Anyone else got gestational diabetes? Top tips welcome!

[Angelico]

Hello all

Currently 35+2, got diagnosed with GD a couple of weeks ago after repeat GTT ('passed' the one at 25 weeks for raised BMI, seems to have come on around the 30 week mark). Got finger pricker etc last week so 6 days in to blood testing and aiming to control with diet only as due for CS at 38+4.

Have't seen dietician yet and struggling to find conclusive info online. Certain foods (pure orange juice, sweet stuff - even a couple of bites! - mashed potato) seem to send blood sugar high (highest reading ever today 9.3 after mash and literally 2 bites of DH's banoffee! ). I was wondering what other people have found useful foodwise? Any good suggestions for meals?

A typical 'good day' for me (ie super low blood sugars)...

Breakfast:
Slice of brown toast with either cheese and beans or scrambled egg. No orange juice.

Snack (11am or 4pm depending on what I'm doing):
2-3 oatcakes with cheese / hummus

Lunch:
Bowl of leftover dinner from night before (see below) or homemade lentil and tomato soup with cheese and ryebread.

Dinner:
Steak stir fry with noodles, spag bol with wholewheat spaghetti, stuffed chicken with roasties and veg, oven cod in batter with oven chips and plenty of veg.

I would love to hear some other good suggestions for meals or any warnings about particular foods. Or if you just want somewhere to vent feel free to jump on board :)

Morning all - glad your feeling more positive about induction Smicha, still not quite sure how I feel!! I had my last mw appointment today and she told me that when I go in on Sunday for IOL they'll give me steroids... first I've heard of this, and not mentioned in the leaflet they gave me. Anyone else heard of that? I asked why, and she helpfully told me 'for the baby' so I've no idea. I thought steroids were used if the baby was premature to mature their lungs? But this will be the day before my due date. Yet more things to Google later!! Am apparently 3/5 engaged, but no signs of anything happening, so am readying myself for Sunday. Angelico how did your appointment go yesterday?

Afternoon all! So Smicha - I'll be a week after you, when I will be 38+1! Just had my appointment and I've been given 1st October date for induction. They did say it was possible they would call me and ask me to come in the end of the week before, but I hope not. Baby measuring at an estimated 8lb 6oz today! Despite the fact that my blood sugars have been perfectly controlled for weeks. The endocrinologist was really happy, so I'm happy! :) She said they won't be recommending any diabetic intervention during my induction but that I would need to take my blood sugars every hour during labour and have regular carby snacks, and, she said orange juice (hurrah!! ) - to keep my energy levels up. She said it didn't matter if my sugars during labour went up to nearly 10 - the biggest risk was that they went low. She cited that many women with blood sugars during labour up to 10 went on to have babies with perfectly normal blood sugars.

I still feel fine about induction. I've been assured the syntocin drip etc. will not be resorted to unless labour really isn't establishing at all or unless the baby is in danger or distress. She's in a good position etc. so I'm thinking positive and we'll do all we can to encourage her out between now and then! . I've been warned that she could be born with low blood sugar and taken straight away from me and into special care until they've sorted it. No pre-empting if that will happen though. Will just have to hope not or deal with it if it happens.

happynappies - it'll be lovely to have a haircut the day before! :) Re the steroids - I'd just ask someone if I were you - I mean at the birthing unit at the hospital. She may be wrong. MWs don't always get everything right. I'm assuming they won't be used on me as for 2 weeks now my LO has been 'using her lungs' in practice all the time and both scans they've commented that this is a great sign that her lungs are mature and ready. I don't think they would use them without a reason but you never know if it's the hospital's protocol. I'd definitely advise checking if you're concerned.

Btw, no-one has mentioned expressing colostrum here - so I assume that's not in the protocol in Norway...and ironically, after bemoaning that I'm producing nothing, there was a lump of crusted white stuff just at the side of one of my nipples this morning - thick enough that it couldn't be dry skin so I'm hopeful there's something going on there...

Hey ladies! Been AWOL - working hard but finished now and going to try and enjoy last few days of freedom. Hope you are all well and a special wave to Smicha - you are going the day before me :) Hope all goes well.

Proper catch up tomorrow, so tired tonight! x

Wow you are all going at the same time! Hope you'll come back and tell me it was all fine how you got on before it's my turn in a few weeks.

Consultant tomorrow, think it's a bit early for a decision yet though. Hope they're happy with the BS readings.

Good to hear from you Angelico... I confess, I'd started to wonder if baby had come early when you hadn't posted for a few days!

Fjordmor your advice for diet during labour sounds more fun than mine! I've been told that I must stick strictly to the diet and keep readings below 7 (rather than the usual 7.8) and if they rise above that then to expect the insulin drip. It's crazy how things differ from country to country! The MW did say that it is quite rare for women to go above 7 as the stress and activity of labour keeps levels low.

Happy I've heard nothing about steroids, so I would also advise double checking on that one.

My readings have been really good this week, even with chips out in the pub yesterday lunchtime, and I am tempted to further up the carbs in the next few days as I prepare for the big day. It's almost like preparing for a big race! I ran a half marathon last year and I feel like I'm readying myself in the same way...eating, sleeping and keeping as fit as possible! I think the half marathon might have been easier than what's in store next week though

Smicha my preparation is terrible - I'd planned to rest as much as I could but children keep coming down with sickness bug and now tumble dryer has given up the ghost. Cannot get on top of things, perfect timing!! I'll be glad to go into hospital for a rest (!). Not long to go now for any of us...

Hey ladies, hope everyone is well today. Getting close now for some of us! :)

Out for dinner tonight, would have loved a nice latte after dinner but they seem to send bloods high so just had a lovely main course and got a 6.8 - happy enough. Am finding some of my pre-meal readings have been inexplicably high the last few days but on the whole still good.

I am getting my hair washed / blown dry on Monday (day before CS) - is that terribly vain? :o Was told it can be a bit sore raising arms above head to wash hair for a day or two so that's my excuse... :o

blonder how did you get on with consultant?

Smicha very excited about your date!!! :o

Happy when are you due again? Did I see Sunday?

Fjord your guidelines are so different to here! I've been told to only test for 24 hours post delivery and then forget about it till repeat GTT 6 weeks later! Your advice sounds much more sensible, especially about low GI diet and BFing. I don't want the bean to suffer longer term because of me :(

I've been meaning to post on this thread for a while,sorry for the delay!

I'm not pregnant at the moment, but am T1 (nearly 30 years since dx), pumping for the last 8 years, and have a DD who is 5 and a DS who is 2. Both born by CS due to retinopathy complicating things.

Happy re steroids - I had these with DS who was born at 31 weeks (not related to diabetes, he's a surviving triplet). They send your sugars insane for about 2 days - really high. I ran my basal at about 400% of normal to cope with it and did bucket loads of tests.

Also, for anyone planning to BF, be prepared to drop your insulin levels to about 75%ish of pre-pregnancy levels - often nobody warns you that BFing causes your sugars to drop through the floor. NEVER sit down to feed without jelly babies to hand, to go with your glass of water :o Certainly nobody told me, hence DH getting a call at about 3am on the 2nd night in hospital, saying "no need to worry, but we've moved your wife back upstairs...she had a hypo..."

Speaking of which, take lots of snacks into hospital with you - hospital food is dire, I carb counted one days menu after I had DS, there was a magnificent 75g carbs for the whole day.

If anyone's got any specific questions about T1 and babies, I'm happy to try and answer them :) we're TTC #3 currently, I'm getting very impatient with things!

Erm, wrong thread, sorry! :o

Hey Rue :) Thanks for posting - was just about to write, "ooooh someone was asking about type 1 diabetes on another thread the other day!" :) You sound like you have great expertise! Think most of us are hoping GD will disappear fairly quickly after delivery - fingers crossed :o

And on the steroid thing I had to make a decision about it and decided not to take them. My GD has been well-controlled with diet since diagnosis and didn't fancy a couple of days in hospital on insulin at such a late stage delivery (38+4).

Haha, have just reposted where it was meant to be in the first place! :o

I only had steroids with DS because he was at such high risk of early delivery (around 24 weeks), then had another lot when my waters actually went at 31 weeks.

Quick question peeps: bedtime blood readings. What is a good number? IS the bedtime reading supposed to be under 5.5 like a pre-meal reading? Because mine are coming in higher...

Mine are meant to be 5.9 or lower before meals & bed. It can depend when you ate your meal though for the bed one.

Consultant good, they were pleased with my bloods and have booked me in for IOL on 23 October! So surprised to have a date and slightly discombobulated but also quite pleased.

Now just need to start getting organised - last couple of weeks at work, exhausting as training my cover person & have to explain everything I do. Just want to think about cots and prams and babygros now.

I think the mw just hadn't read my notes, if I'm being induced at 39+6 there should be no need for steroids? I'll obviously ask when I get there but can't see a need for them! Not sure about pre-bedtime bloods Angelico, sorry!

Thanks Blonder that's helpful! Mine seem to have been set a bit lower but my bedtime reading can be quite high at times

Happy think you might be right about the MW!!! I've decided against them at 38+4 so you should be safe enough at 39+6!

just popping in to say hello and see how everyone is doing.......George is 1 week today and i think we are surviving. Despite best intentions bad habits creeping back in already. Must stop myself from picking at bad things. Good luck to everyone with IOL dates, hopefully they will go as smoothly as mine.

Oh how lovely to hear that mrsv. Glad George is doing well. I think you're entitled to a bit of enjoyment in the form of sweet things, I'm sure some good habits will stick fast too.

Completely forgot about the GD this morning and didn't test my blood or take insulin before breakfast. Don't know what happened! Anyway luckily the post-bf blood was only 7.2, not bad considering.

Hope you're all having lovely weekends, thinking of those due for IOL in the next week.

Hi mrsv, good to hear things are going well! We have a big tin of roses in the house now and I'm looking forward to tucking in later in the week when cuddling my little boy! My last day before induction today and we're trying to just have a 'normal' day but then one of us will go 'oh my god we're having a baby tomorrow!'

DH is on a food mission today to make sure I'm fully fuelled for tomorrow - yummy omelette (his are way better than mine as he takes time to whisk the eggs!) and toast for brekkie, then he's making me something with trout for lunch and roast beef for dinner! I was starving through the night last night, had to get up and eat at 1am! Very odd. Then I had back pain and BH and was convinced baby would come early, but perhaps I was just willing that to be the case

Blonder, there are some mornings I completely forget too and start making breakfast before I've done my fasting test. Only a few more days of finger pricking to go though! Yey! Then the pain will be replaced by another slightly more sore one....

I've been on a colostrum expressing mission the last few days and I must have done it for about 6 hours in total and have a grand total of 5mls! But I guess that's better than nothing in an emergency!

MrsV really happy you are getting on so well- can completely understand you going for a few sweet treats, believe me I will be too! Think it's the old thing about the more you can't have something the more you want it... For me all I really want is a glass of cold orange juice and a croissant, followed up by some chocolate. Will be dropping crumbs on the baby's head... :o

Smicha really good luck for tomorrow - let us know how you get on! Your DH sounds like an impressive chef :)

Blonder how long have you got left now?

I'm in on Tuesday! Had 'the fear' last night but am calm-ish again this morning and bloods have been good the last couple of days after a few odd readings during the week. Going for a carvery lunch today, then a coffee on the beach and planning to watch DVDs and Downton for the rest of the day. Getting hair done tomorrow and have to go to hospital for clotting jab etc. Can't believe how fast the last couple of weeks have flown in!!!

I've got ONE MONTH TODAY! Hope you will all come back and tell me how you got on as I have felt really supported by you all for the last few weeks. Will be thinking of you all this week and wishing you well.

The thing I miss is also orange juice and it's extra harsh that at my work there are often leftover Croissants and pain au chcl*ats, torture! Although to be honest since cutting out most sugar I must admit I crave sweet things a lot less, just fruit & juice mainly.

I'll definitely update you Blonder as I've found this thread really helpful to as people completely understand what I'm going through!

Angelico my DH is a great chef, he spoils me! I can't wait for my roast beef... although need to go easy on the roast potatoes - don't want to fall at the final hurdle after a week of great glucose readings! If I'm not back on here before then, good luck for Tuesday! Our babies may well be here on the same day!

*I have found this thread really helpful too, not to. Duh.

Good luck smicha and Angelico! I came in to be induced yesterday and had one lot of gel, slow painful night but am hoping to be examined shortly and either be making good progress or be given next lot of gel. The 'list' to have your waters broken here sounds a bit hit and miss with 24 hr waits and being bumped down etc so am hoping to miss that out, hope it goes well for everyone else, look forward to catching up soon!

Good luck Happy and Smicha! :) It'll be my turn tomorrow, got pre-op stuff today!

Hope you progress well Happy. Fingers xed (but not legs).