Gestational diabetes: concerned I'm being put on insulin unnecessarily?

[Smicha]

I am 34 weeks pregnant today and I have been eating a sugar free, carb controlled diet for the past 4 weeks after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I thought I was managing the diet well, although I have had to remove morning and lunch carbs as they were giving me sky high readings at first, but in the last week I've had four slightly high readings, so I called the diabetes midwife this morning who would like me to start using insulin. The readings were just above the target level - 7.9mmol after 2 new potatoes, pork chop and veg; 7.9 after 50gms wholewheat pasta and a giant portion of bolognese; 8.1 after a wholewheat steak tortilla. I also had one 5.8 in the morning. The midwife thinks that because my morning readings have never been below 4.7 that I may also need overnight insulin. (My targets are 5.5 pre-breakfast, and 7.8 1 hour after all meals.)

My concern is that I don't think these readings are particularly high and that overall I'm staying within my targets and I wondered if anyone who's been through this could give me their views on this?

I have to go in tomorrow to pick up insulin and be taught how to use it, which I'm a bit nervous about!

As an aside, I had read that the body's ability to control insulin gets worse as pregnancy progresses and wonder if the midwife was thinking of this when she made her judgement?

I dont think they sound particularly high... I am GD too (for the second time), diet controlled and struggle with carbs at breakfast and lunch.

Are you eating supper before bed? If you dont, then you are likely to be higher in the morning than if you eat some porridge etc before bed. Also when you get up for a night time wee have a litle bit of milk or something, it might make all the difference to that morning pre food reading.

Maybe she is predicting worse readings to come, or is she worried about you losing too much weight? As long as you feel you are getting enough food then I wouldnt want to be on insulin just yet... However you dont want to be hungry and therefore burn fat, as this can be bad for the baby.

Are you combining enough protien with your carbs? If I have a slice of bread on its own its silly numbers, but with a big dollop of tuna or a chicken breast etc then its acceptably low. This diet costs a bloody fortune, and I am sick of eggs...

Thanks for your reply Tinker, I'm pleased you think these readings aren't really that out of the ordinary. I haven't been eating before bed, mainly because the way things work out with my day I don't usually eat dinner until between 8 and 9 and then I'm in bed by 10/10:30 so don't feel hungry again. I will try and eat earlier tonight and then stick in a snack pre-bed and some milk on one of my many wee trips and see what that does. Thanks for that advice.

I have lost weight since I started the diet I am now just bump and the rest of me looks exactly as it did pre-pregnancy, but I didn't mention this to the midwife as we were just talking on the phone today and I feel like she went straight to an insulin conclusion when I told her 2 new potatoes sent me to 7.9. The weight loss hasn't gone unnoticed by family and it had caused me concern. I don't know how much more cheese/nuts I can gorge on to try and keep weight up! Perhaps because of that insulin might be the best option. Although I don't like the thought of being insulin dependent during labour among other things.

As for protein with the carbs, I'm eating tonnes! I have never had so much meat in my life. And you're right, it is expensive... especially on those days when the only meat I really fancy is steak!! And I am soooooo sick of eggs. This morning I stood for 10 minutes looking in the fridge for a possible alternative and hating my life because I had to eat eggs AGAIN.

I had similar readings to you and am now on insulin. To be honest, I don't use it all the time. Just when I've had carbs and my levels are above my suggested range. I feel okay about this as I know that my baby is being kept safe by the insulin. The steadier the sugars the better!

Thanks Emmie. DH and I discussed it in lots of detail last night and did lots of googling (I know that can be dangerous!!!) and we think because of my weight loss it's probably for the best to go on it. I tried a snack before bed last night and still had a 5.5 reading this morning, which is the highest it's been, so I guess my morning readings are just destined to be high.
Thanks again ladies and good luck with your pregnancies!