Gestational diabetes - help!

[hunkermunker]

Just rang the hospital for the results of my glucose tolerance test. Was told quite snootily they'd have rung me if there was a problem, but since there had been a question mark over whether I had gestational diabetes in my last pregnancy and I wasn't phoned then, I asked if they could just check anyway. Plus I've been madly thirsty and keep waking up in the night to go to the loo, so I had an inkling all wasn't quite as it should be.

Good job I did - apparently it's high and she's going to get the diabetes midwife to ring me back (but will phone again if I haven't heard by lunchtime as I don't quite trust them to ring me!).

Has anyone else had gestational diabetes and what did you do? Any tips on diet? Did you have extra scans to monitor your baby's growth? DS was 8lb 10oz and this one was described by the midwife at my 28-week check as a "chunky child"?am I going to give birth to a toddler?!

Hi hunkermunker - I've just got back from hosp appt re my failed GTT (5.8/10.2). Have been given a fairly loose diet sheet (basically no additional sugar & not too much fruit - am craving chocolate already!!)and have to test 3x every other day for 2 weeks (been given a huge bag of testing stuff). The upshot, for me, is that if I can keep my suger below 9 for the 2 weeks then I only have to test one day per week (4x) for the rest of pg and could avoid having to shift to consultant led care (and therefore no homebirth ). Fingers crossed that yours is as straightforward. Good luck for tomorrow hon.

ps I asked about the risk of hypo baby & hospital policy for feeding. Apparently it's expressed breastmilk only (no formula - mw frowned lots when I mentioned!) but she did say that that would be the case only if there were no other illness issues with the baby. Asking mw certainly put my mind at ease!

Thanks, Dinny - yes, part of me is relieved it might be a hospital birth, which makes me wonder about homebirthing - oh, who knows?! I'll see how it goes tomorrow, I think.

Iris, interesting to hear your experience - glad the MW was so positive re breastfeeding. Also must be a relief not to have to be testing too often! Will be interesting to compare the advice I get.

I've tried not eating too much processed food and not eating added sugar since Friday - amazing - I slept all night last night for the first time in about three weeks! And I've not been quite so thirsty (had been waking up in the night and drinking a couple of big glasses of water!) and I've realised just how water retentiony I'd been - my face looks a lot less puffy.

Hi Hunker.
I had GDD woth dd3. i was borderline as well. she was induced 2 weeks early, and weighed 7lb 14oz. her suger levels did drop and she was in scbu being tube fed for 24hours, i also expressed within the 1st 24hour (she was taken down within the 1st 24hours) and i breastfed her before each tube feed. It took a while for her levels to perk up to a satificatory level. i was very upset at the formula feeding as wanted to avoid it as much as possible due to allergies in the family. i was snootily told by one of the nurses in SCBU that formula was best at that time as she was at risk of fitting, i was sleep deprieved and wanted to get home as peter had only been discharged 2 days before i gave birth.

I was controlling my diabetes with diet only, and usually was in the right levels (had about 4 blips in 8 weeks IIRC). If i hadnt controlled it with diet then i dread to think how big she would've been. it was very likely that i had GDD with dd2 as she was 9lb at birth 1 week early.

Misdee, your post has slightly put the cat among the pidgeons for me. I'm managing my GD well with diet alone mainly because I'll do anything to avoid insulin. I was told that hypo babies usually happen when the mum has been on insulin. I'm worrying a bit now!!! It must have been awful seeing your LO in SCBU whilst looking quite healthy.

she was healthy and breastfeeding well for the st 12 hours, then she got quite sleepy. it was awful but easily fixed. if you can express colostrum before birth then it may be something to look into if you want to avoid formula. sorry to worry you.

Thanks misdee. I'd rather have info on all possible scenarios than expect things to be great.

hunkermunker - how did you get on?

Hiya, thanks again for the posts.

Well, had my appointment today and the midwife was lovely, took a lot of time to go through various things. Testing isn't as bad as I'd thought it might be either!

Wondering how keen I am on a homebirth now though - what I really want is a waterbirth, but at the moment, what I really, really want is a baby that's not 10lb!

I have to test four times a day, fasting, then two hours after each meal - my post-meal level shouldn't go about 7 and my fasting level shouldn't go above 6. My post-lunch level was 7.5, but think that's because I had pasta.

I have another appointment next week to see whether I need a growth scan, and to see what my levels have been like this week.

Am currently wanting to poke my tongue into a sugar bowl and swirl it round, but am sure that will pass

Am sooo pleased it went well for you hunkermunker - though your max levels are tighter than mine!! I've got to be lower than 5 before meals and lower than 8 after. Have to test alternate days for 2 weeks before going back and have to do odd days all tests before meals then others all tests after - isn't it funny how differently each hosp treats it!
I'm really worried that I'll not be able to have a home birth (developed a bit of a phobia a few years ago) so have been really careful about what I eat. Time will tell I suppose.

ps resist the sugar bowl!!! - downed 1/2 a bar of green & blacks choc last night in a fit of lastnightbeforetesting idiot brainlessness . Fasting reading was 5.6 12 hours later!!!! was really - am suitably with self now.

Thanks, Iris!

Interesting about the differing levels - my 7.5 was fine by your levels then! Are you testing two hours after meals?

I think my baby's already pretty big, and she said my fasting level was high, which is why she wanted to see me in a week, as it's usually two. Plus I'd had so many symptoms - I'm just glad they're taking it seriously, really!

Hunkermunker, I'm wanting a waterbirth too but few things worried me when I found I had GD. If you have a big baby then there's more chance of shoulder dystocia (head out, shoulders stuck). It struck me that if I was delivering in a pool, the last thing I'd want is to stand up & get out with baby's head out to deliver on the bed. My tummy is on the big side but I'm measuring the right amount of cms so hopefully she's not a monster size! I think I'll use the pool for pain relief & deliver on dry land.
As for the food, if you include something high fibre with your carbs, your sugar levels shouldn't be so high, eg wholemeal bread & pasta instead of white. Makes a huge difference to my levels.
Iris, Yay! Lets hear it for Green & Blacks!!! God I miss it. Just before I was diagnosed I discovered the gorgeousness that is G&B's chocolate & orange ice cream. Its on my list for after the birth.

KM, I know what you mean re not wanting to move from the pool once the head's born! Eek! But I think I'd rather take a chance on that happening and moving to the bed - well, I'll see how it goes on the day, I think! Not taking anything for granted with this childbirth lark!

Just done my levels after dinner - 5.7! Dammit - could've eaten more

Hunkermunker - at the mo I'm doing 30 mins before each meal then at bedtime. Wed will be the same then Fri it changes to 1 hr after meals and bedtime.Thought I was doing really well yesterday but sugar was all over the place!!5.6/4.3/5.7/7.8 it's freaking me out so I'm going to have a look at some diabetic websites today to see where I'm going wrong.
One thing I did notice was that when my sugar level was low I wasn't hungry at all but once it crept up I became starving!! Are you finding that? Can anyone else give me some advice?
Hate this so much - and pregnancy is not exactly the ideal time to realise the extent of my control freak issues either!!!!

any diabetics out there today???

what are you eating?

what do you want help with iris?

am just getting into a state over my sugar levels. Woke up at 5 worrying about it and did a test at 0630 (5.1) Didn't eat or drink anything then did a test again at 0730 and it had gone up to 5.7!!! had beans on toast (1/3 tin & 2 pieces of wholemeal) and an hour late my sugar is 10.6. Is this normal?

I should add that this is my first week of testing (should be mon,wed & fri but I was so shocked by the variations yesterday I decided to test today too to compare). have phoned the hosp and MW said it's normal that dietary changes will cause fluctuations (all I've done is dropped actimel and the chocolate and biccies between meals). She could explain why my sugar had gone up this morning though which I think is what's worrying me more. I mean, how can sugar go up if you've not eaten anything?????

sorry --- MW couldn't explain why sugar had gone up

Aw, Iris, sorry you're having a hard time with it. I can't help on why your sugar levels had gone up when you'd not eaten anything - I'm finding it quite an odd thing to be keeping track of my sugar levels too though.

My fasting level was 5.7 this morning - haven't done my post-breakfast test yet though. I've been told mine should be under 7 two hours post eating - but it does seem like there's a lot of variation in advice on how often to test and when.

I'm just so worried that if I can't control this I'll not be able to have a home birth (hospitals really turn me into a quivvering wreck). I know other people have so much worse to contend with and that I'm being really silly and should wait & see what happens over a full week but I can't help myself at the mo. sorry

I'm comforted that your fasting was 5.7 too though HM

Oh, Iris, I'm sorry you're feeling so out of control over it.

Have you been given dietary guidance other than cut out the sugary stuff? Is there a diabetes midwife you can ring for advice?

As for your birth options - I know what you mean. I'm desperate to have a waterbirth, either at home (although have been kind of put off that now, as it doesn't feel right - and I go with my gut instinct with things like this!), or at hospital - and I'm worried I won't be able to have the pool at hospital, either through staff shortages or someone already being in it, or uncontrolled sugar levels (if I need insulin throughout labour, I won't be allowed to go in the water, apparently).

But that's all worst case scenario stuff, so I'm concentrating on the positive side of it. This has given me a good opportunity to get into some really good eating habits, which will hopefully last a while. And I was at greater risk of diabetes after the baby's born anyway because I have PCOS - so it's no bad thing to have this as a wake-up call. And I felt SO lousy this time last week, bloated, breathless and shattered - I cannot believe how much more energy I have now.

I prefer to be forewarned about the different options I'll have with best and worst case scenarios - but the overriding factor is that I deliver a healthy baby. Obviously I'd prefer to do that with the minimum of intervention, and I know that's possible - I just don't know if it'll be possible for me yet!

One thing my diabetes midwife said to me was that I should aim to have my sugar levels within the recommended amount. If they go over occasionally, so be it - especially with Christmas. She said people often take it too far - and I shouldn't be cutting out carbs, etc, because I'm growing a baby. It's just about eating more sensible carbs.

Not really sure if I'm helping, so I'll stop my sugar-lust ramblings Hope you are OK - and hoxtonchick, I know we must seem like total amateurs at this!