Support thread for those diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

[HighFibreDiet]

Hi, it seems there are a few of us around and I wondered if you wanted to start a support thread? There seemed to be a good thread going through 2010 but I can't find one running at the moment.

My due date is 17 July. I took the OGTT at 30 weeks (not realising that the best time for diagnosis is supposed to be 24-28 weeks). I was only diagnosed last week, given my blood glucose monitor on Thursday and have been trying to tweak my diet to bring down the readings since then. Seeing my midwife today and have to phone in my readings next week to see what they make of them!

My main problem seems to be the fasting blood sugars and the endocrinologist I saw on Thursday said if I couldn't keep them consistently down, I would go on insulin, with 'no negotiation'.

Would love to hear from other pg women with GD, or those who have been through it before. I'd also like to compare how the antenatal 'care' varies with country, as I am in Australia and it seems extremely strict over here (e.g. my fasting blood sugar levels have to be under 5.0 mmol/l).

Looking forward to getting some responses

Hi all,

I've been trying to read the whole thread but my three year olds won't let me have a moments peace so sorry if this has been done to death...

I don't have GD but was borderline with my last pg. This time around my sweet cravings have been worse than ever and I regularly feel dizzy, shakey and weak if I don't eat for a couple of hours (even more so if the last meal was sugary). As a result I'm trying to pre-empt any difficulties by controlling my diet but I really don't know what I should be doing other than avoiding sugary foods.

I've decided that cakes, sweets, chocolate and biscuits are off limits as well as the obvious sweet puddings and drinks.

My question is what do you eat if you have a serious sugar craving? Do I have to just ignore it or is there anything I can eat that will help to satiate it? It's making me feel hungry and shakey all the time

Thanks in advance for any advice! x

Hi all,
Please can I join in? Have been lurking for ages but not posted on Mumsnet before!
I am 31 weeks pregnant and had the GTT at 28 weeks which came back borderline (fasting was 6.7 and after 2 hours levels were 7.7). I was advised to start monitoring my blood and this showed that although my levels after meals were ok my early morning reading is consistently too high.

So I was started on insulin last week which has brought my daytime levels down a bit but morning fasting level remains high! (6.7 this morning). Have tried various things and nothing seems to affect it. Have upped my insulin again today...

Have been feeling quite emotional about it all to be honest but doing ok. My first baby was big and it was an emcs so hoping this one might be smaller, but then the hospital mutter about getting it out a bit earlier which is tricky with a vbac.

Anyway will stop going on, but just wanted to say hi and hopefully I can offer support to other people going through this too.

Hi outthere,

Sorry to hear you are struggling with this too. Will you be tested again this time?

I can't really help with sugar cravings as I have been lucky enough not to have any really. I was told it is ok to have a couple of squares of dark chocolate but don't know it that would work with your craving?

I imagine it is connected with your blood sugar and probably best to avoid if you can as you may feel even worse afterwards. Have you tried eating more protein?

Sorry not to be able to help more.

Hi there,

Hoping it's ok for me to jump on in here too.

I had GD in my previous full term pregnancy with DS3, and possibly undiagnosed GD with my DD. I fell pregnant in February time, and when i booked in with the MW she referred me to the GD clinic as my blood sugars were high. I was started on metformin, but shortly after i sadly miscarried. I am now eight weeks pregnant and as soon as i found out i contacted the diabetic nurse and this time i'm on insulin (was on insulin with DS3 too) and metformin. The consultant has also diagnosed me as being a type 2 diabetic.

This has come as a huge shock to me - the pregnancy was unexpected, but is very much wanted and i have taken stock and have made huge changes in my diet and lifestyle in general in the hope of carrying this baby to term.

I'm really struggling though lately - i'm not enjoying my food at all, everything i eat tastes bland and i just don't fancy it once i've made it. Anyone else like that?

Hi deemented,

So sorry to hear about your loss earlier this year.

Also sorry to hear about your diagnosis of Type 2 - that sounds like such a lot to deal with on top of being pregnant. Are you being well supported by your hospital?

I can really relate to what you are feeling about food. I really can't be bothered at the moment and often I am hungry but can't work out what to eat because everything is so restricted! I am sad to missing the lovely summer fruits at the moment.

I am finding that I am mainly having to cook from scratch all the time too which is obviously better for us all but sometimes I just want to be lazy!

What sort of things have you been eating?

Wow - the thread has got busy this afternoon!

Welcome to all the newcomers. Deemented does that mean they are saying you will definately be type 2 after the pregnancy has finished? That's not so good - the only thing that is getting me through all this is that it will hopefully go away afterwards! Fingers crossed everything goes well this time. I also lost one at about 10 weeks prior to this pregnancy. It think the first bit was the hardest with this one, as I was obviously paranoid this time around!

Outthere I found the sugar cravings really hard at first, I think you get used to it after a while. Don't know if it's the same for other people but I find I can eat almost anything at lunch time, and never be over. Not the same case for breakfast or tea though unfortunately! So if I was really desperate, would have something with lunch. I found strawberries and the squirty cream was ok for me at lunch, so don't know if this will be ok - gather everyone is different anyway!

MrsZB how have you found the injections? I am on day 3 now, but still freaks me out before I have to do it!

Thanks for the welcome

Yes, it means that i'll be diabetic when i'm not pregnant. The consultant is sure that i've been type 2 diabetic since DS3 was born eighteen months ago, but no one ever followed it up - i was never tested, just told as soon as i delivered the diabetes would go. No wonder the past eighteen months have been such a struggle!

My hospital have been fantastic - i have consultant appointments every two weeks, and when i go next week i'll have my first scan. It also means that i won't be being seen by my normal midwife - i'll be booked in by the diabetic midwife based in the hospital and all my care will be through her.

I'm eating things such as baked potatoes and salads for dinner, perhaps a sandwich or toast with laughing cow light cheese spread on top for lunch. Breakfast is usually weetabix with banana sliced over it. I'm not eating between meals at all now, and haven't touched tea or coffee since i found out i was pregnant.

But i'm finding i'm cooking the food, and then sitting down to eat and the look and smell of it is really putting me off.

3kidsnobump - I can't say I love the injections!! I had read (on here I think) that they really didn't hurt at all but actually they do hurt a little! I have been doing them for just over a week now, but maybe my technique needs work!?

I just wish they were working!!! Grr. Have you noticed much of an effect with yours?

Deemented, I guess also you are only 8 weeks still, so I think appetite etc can be affected then? Have you got morning sickness? I didn't have it too badly but I was off my food. Hopefully once you get past 12 weeks you will start to feel a little bit more like eating?

Deemented I don't know how you manage eating a restricted diet in the early days. I have always been sick for the first few months, and I think I would have not been eating anything had I had to stick to the low sugar/carb diet. That was the only type of food I fancied! Fortunately only had the GD at about 25 weeks, so well past the sicky stage! I find even now if I don't eat snacks between meals then my BS levels get too low, even though they are high after meals...

MrsZB I was wondering if there was a technique to it! Although I do think by the time I get it, then I won't be pregnant anymore! How many injections are you doing? I am currently only with breakfast, but doesn't seem to have made any difference, in fact if anything my levels seem to have been getting higher .

Anyway can't wait for the weekend - am planning on having a bit of a rest and letting DH do some running around after the kids....will see if things work out that way!

3kidsnobump I am doing before breakfast and before dinner. Am on a mixed one which has some fast acting for the meal and then slow acting for the next 12 hours.

This morning I did it in a more fleshy part nearer to the top and it didn't hurt... I can't do it in the same spot all the time though. I did try my bum once and that was ok!

But yeah, my levels have increased mainly...!? I thought I was a freak of nature so kind of relieved to see it hasn't had a magical effect for you either! I suspect they will keep increasing my does but then it will odd to be on a highish dose of insulin when my initial test results were borderline!

Ooh hello to new people .

outthere eating a low GI diet really really helps to stabilise your blood sugars and stop those highs and lows and therefore the sugar cravings. Eating sugary stuff doesn't in itself help as your body will produce more insulin to take the sugar out of the bloodstream therefore leading to another low - it's a bit of a vicious cycle. Also frequent small meals are better than huge ones with big gaps in between. My fave snacks are nuts (especially almonds) fruit with nuts or cheese, low GI bread/oatcakes with cheese or hummus, and dark chocolate. But I know those won't suit everyone. If you google low GI diet or get hold of a low GI recipe book you can find other ideas.

mrszb I was the same with my morning levels but refused to go on insulin. I actually think that the one thing that makes the biggest difference is how well I sleep - which isn't easy to control with 3 kids and having moved countries fairly recently. Anyway exercise and diet changes alone will definitely help you to reduce your weight and your baby's weight which reduces the main risks of GD. Bear in mind you don't have to go along with all the other hospital protocols in terms of treating GD - from what I've read there isn't much evidence so far that the treatments really reduce the risks and furthermore the hospital staff aren't very good at explaining why they are suggesting the checks or interventions, or presenting anything as your choice when in fact it is.

deemented sorry to hear you have a Type 2 diagnosis but I'm not surprised you've gone off food if you're still in the first trimester. I've never eaten much in the first trimester with any pregnancy. I have heard that lots of raw food is supposed to be good with morning sickness and have recently heard that it helps with diabetes too, but I haven't tried this out in practice myself. I guess the key in terms of enjoying your food is to look through the recommendations and find stuff you really like to eat, not just sticking to whatever suggested meals the dietitians have given you. Or in reverse, think about what you like and how you can still have it. I wrote down all the fruit and veg I liked to eat and then looked up the GI values for them, so I had a list of the ones that were really low GI which I could have pretty much unlimited, and I knew which ones I had to be careful with. This will be particularly important if you're going to have to do it long term and not just stop when this little one is born.

Also do try to eat between meals, not leaving huge time gaps. It definitely helps to spread the carbs out a bit rather than only having 3 big meals a day. Our dietitians said to have 3 'portions' of carbs (15g carbs each portion) in each main meal and only 1 or 2 in the snacks, but I found it was better for my blood sugars when I evened them out more.

And on the plus side I've found I am far healthier in this pregnancy than I was in my last one (ds3). It sounds like you're determined to do the best for you and your baby so I'm sure once you're past the morning sickness stage you'll find it's a benefit to be on a careful diet, and not as much of a chore as you might expect.

3kidsnobump I definitely find breakfast is my worst meal.

Have just been checking dates and I think I'm the next due - belfast, midori and squirrel have all had their babies and I'll be 40 wks on Sunday ! (Note to self - really shouldn't stay up late on mumsnet even though ds1 has been hogging the laptop all day so it was my only opportunity.) Although I think LadyGoneGaga was having a sweep today so maybe her baby will come first...

Maybe we should post a list of due dates like the antenatal clubs do? By my reckoning Hubbahubster is due end Jul; AStarInStrangeways early Aug; 3kids, Firawla, Mrsmazarib and Eviepoo mid Aug but it would be nice to know exact dates if you don't mind? MrsSawyer I am not sure about but she hasn't been on this thread for a while in any case.

Hi all! I've been lurking a bit on my iPhone rather than using my laptop, so haven't been arsed to write for a while - it takes so long on the tiny keyboard! I'm due 26 July BUT since my scan on Mon I've been scheduled for a c-section next Tues instead. Placenta is still low and despite all my glucose readings being on target, baby is now measuring a bit big rather than a bit small, so delivery at 39 weeks it is. Can't believe that the baby will be here this time next week...

I'd second the advice about not skipping snacks - I've found that 5 small meals a day instead of 3 regular ones really helps stabilise the blood sugar, not to mention my mood ;)

Hello all. I've got a couple of questions about testing which I didn't think to ask at my appt yesterday, if you don't mind.

I've been told to test 2 hrs after lunch and dinner. Fine, except that I'm 40 mins after lunch now and really really want a drink. Can't stand water but anything else is going to throw out the results. How do you get round this??

Secondly, what do you do if you start to feel a bit sicky, like I still do (am 15 weeks) in between a meal and testing?

I have lots of issues about this, I had a rant yesterday on MN but, for the moment, these are the practicalities that I'm confused about. Ta :)

I'm due 24th July. They couldn't do the sweep yesterday as cervix still too high so they are doing one on Tuesday and Friday instead. But my induction is booked for 24th unless blood sugars go crazy in the meantime. I did have two high readings yesterday so need to call the nurse.

Having regular tightening that showed up on monitor yesterday but think they are just braxtons as been having them for weeks.

Gwen what would you normally drink? I just have tea or herbal tea and doesn't seem to impact my readings.

Gwendolinemarylacey I think you can have tea while you wait to test and also sugar free squash and things like diet coke are ok? (I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong!)

In terms of if you are feeling sick, I think if it was me I would just eat something - it doesn't seem right that you are left feeling poorly. It's such a pain isn't it.

Hello again to LadyGoneGaga. Sorry your sweep didn't happen (unless you were hoping it wouldn't) - hope all goes well next week. And your section too, hubbahubster.

Gwendolinemarylacey I drink herbal teas and they are fine. It's just stuff with carbs in (sugar or milk) that will affect the readings.

Also once you get used to the low GI diet you'll probably find you're not too hungry in between meals/snacks in any case. At least that's what I found. At the start I was desperate to have something to eat straight after the blood test but now I sometimes forget!

Hi Guys, Just been catching up on how you getting on. - As requested - due date 5 weeks today 21 Aug.

Gwendoline - I am managing pretty well though diet alone and I drink constantly, mostly weak sugar free squash but I do have the odd herbal tea (or if I know I won't be testing for a while a tea). It's funny how you have been told to tell slightly differently. I have to test just before my meals (and before bed) just making sure I leave at least 2 hours since my last meal or snack. So in practise this means:
7am test then breakfast
9.30am ish snack (including tea!!)
12noon ish test then lunch
3pm ish snack
6pm test then dinner
9.30pm ish test (this is usually my highest reading of the day too) snack

With 5 Weeks to go the sickness is back big time (actually threw up yesterday and this morning) so I could not survive without those snacks. I have changed my snacks to more of the low GI ones though. I used to snack on fruit or yoghurt and thats what the dietician told me not to do.

I also - one evening had a half of lager with dinner - my before bed reading was highest ever. I guess thats why I'm not meant to. I thought a half as a one off would not be so bad.

I have also had an increase in discharge and feel like the baby's head has engaged (pressure in my pelvis now) so I am thinking it could be sooner than 5 weeks.

I just wish I could sleep, currently have a sleeping cycle of 1 hour then wake and pee then another hour, then 2 hours, then 2 hours, then 1 hour. So although getting sleep it's so broken up. I guess thats getting me ready for a newborn

ladygonegaga thats you only got a maximum of 1 week now - exciting. Highfibre you too are so soon

Bah, can I have a little moan? Just feeling fed up today :(

Am trying so hard and my levels are just increasing! I saw the 'team' last Tuesday and was told to increase insulin by 2 units and then give it a couple of days and if it hasn't worked increase it again. So I have increased it twice and still no changes, so do I just keep on increasing it!? I am not seeing them this week, going back next Tuesday. I have rung the diabetes nurse this morning to have a little moan and ask.

I am also just fed up of being so restricted with food. I am really missing all the lovely summer fruits :( It's strange I thought I would miss cakes and chocolate but no, it's fruit!! I do sometimes have a piece but want more!!

Also, we are vegetarian and our meals often were quite carb heavy so I am struggling a bit to cook meals with low carbs. Also, it is more cooking from scratch which is what we usually do anyway but would resort to a ready made pizza or pasta and pesto when feeling tired!!

And I am missing doing baking with my little boy but I have a sneaky feeling that if we bake something yummy my willpower will vanish!!

Moan whinge, sorry to grumble.I know it's (hopefully) not forever but have just struggled this weekend and felt a bit miserable about it all.

I was hoping to go for a vbac but this is uncertain now as they may want to get the baby out promptly/early and I can't really be induced because of previous section (well, they can do mild inductions!?).

Ok, have got that all off my chest now so will carry on being positive now, thanks for letting me moan!

Hello everyone,

Well another hectic weekend - there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day! Feeling very under-prepared for all things baby related, and time is just getting closer!

MrsZB you sound in the same situation as me. My team always ring every few days, but just keep getting told the same as you,increasing by 2 units everytime as levels still not low enough (mainly breakfast!)

I am also at the stage where I am really wanting bad stuff. I think you are right, it's the time when in a rush that normally would eat something quick, which are the hardest. This week I keep having cravings for wine . Have been so good, haven't had any alcohol at all since having the GD - normally I would allow myself the odd glass now and then even when pregnant!

Well I am due 24th Aug, but think from the noises they are making at the hospital that I will have been induced before then!

Ok - will try and start a list of due dates for everyone who has posted their dates on the thread:

17th July - High Fibre
24th July - Ladygonegaga
26th July - Hubbabubster
21st Aug - Eviepoo
24th Aug - 3kidsnobump

Hope these are right! Looks like there should be a few babies soon! If everyone else wants to add their dates to the list it should be easier to keep track.

Hmm, having problems with posting things and managed to post this earlier on an old thread so hoping it works this time. Hope I don't repeat too much.
To add to due dates above, mine is 21st September, so it looks like I'm a bit behind the rest of you.
I was really pleased to find this forum online after being diagnosed with gd last week at 30wks. I initially found the diagnosis quite shocking (burst into tears) but now feeling like I may be able to cope with it and not as 'poor me' as I was last week. Reading the other posts has been really helpful in thinking about how to get through this.
It seemed so abrupt that after one high reading from the glucose test (8.1) I suddenly had this diagnosis to deal with and this huge change in terms of my diet and having to test my bs. Still, I'm getting used to it and so far have been able to regulate my levels through diet, though I understand this may get more difficult as the pregnancy progresses and it's early days. I'm surprised some people have been advised not to snack as I was told to eat little and often and have been finding this works well for me.
I have been booked in for a scan and another midwife visit at 32 wks so am feeling like I need to 'prove' that I can regulate my blood sugars by then in order to avoid too many medical interventions, which I am dreading.
Annoyingly, the birth centre I wanted to go to has really strict regulations around birth and this now moves me into a higher risk category, technically making me ineligible.
I was wondering if anyone else had been able to give birth at a midwife led birth centre and to what extent you can argue for this. Of course pending how everything goes.
Also, how soon did you get to see a consultant? I have only seen the diabetes midwife so far and no talk of a dietician or consultant. Is is the latter who would decide about an induction and do they always induce?
Sorry, lots of questions at this point and I hope to be more helpful myself at a later point once I get my head around this a bit more. Helpful to hear that bs levels are a bit hit and miss as similarly my readings have been quite different after the same foods.
Looking forward to more discussions and thanks for listening.

Sprite I was only diagnosed at 35 weeks so quite late on and saw the diabetes consultant a week later at 36 weeks. Where I am you have a joint clinic with the Obstetric consultant and the Diabetes consultant. I've been quite shocked like you - was only 8.2 but such a lot of change to come to terms with and has completely ruled out my homebirth. I have managed to avoid insulin and they are inducing me but not until my due day to give me chance to go into labour naturally. From 38 weeks I have had to start twice weekly monitoring to make sure baby is ok.

£kids beyond statndard advice to not drink in pregnancy tehre is no additional reason why you shouldn't have the occasional glass when diabeteic. I spoke to the nurse about it and she says that alcohol has a lowering effect on blood sugars but this is cancelled out by the sugars in the wine. stick to comething dry and you can still have the odd small glass.

I know what you mean about cravings though. I've found over the past few days have really been craving carby stuff. Even caved and had chip shop chips on Friday. Was not a good plan for the blood sugars even though I limited portion size. Sigh. Back to the lentils, meat and brown stuff. I think being close to labour my body probably wants me to carb load (like you would before a marathon) but obviously I can't.

What is everyone packing for labour snacks? Have put some nuts in my bag but cant think what else would be ok and convenient.

LadyGonegaga thanks for the advice. I guess this means I am due to see an obstetric consultant so I guess I'll ask about that at the next visit or they'll mention it. Love the NHS in many ways but it does require a lot of waiting and wondering. I'm also rhesus negative blood and found that it was only me reminding them that got them to set up the anti-D injection that I needed. Sigh.

Am gradually getting used to the idea that I may not be able to have my ideal birth. I thought they only induced if you were on insulin but it sounds from your experience that it can happen either way. So we'll see.
I am coping okay with the food but it looks from your post that I may still have carb cravings to deal with, and here it was the ice cream I thought I would miss the most

Welcome sprite. I think what happens re: the birth depends very much on your hospital policy, and I think they can only advise you what is best - they can't actually force you to do anything.

Ladygaga the metformin tablets specifically say do not drink alcohol, which is the main reason why I haven't. Also I am really struggling with keeping my levels down at the moment, so I thought that wine would only make things worse! Just keep thinking its not too long to go now - then I can have a glass or 2 without feeling guilty!

Also, that is what I find really strange about the GD. I also gave in and had fish and chips from the chip shop the other week, and thought my post-meal reading would be bad, but it was fine, and in fact lower than when I had eaten oven chips.

Snacks for labour - hmm, have never really wanted to eat when in labour before, is that essential? Am hoping for a quick birth. DS2 was only 2.5 hours from getting to the hospital - maybe things will not be so straight forward if it ends up being induction?!

Ah, that is different then if your mes contraindicate alcohol. Bummer. Yeah, this whole GD shiz is so illogical. One meal things can be fine and one meal things can be off. So confusing.

I had a pretty long labour last time which was fine as was meant to be a home birth (ended up transferring in) but only at the end so I could eat what I wanted at home in early labour. Am thinking if induced on Sunday I could be in there for days though! Have packed the playing cards and travel games just in case too. I think you need to keep blood sugars up but not too up as well as if not they put you on the insulin/glucose drip which i could really do without.

Sprite I think they don't like you to go too far over your due date due to increased risk of stillbirth.