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 :)

Well... I'm back at home! Initial stages of IOL not necessary as I'm 2cm dilated and having regular pain-free contractions!!! They were going to break my waters this morning but there's no free bed on the delivery unit, so they will call me back in later this afternoon when there is. In the meantime I'm to relax, eat and hope that I continue to progress naturally. This is not at all what I expected, but I'm delighted I don't have to have the 24 hour pessary. I'm in a bit of shock!

Oh that's great Smicha - hope all goes well :)

Blimey that is a shock! I didn't even know that was a possibility, of being sent home. Hope your dilation and contractions continue painlessly and effectively! So exciting to think your baby is on its way.

Yes, I wasn't expecting to come home! If there had been a bed I would still be there but she said that as they'd done no intervention they could let me go as I'd be more comfortable at home instead of hanging round the hospital waiting. Just waiting at home instead! Don't quite know what to do with myself!

happynappies & Smicha - gosh how exciting! Wishing you both gentle starts & thinking of you both! Please send news as soon as you can!

Heading in tomorrow morning. NOT looking forward to fasting from 7am till 10pm in spite of the 'glucose drip' they will give me. Nom nom

Hope Smicha and Happy are holding beans by now - or well on the way :)

Good luck Angel! Hope you get some sleep.

Good luck angelico. My baby girl arrived safely at 4.40 yesterday pm weighing in at 9 lb 14 oz. Only had one lot of gel, no drip, and waters went themselves. Was looking forward to cosy night with her but have had to feed her by deadlines and she had to 'pass' two blood sugar tests which she has just done so finally feel we're getting there! What a journey!! Will catch up properly soon, hope those waiting will be snuggling lo's soon, won't be long!

Wow fantastic news Happy! Congratulations! Sounds like everything went really smoothly and your little girl is doing well. Hope you get to take her home shortly and you both are unaffected by the GD. Lots of happy nappies for you!

Congrats Happy and thanks to you and Blonder for good wishes. Just getting ready here, have to go in for about 11.30...

Congrats happy! Good luck angelico! My little boy was born at 1am, 7lb2! He's amazing. No pessaries or gel, waters were broken at 9, no drip needed and he was here in 4 hours! Perineal tear though (ow!) which is going to hurt like hell, but all worth it. No insulin needed and no time to do readings in the end. Baby is feeding well with great blood glucose readings.

Congratulations smicha, well done you, so exciting, hope everything is going well; sending lots of good labour. Vibes to Angelico, thinking of you, hope it goes well!

Wow congrats Smicha too! You guys have all done so well!

congratulations happy and good luck smicha.......with regards the tear and stitches, yes its painful so take your painkillers and weeing is a killer. A big jug of warm water sluiced over you as you wee will help, drink plenty to keep it dilute and in 7 days my pain was gone. Dont be afraid to poo, that actually didnt hurt as much as having a wee.

Many congratulations to Smicha & Happy! So glad to hear what sound like more positive than expected birth experiences! So exciting meeting your LO's! Hanging out for news from Angelico...

Just joining the thread as I think I may have GD - waiting a week or so with tests...

Had ok BMI at start of this pregnancy, but ended up obese after DD1 and it was a horrid process to lose the weight (18 mos). Nutritionist wouldn't see me as I was not overweight at book in!

Think I may be insulin resistant anyway as low carb diets are the ONLY way I can control my weight. Of course I had to can that when pregnant.

Just going to read the messages on the thread for some virtual advice. Feel free to ignore :)

Good luck B&D, it's horrid when you're first diagnosed but definitely the best thing to get treated. You sound like you have a very sensible attitude.

Hi all :),

Just popping in to share a new twist in my GD with you, with just days to go until my induction! I wonder if anyone else has had a similar situation happen?

Basically at my MW appointment yesterday, my urine had +++blood, protein and leukocytes in it - indicative of a UTI. After seeing the GP (in the same building) I was prescribed a course of Trimethorprim (antibiotic) which I started yesterday and will be taking through and beyond my labour.

After lunch today (in which I had enough carbs that normally give me at least a 6.7) I was very dozy and soporific and slept for a while. On taking my post-lunch bloods I found them to be only 4.2. I googled and found out that Trimethoprim has a side effect of lowering blood sugar and has been known to give (proper) diabetics dangerous hypos . Stupid GP for not checking!! (although I'm allergic to 2 of the top choices for pregnancy UTIs so I'm guessing he was a bit stuck - however, he didn't warn me, which was bad).

Anyhow, I can't talk to the endocrinology team until tomorrow so I'm just taking some extra carbs to keep my blood sugar up as I was told the biggest risk during labour and the run up is low blood sugar.

Anyone run into this before? I need to keep taking the antibiotics as the UTI is quite bad.

Btw - I won't steal her thunder, but Angelico's DH posted on our other thread saying everything went well and mother and baby are doing fine! :) Hope she won't mind me saying but I knew some of you would be waiting for news from her! :).

Wow that's pretty dramatic FM! Do you carry glucose gel or tablets? I was given a pack when diagnosed with GD.

Great to hear that everything with Angel went well, hope we hear from her soon. Which is the other thread, is it an antenatal one?

Oh I just found it, that's the sweetest message from her DH. I have just teared up. How lovely!

Hey blonder :),

No, no glucose gel or tabs here. I'm managing it by having lots of small carby snacks and checking the bloods regularly. I'm not under 4.0 after all but that was far more of a fasting than a post-food reading. Logic tells me I could up the carbs if the drug is doing some of my body's work for me and I'll get advice ASAP tomorrow from the team. There's some chocolate & ice cream in the fridge if things get dire but so far the added carbs/snacks are compensating and keeping me fairly balanced if in the 4's/5's rather than 6's.

Bloody complications eh? Still finishing off the hospital bag - guess I better get to it... :)

I was given the gel when they prescribed the insulin just in case of any hypos, hasn't been any danger of that so far. Hope you are enjoying your extra carbs!

How exciting to be getting your final bits together. I think I am in total denial that it will be happening in less than a month. Hope you are feeling positive about it all thanks to our GD companions' success stories.

Hey ladies! quick message as tired but just wanted to say we are home and well! Bean's bloods were grand after birth and nobody seems that interested in mine! She was only 7lb 10oz in spite of enormous baby predictions so just perfect :) Great feeder - alas, just like her mother lol! Congrats to Smicha .

Hmmm, Angelico needs a nap!

Hi Angelico, many congratulations! So glad all went well. Hope you are snatching a bit of sleep here and there. Well done on your lovely, perfectly-sized baby!

Congrats Angelico! Hope the rest of you are doing well. I'm just feeding DS while DH makes steak and chips (mmmm chips!). I've also polished off some Victoria sponge today and a few quality street... Must get back to a sensible diet soon!