Gestational diabetes question

[Tinkjon]

I had GD with DD1 - am now 21 weeks pg with no.2 and haven't developed it yet, but have a GTT booked at 28 weeks. I've been advised to follow a diet as if I did have GD, which I'm doing - but I'm wondering whether the odd slip-up can actually bring on the GD or is it a case of "you're either going to get it or not, and eating a bit of sugar won't change that" ? I forgot to ask the consultant this when I saw him, and the nutritionist said she didn't know.
(Spot the person who's desperate for a bar of chocolate!)
Thanks,
Tink.

I don't think it'll make a difference. I wouldn't recommend doing it just before your appointment though.

I had glucose intolerance with DS1, GD with DS2 and no sugar in my urine at all with DD (3rd born child). I ate chocolate and cakes etc sparingly in my 3rd pregnancy but didn't deny myself, I was just sensible. I think.

Yes - just be sensible - are you monitoring at all?

Margo, I'm not monitoring yet - they're letting me get away with that at the moment , thank goodness (maybe I'm just a wimp but I found those testing needles really hurt!!) I think I won't have to monitor unless they find any sugar in urine test (or if I fail GTT, obviously). Soupdragon, good to know that someone has had GD in one pregnancy and not in another - I'm desperately hoping for that at the moment! So far I've eaten virtually no sugar at all as I'd do anything to avoid GD this time round (found it pretty traumatic, tbh) but I am just getting a little desperate for some form of treat now! You can't expect pregnant women to give up Chardonnay and chocolate in one go

I was told i had a risk of GD as well. I'd rather not develop it either but i'm also going to find it pretty hard to stop eating chocolate now that i've started again....

RGPargy, there is always diabetic chocolate, have you tried that? I know it's not recommended officially, as it's still very calorific etc. but it's there if you're desperate Personally I can't eat it as the sorbitol does NOT agree with me at all!

Hi Tinkjon, you're at about the same stage as me, I'm 21 weeks on Sunday. I had my 20 week scan yesterday and they've booked me for a GTT when I'm 28 weeks too, reason being my last babies were over 10lbs. Although they tested me when having DS2 and it was neg.

Why don't you come along and join the due in Sept thread, it'll be good to keep in touch and see how you get on.

Will do - thanks! Hope your scan went well. Mine is tomorrow.

Tinkjon, yeah i know all about diabetic chocolate from my low-carbing days! All i can say is that I may as well have been sitting on the toilet whilst eating it as it just goes straight through me! (sorry if TMI!!).

However, it's a thought i guess and i wont rule it out completely.

Hey Tinkjon, wishing you lots of luck for your scan tomorrow. x

Thanks, HIWBB!

RGPargy, yes that's exactly what I meant by sorbitol not agreeing with me Didn't leave the bathroom for days

You don't need diabetic chocolate. Even FIL who is insulin dependent can eat occasional squares of Green and Blacks dark chocolate.

My nutritionist said that whilst they'd let a 'normal' diabetic person get away with a few treats now and then, they like their GD patients to be really strict. I must admit, I was pretty confused by a few of the things she said though...

Hi Tink, I'm due in Sept too and on the Sept thread. I'm watching this thread with interest, because I had GD with ds2, (but not with ds1). I'm also booked in for a GTT at 28 weeks, but the advice given to me was to just eat sensibly. I wasn't told to follow any particular diet. Thankfully I seem to be off chocolate at the moment and most things sweet, so that's helpful! But I have been on steroids for the last few months which has increased my appetite, but no-one seems concerned from the GD point of view. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Sorry, not much advice, but I am a believer in all things in moderation. (Go on, give yourself a treat!)

Did you have to take insulin with your GD? I did, I'm hoping if I do get it again, it can be diet controlled this time.

If you really need a chocolate hit, then try Hotel Chocolat's low sugar chocolate. There are no sweeteners in it, it's just lower in sugar and higher in chocolate than other chocolate.

FWIW, I had glucose intolerance in my first pregnancy and have had completely normal blood sugar in this one, despite pigging out on jelly beans.

Hi kinki!
No, thankfully I didn't have to take insulin, it was all diet-controlled. Do you still have to monitor blood glucose levels when you're taking insulin ? (I presume that you do).
It's odd, I was eating a far less restrictive diet when I actually had GD. At the time (4.5 years ago), they just said 'no sugar, watch your carb & fruit intake' and that was that. But this time round I've been given a low GI diet - and what the are you supposed to eat on that when you're hungry?! Can't have more carbs, fruit is limited, nothing with sugar, can't have too much fat/dairy.. what's left for heaven's sake?!

Oooh, CorrieDale, sounds like a great excuse for me to give jelly beans a try - maybe they are a magic health food that will stop me getting it this time round too? I have a mental list of all the things I'm going to eat when this baby comes out and you've just added jelly beans to my list, yummy!!

Yes, I remember monitoring quite a bit. It was only 2 years ago but the details are a bit hazy. I think I had to monitor 5 times a day (or was it 8?) and 2 hours after any food (probably 5 times, plus after 3 meals). But I won't moan about that, because after delivery my little ds had to be monitored half-hourly for a day and hourly for another couple of days. Apparently this is exceptional and not the norm, so don't worry.

The diabetic nurses told me to follow the GI diet. They gave me lots of information. But the best literature I found was in a book from Tesco (a tesco-own book) for about 99p. I saw it still on the shelf as little as a couple of weeks ago.