Anyone fancy a gestational diabetes support thread?

[charlottehere]

Just found out today I have GD. I was hoping to have a homebirth but think thats not going to happen now. I'm just so shocked although I shouldn't be, I'm over weight.

I have so many questions, seeing ob consultant on friday.

If you fancy supporting each other, answering questions for each other, please join me. Moaning!!!

Found Burgen in sainsburys today so shall give that a go. Had a really crappy day so ended up just having a bowl of porridge for lunch, and my sugars after that? 3.8. I am utterly baffled by the whole thing.

The porridge itself isn't bad, you just get a hormone surge in the mornings so you can react badly to foods that are ok later.

3.8 is pretty low though, maybe have an apple or something?

I've had dinner now so will see how I go after that; I had quite a long period between the breakfast and the porridge lunch, not sure if that would have contributed to the low reading. Porridge and dinner were relatively close together plus we went to the shops so I didn't have anything in between, but if I go as low as that again in future I'll definitely have something else to eat.

3.8 does seem low but low is good? I'm overwhelmed by all this.
I have had readings below the fasting 6 and the hour after meals 7.8 .....until tonight and it was 8 after dinner........think it was the massive portion of couscous

I have been a bit in denial until now.

When you say some hospitals deliver early for placental reasons, is that because the placenta becomes less efficent due to the GD?

Anybody know anything about expressing milk in pregnancy incase baby has low sugar levels after and you are not producing enough milk?

Hi Charlotte. The placenta usually starts to fail at about 42 weeks which is why that's when most hospitals induce then if women are overdue. I guess it just runs its course and can no longer provide the nutrients etc. With GD it can fail earlier which is why most hospitals induce at 38/39. I was told that although annoying, it's a good sign if your sugars get gradually worse because the placenta is still working well.

Any score under 4 or 3.5 could indicate the start of a hypo and you should carry some glucose tablets if you go on insulin in case it has a stronger effect than anticipated.

I spoke to the Diabetes mw about expressing, she recommended hand expressing only in the week or so before the birth to stimulate the milk ducts. You can try to save some but if they start to produce milk you should be ok to feed after the birth. The expressing may also help bring on labour! I had a go tonight in a warm bath and produced a very tiny amount, which was encouraging.

I'm not pregnant but had borderline (8.1)?GD diagnosis, I had a homebirth with the support of the community midwifery team. They can check baby's blood sugars etc at home.

I hadn't heard about the expressing of milk beforehand. What if my milk doesn't come in till afterwards? I have my first antenatal appointment at the diabetic clinic tomorrow - it sounds like there's a lot I need to learn. (The appointment I've had already was with the diabetic clinic nurse and dietician but not an antenatal appointment).

Had the Burgen bread today for breakfast with scrambled egg and it does seem to be better - my sugars were 7.2 which is the lowest yet for me for that meal.

That's good that your sugars were lower today Second.

If the diabetes is controllable by diet, then induction isn't always necessary, however if it requires medication, it probably is - particularly if insulin use is required. The diabetic team should be able to tell more after a week or two of monitoring.

Hi Charlotte, we were told to express colostrum beforehand to save incase ds3 needed it after delivery but we never managed to.

We did it in the recovery room straight after the ELCS (DP holding a syringe while I squoze!). And managed a few mild which the midwife gave him. His bs levels tested fine, as did mine. It was a relief I can tell you!

As far as testing now, my levels are fine fasting and before lunch when im rushing around but creep up during evening, I figure this is when I start to wind down and become less active, a 20 minute walk can often bring down my levels so I'm trying that.

Had my highest reading yet this morning, with porridge. Maybe it's not going to work for me. Went to the clinic today and they suggested one more week of trying diet control now that I've got a bit of a feel as to what does or doesn't work.

secondsop My levels seem to be sneaking up too. I hope you manage to control it without medication but I guess we just have to go with it. Do you do the recommened 30 mintues 5 times a week exercise I don't. It is supposed to help but I ma so tired.

witches Thats good about your DS blood levels being stable, i am planning to get some syringes and express, however it is on a very long list of things to do.

second Its just tiny drops of colostreum that can be syringed off before birth (I don't thinl its recommened before 37 weeks as can start labour) and milk comes in something like 2-5 days after birth but will produce colostruem in this time.

Charlotte I'm not really doing the exercise because I've got such bad hip/back pain, but I am trying to go for a little walk after lunch.

Diabetic nurse said a walk can help with levels.

A walk definitely helps. Also, have you read about eating cinnamon can bring down fasting levels? And almonds are good too.

I'm toasting almonds in the oven with cinnamon right now, the house smells Christmassy!

cinnamon

There are loads of articles but I tried to pick a reputable looking one!

Thats interesting whitches. I wonder if a cinamon latte would be ok?

I had a JP with cheese and beans/salad for lunch and levels were quite high 7.7, wondering if it was the sauce cafe put on salad or the latted?

I hadn't heard that about the cinammon - interesting. I had a nice low breakfast today - 7.0 for 2 slices of burgen bread each spread with cream cheese and smoked salmon - but lunch went awry. 8.1 for the pret superfoods salad. If i'd known it would take me to 8.1 i would have bought something FAR more satisfying for that instead. Must have been the tortilla that did it, although it's only small so I didn't think it would send me over, especially as I've had M&s chicken Caesar wraps for a couple of meals lately which have kept me within the range.

Its weird things that can send level up. I had 2 weetabix with half a spoon of half spoon, 10.8!!!!!!

I had fish and chips (half portion from chippy) the other day and reading was 7.8, go figure.

It's definitely the carbs that raises my levels so fish and especially chips is out

I had the same m&s wrap today that I had for lunch last week. Last week: 7.4. Today: 8.2.