Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

gestational diabetes

17 replies

drinkyourmilk · 23/01/2017 17:54

Hi.
Was told I have GD today. Have my info session and getting the blood sugar monitor Thursday.

Can I ask if others have managed to keep theirs under control and if it had an effect on your baby please? I've heard horror stories of massive babies who have needed extra support on birth.
Plus mainly medicalised births.
I'm feeling sorry for myself and concerned about baby now.
Had a scan at 29 +2 and baby was 2lbs 14oz. So measuring as it should.
I'm 30 +2 now.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Chchchchangeabout · 23/01/2017 17:59

I managed fine on dietary control and had issues with birth but not related to GD. I would ask them to brief you fully on post birth blood sugars though as that was horrendous as half the nurses didn't know what they were talking about or explain what was going on.

Original poster

drinkyourmilk · 23/01/2017 18:22

Thanks change, that's really helpful.

OP posts:

anametouse · 23/01/2017 18:36

I managed mine on diet too (and I am obsessed with sugar so if I can do it anyone can!) my DS was a big one but then so am
I do not sure it was GD related.

lorelairoryemily · 23/01/2017 18:37

I managed quite well, I was put on metformin at 30 weeks, insulin injections at 37 weeks, i was booked in for induction at 39+4, waters went 2 days before, ds was born at 39+4, 7lb 12oz despite my being frequently told I'd have a huge baby. I did have an emcs because I failed to progress after 12 hours on the drip but everyone in my family has been the same, so I was expecting that from the start, it had nothing to do with the gd, I managed. Ds was in scbu overnight for blood sugar monitoring, he was absolutely fine and is a happy healthy ten month old now, diabetes was gone at my 12 week check up. Feel free to pm me if there's anything more specific you'd like to know😊

Original poster

drinkyourmilk · 23/01/2017 19:49

Ladies thank you so much for sharing, this is making me feel so much better!
I suspect that once I've seen the nurse I'll feel so much better as then I'll have more of an idea of what I'm doing. A friend has directed me to the diabetes UK site, and I've seen thee is a gestational diabetes site too. From what I can tell if I increase exercise, increase fluid intake, minimise refined sugar and foods, and eat carbs in a more controlled way I'll be doing OK. I'm still vomiting a couple of times a day, so reaching for carbs has become second nature alas!
Did anyone express colostrum before birth incase it was needed to regulate baby's blood sugar?

OP posts:

Emz01 · 23/01/2017 19:55

My GD wasn't picked up until 32 weeks and managed to control my sugar levels on diet only. Gave birth at 37 weeks which wasn't related to GD, baby was 6lbs8 so completely normal weight for gestation. No problems with labour and giving birth at all but please ensure you are aware of what happens post birth. My baby was rushed into special care unit because his blood sugar levels dropped so low, this was due to us not getting a feed into him after birth quick enough which we weren't aware we needed to do at the time. He was fine as soon as we did manage to feed him. Don't read too much into the horror stories, as long as your levels are managed GD shouldn't cause a problem.

Tiredstressed · 23/01/2017 19:59

Another one who managed through diet. DS was born weighing 8 12 at 40+4 (lighter than my DD). His blood sugars were monitored for the next few feeds but he was fine.

Tiredstressed · 23/01/2017 20:01

Sorry -I was managed through diet, rather than I managed through diet. It depends how your body reacts as to whether you need medication but either way, they should manage it for you.

lorelairoryemily · 23/01/2017 20:07

I expressed the night ds was born as he was in scbu and breastfed successfully after even tho he had been given formula during the night

AveEldon · 23/01/2017 20:14

Diet didn't work for me so I ended up on insulin
Baby was induced but birth was normal. The monitoring was annoying but otherwise okay and I was able to move around. I did end up on the sugar/insulin drip towards the end but that was fine.

We had to stay in so that baby's blood sugars could be monitored which wasn't great - lots of heel prick blood tests. Baby fed fine and didn't have formula. Weight was normal.

Muddywellies10 · 23/01/2017 20:24

I had two GD pregnancies and remained diet controlled with both. Was due to be induced at 40 weeks with both but both babies arrived early (39 and 38 weeks). Both straightforward deliveries. First baby passed all blood sugar tests, second failed first test and we ended up giving artificial colostrum to rectify but passed subsequent tests and went on to ebf. I actually think having a strict GD diet helped me to have straightforward deliveries as it kept the babies from getting too big. I found the Facebook group Gestational Diabetes UK Mums absolutely brilliant for diet ideas and information on keeping blood sugars within range. 6 weeks post birth was clear of diabetes with both. Good luck! It is a huge shock to be diagnosed but most problems are where the condition is missed.

thecatsarecrazy · 23/01/2017 20:30

I've just had it picked up at 39 weeks . Seeing diabetic doc tomorrow but been told at this stage probably a waist of my time. I've been massive for weeks and not been picked up.

Original poster

drinkyourmilk · 23/01/2017 21:14

Thank you so much everyone, I feel so much more relaxed now. I've been beating myself up all day thinking I've done something wrong and put my baby at risk.
I'll talk to my midwife about storing colostrum from 37 weeks onwards, but seems that it may not be necessary.

OP posts:

LaurenAnn94x · 12/08/2017 07:00

Hi Drink, just checking in as I've been told I may have undiagnosed GD at 36 weeks. How was your birth and baby in the end?

THirdEeye · 12/08/2017 08:51

I'm 27 wks and had a glucose test which came out positive. To say I was shocked, was an under statement!

I'm hoping l can control it via diet and l feel much better after seeing the diabetic nurse and dietician.

I was told l would see a consultant every fortnight and have growth scans at 32 and 36 wks. The nurse also did say that l would be induced (I'd read that anyway), but I'm pushing for a ELCS as l have other complications on top of this anyway.

Trytowin · 12/08/2017 09:06

I have gd controlled by insulin. Please remember that medication is not failure. Diet did not work for me, brought it down a bit but had a sugar level of over a 10 after a salad! I hate this idea that if you have no crap to eat it will be ok. It may be and that's cool but it may not be too. It's your body's response to food.

I've had no choc, sweets, cake, milk etc. since diagnosed wk28 and tbh a bit earlier than that as I was trying to be good! I'm particularly resistant to insulin later in the day and overnight

I'm being induced at 38 weeks, had my wk 32 scan growth perfectly in line.

FerretsRock · 12/08/2017 09:48

I was diagnosed at 26 weeks with dd2 but midwife had suspicious from 16 weeks

I controlled it by diet till 36 weeks with some help (a great Facebook page gestational diabeties UK )
Metaformin for two weeks i was on the verge of needing insulin but then I was induced early due to pre eclampsia it is more common in gd pregnancies so watch out for signs

I measured large all pregnancy but growth scans showed that was mostly fluid and dd2 was small

She was born via emcs which wasn't due to the gd and was immediately diagnosed with a cleft palate which is more common in gd pregnancies

She passed all her sugars and was ready to go home before I could
I'm now pre diabetic verging on diabetic my bmi is still high but I'm working on it

Flip