Glucose test shows diabetes in pregnancy

[Springmummy19]

Just had a call from the midwife to say my GTT test shows I have diabetes in my pregnancy. she said it was nothing to worry about because we can discuss it t next week and look at how to manage it. I didn't feel to worried but then she said 'it just means more scans and hospital visits than normal'

Anyone else been through this? what exactly happens now?

You'll either be managed by a low GI diet or medication, you'll have extra scans and will monitor your blood glucose levels by regular finger prick testing. You may well be induced if baby is looking big, this is what the extra scans are for. Please remember this is nothing you've done and you're not to blame for this. I'd defo be checking in with your MW sooner rather than later though.

@YouBoggleMyMind thank you. Earliest MW can see me is next Thursday. I'm not to worried at this moment in time (or I'm trying not to be) I thought I was going to be told I need to manage it by injections and thats when I got seriously flappy about it.

Between now and then I'd try a low sugar/low carb diet, it'll help. Injections sounds like medication to manage it but obviously your MW can confirm these things for you.

Insulin/injections are generally a last resort, diet changes will be tried and then Metformin before insulin, at least in my experience.

As PP said, try to cut down on the carbs, especially white processed ones, switch to wholegrains, like wholegrain pasta and seeded bread, but keep portions to a minimum. Fruit is another thing to be careful off, as it's high in sugar, a handful is a portion, and best to avoid tropical type fruits.

Low fat is a good plan, bit watch the sugar content if you are buying 'low fat' foods, often things have fat removed and sugar added - yoghurt, ready meals, sauces etc!

Good luck, it's not the end of the world, and you get to see baby way more than you would have with your extra scans!

It’s great that you’ve been diagnosed. My son was born with a rare condition that’s often linked to GD and the first thing they asked me is if I had it - I have no idea, they never tested me! We spent two months in nicu and he’s now 2 and I still have to monitor his blood sugar levels and feed him often, treat him when he’s low etc. If it’s well managed you shouldn’t have any problems, and they’ll be monitoring your baby’s growth so that if they get big or their growth slows they can deal with it. You should definitely take it seriously in terms of management, but as long as you do that then you shouldn’t be too worried :)

So I went to my first group session yesterday, It was extremely informative and I realized juts how wrong my diet has been.. I say wrong but its actually that due to the nausea the only thing I can keep down is toast and wheatabix, both cards that you're meant to avoid. I switched to wholegrain bread and bought loads oh healthy snacks.

I was told to check by sugar level 4 times a day and so far when I've checked it, it has only been okay once, the rest of the time its been too high and I'm struggling to figure out what the issue is, I have had been eating all the stuff they advised but its still high. I know its only been a day and I don't have to see the diabetes midwife until next Wednesday so there is still time to to let it all adjust but it's actually playing on my mind more than I expected

I got diagnosed with GD at 12 wks with my last pregnancy. The first few months my sugars were fine, then after that they started to creep up no matter how good my diet.

It isn't what you're eating that is making your sugars rise, it's the pregnancy hormones so please don't feel like you're doing something wring, cause you aren't!

After a few months I was put on metformin tablets. They worked for a while then glucose levels started to rise again, usually in the morning and tea time, so they adjusted the dose and times to counter-act this.

Eventually the metformin wasn't enough, so I was introduced to slow release insulin injections in the evening.

Yup, I was freaked out but turns out the insulin injection is very similar to your finger prick pen, only you prick your hip instead of your finger, so definitely not scary once I was shown how it works.

Towards the middle of my 7th month I was introduced to quick acting insulin, as well as slow release insulin as well as metformin. Sounds daunting, but it's a gradual process which you easily get used to.

The scans are growth scans to monitor your baby's size, as pp have said. You will have one at 28 wks and another at 34 wks and another around 36/38 weeks.

Depending on size of baby they might induce you around 37/38 wks. Or you might be totally fine and you will carry out your pregnancy to the end 😊

I loved my growth scans, it's a formality, nothing to worry about and you get to see your baby more before they arrive.

It was during a growth scan I saw my DD had lots and lots of hair. The sweetest thing ever seeing it float in the waters 😁

You'll be fine, you will be offered lots of support as you go and you should have a telephone number for the diabetes clinic should you have any concerns between appointments that your glucose is rising sharply - they will happily see you or advise you to adjust/ add to your medication.

My DD was born 4 wks early, 6lb 4, no complications or problems at all 😊