half, so half after I wake up, and half as a snack), one handful rice and increased protiens, I have also started walking on the treadmill.
So far after waking up my bloods have been around 6 ish, after lunch 8.8 and today 9.9, afternoon evening snack 6 ish, dinner has been 6 nad last night 7, so have improved. My last meal is all protein, no carbs which leaves me feeling hungry and worried my baby might be affected?

Should be having a dieticien appointment soon.

Throughout this I have not put on weight at all, in fact I have lost 2-3 lbs, for the record going into pregnancy I was overweight.
Is this something to worry about, by 14 weeks shouldn't I be putting weight on or is it too soon for weight gain?

Really confused, since at 12 weeks my baby was considered appearing average and normal, I think then the GS didn't matter/affect the baby so why change my diet and risk ketosis.

Is it harmful to lose weight in pregnancy?

Thank you for lasting this far :)

Bless your soul, I'm not a midwife but I can tell you my story in the hope it shows you're not the only one.

Like you, I was overweight and pre-diabetic before I got pregnant. When I became pregnant, I was put on the low carb diet and lost weight but got gestational diabetes anyway and had to go on insulin as well as continue on the diet. This actually happened to me twice and both times the diabetes went as soon as they were born. Both 'babies' are now bigger than me!

I don't think a few pounds weight loss matters but reducing blood glucose levels is important. If you think about it, the baby doesn't interact with body fat but does rely on the blood supply.

Your food anxiety and possible allergies is a separate issue. Veg usually has less carbs than fruit but still has the fibre and vitamins. Is there any that you like to eat?

It's a good call to talk this over with the dietitian and of course any concerns with the midwife.

Not a professional but have had gestational diabetes in 3 out of 4 pregnancies. Firstly get yourself on the gestational diabetes U.K. Facebook page, they are very very helpful and supportive with great advice, look at their webpage too. I lost weight in all my pregnancies, my first pregnancy where gd was diagnosed at 16 weeks I lost around 10 kg and others I lost around 7kg. ( put it all back on though after ). Babies were all fine but tiny, since discovered I have a thyroid problem which was like the cause.

You need to eat a good diet with good protein and low carb and those preferably need to be unrefined. It’s a huge adjustment and initially you may feel hungry as body adjusts to reducing carbs coupled with pregnancy hunger some get at this stage. The NHS dietitian advice I personally found woefully inadequate and dangerous e.g Weetabix and porridge are not good or gd friendly or swapping to whole grain bread does little in pregnancy to blood sugars. I ate a lot of full fat dairy, berries, lean meat loaded with green veg. I did exercise regularly but more so during pregnancy to help burn off the excess sugar. Have you spoken to your diabetes team about the allergies and anxiety? If not, please do so.

Gd is very hard, I was very upset in my first pregnancy and felt like I had failed and found it stressful trying to manage sugars and diet.

I will add that with the best will in the world of eating well, reducing carbs to almost nothing and exercising I still had to take high dose of insulin in my last pregnancy as my overnight fasting levels were through the roof as my last pregnancy progressed. I would get 5.8 mmol post meal and overnight fasting of 15.

As pregnancy progresses it becomes harder to maintain sugars, if baby appears normal size now that can change if you don’t follow dietary advice. You need to constantly adjust and balance it as you go. I always found the 32 week mark tough. Good luck op.

Hi

Thank you, WillowWilkins and EcoCustard. Sorry for late response, I only open my laptop for work.

Your responses has been great and I feel reassured. I am happy that you guys had a good outcome re your baby and health, that makes me feel hopeful.

My blood sugars are actually not that bad so will carry on as I have been doing.

Arrgghhh food phobia and anxieties is not fun!!! Thank you for your avice re diet and the recommendation of the facebook page.