Gestational diabetes panicking!! Please help!

[HanDawson]

Hi everyone. So I went for a scan on wednesday to check the position of the succenturiate lobe I have..that's fine cervix is clear..sorry I'm 34+1 btw...and on the scan they told me babies estimated weight already is 5lb12!! Had to see a nurse for a blood monitor to check 4 times a day and if I have 3 readings on target on more I had to call. I had one on target and 2 above..which were my morning fasting ones. Called this morning and they have referred me to the dietician..although I'm eating all the right things according to the info they gave me. I'm just really worried about baby and it obviously piling on the pounds!! I really want to have a vaginal birth too not a c section. Can anyone give me advice..should I worry? Has anyone else had this so late in pregnancy?
I have another scan at 37 weeks to check baby again but have already been told they will induce me 39-40 weeks.
Please can someone give me some reassurance?
Xxx🤰

If it helps my sil was in a country that prefers c-sections but even she was offered the ability to give birth vaginally (with a 5 and a half pounder at 34 weeks) at 39 weeks. DN then only came out to be 8 pounds. These scans can be really inaccurate if you have a long or badly positioned baby.

Hi, please do not panic. I was diagnosed with GD two weeks ago this Monday coming. It takes a while to figure out. Before breakfast your readings should be below 5.4 and the 1 hour after each meal they should be under 7.8.

I have only had 6 readings higher. I have found if I go for a short walk or go up and downstairs 3 or 4 times in the hour after I have eaten then my sugars are within normal range.

I was told that with GD they are likely to induce between 38-40 weeks to stop the baby being too big. They said the maximum they would allow you to go over with GD would be 40+6 and that's if your bloods are pretty much controlled.

If I've missed anything please ask!

@onlylittlemissorganised are you on any medication or do you just control it with diet and exercise? Also have they told you how big baby is estimated to be? Thank you so much for all your advice, it does put my mind at ease a little xxx

I had this diagnosed at 32 weeks and a similar baby weight measurement at 34 weeks. Despite plans to induce at 37 weeks, this was constantly put back and DD eventually arrived at 40 weeks weighing just 7lb 2oz. So you never know. The measurements seem just so inaccurate.

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 36+6 last month, according to the scan baby was over the 99th centile for weight. I was 37.5 weeks before I saw the diabetes midwife to get my blood monitor. I was going to be induced just before 39 weeks but went into labour naturally before then. Baby was born with a weight on about the 75th centile, so not actually huge despite me the scan. They monitor baby's blood sugars for 24 hours after birth, and again, despite the late diagnosis they were fine.

I initially got very upset by the diagnosis, which suddenly took me from being low risk midwife led care to high risk consultant led care. However, it's much better to have gestational diabetes diagnosed - the really risky thing is having it undiagnosed. It did make for a much more medicalised birth (I'd wanted a home birth).

I found this site www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/ and its linked Facebook group very helpful in understanding what the diagnosis meant and better getting to grips with what I cold eat.

I'm just diet controlled currently. If I cant keep my blood sugars under control i may have to go on metformin tablets or insulin injections. Fingers crossed i dont have to.

I have my 28 week scan on Tuesday so this will be the first growth scan. My husband is near on 6ft and I'm 4ft9 so that's another issue to contend with. I'm hoping the little thing wont be too big!

In the first week I was quite restrictive with what I ate. But this week I've been away so a little more relaxed just paired it with exercise. If you do that you should be fine. Also if you want to PM me to ask anything privately it's not a problem. I imagine different areas offer different levels of support for GD and mine has been great.

I was 28 weeks when I was diagnosed with GD. I was induced at 38+3 because of reduced fetal movement (was on the ward for 3 days prior) and she weighed 7lb 4oz. They had told me to expect a 9lber there was no talk of a section at all.

I've been recently diagnosed too and I'm managing through diet though it's taking me a while to get used to what affects my blood sugar and what doesn't. Interesting to see what you say about walking up and down the stairs after a meal OnlyLittleMissOrganised I'll be trying that. I'm still going to the gym in the morning but I'm struggling to find something that gives me enough energy but doesn't raise my levels too high. And inspiration for evening meals. To be honest I'm fed up with thinking about food and planning everything and still 6 weeks to go!

No talk of a section here but am expecting to be induced around 38 weeks. I'm happy with that if it means the baby is safe and healthy as there are other risks with GD too not just a larger (or smaller) baby. I think the main thing is they are looking after us and know about the GD however depressing it might feel. (Which is easy to say but harder to feel!)

@AuntieMaggie the stairs are a godsend! In a hotel when its raining and you can't walk outside.

Sweet potato fries or new potatoes are good alternatives. As is seeded bread. Evening meals I've been having fish, steak, roast dinner, sweet and sour chicken with basmati rice (all homemade). I've been out for dinner and lunch loads. Currently off out now! Lol

I would also say watch the portion sizes, the bigger the portion the more exercise you will have to do to lower your sugars.

I was diagnosed with GD at 12 weeks, currently 33 weeks, mine is insulin controlled although I do not always take the insulin as I often either have low GI meals or am a bit more active some days. At 32 weeks they told me baby was 97th percentile weighing 4lbs 9 but said it was fine to still go for a v birth. They said the scan can be 20% off.

I'm off meat which is making things really easy as you can imagine

Why is it sometimes it take me several stabbings to get enough blood to check... I will not be sorry to see the back of this monitoring.

I find the same thing! The midwife said oh its only needs a little blood! Depending on where you stab I often dont get enough so have stab again! 10-12 weeks to go and counting!

Thanks so much for all you comments and advice. I had a slight melt down last night..had fresh pasta and my sugars were 7.0, 2 hours later..felt so annoyed. But I'll just stick clear of pasta for the next few weeks I think.
Another question ...sorry girls...but is the reason they have started you all on blood monitoring because babies abdominal circumference is higher than it should be at this stage? I cant stop thinking everytime my sugars are high all that happening is baby is putting fat on..I just want this LO to be healthy and feel like it's my fault that all of this is happening and the reason baby is big. My gtt was normal at 28 weeks and just keep thinking when and how long have my sugars been high!! As you can tell ik a really worrier..sitting in bed writing this at 6.13am!!! Xxxxx

If your sugars are high, then baby gets used to a high sugar environment so when they are born they will be producing more insulin than they require.

I was told to start pumping in advance (around36 weeks, and to store it) as I'm going to breastfeed as this means the milk is in and available for baby. According to the midwife the baby would need less breastmilk than formula. If they were having formula they may need to be intubated to provide them with the right milk for their insulin levels.

Also having GD can lead to a bigger baby as they convert the excess sugars to fat - not sure where on the body though. There is also an increased risk of still birth or other problems. But they say if you change your diet and monitor your bloods and do more exercise then it is controllable.

I also recommend the website gestationaldiabetes.co.uk. it has loads of good ideas on what to eat, even though it's stricter than NHS advice. I'm pretty sure I would be on medication by now if I had just followed hospital advice, so this website has been amazing. Diagnosed at 32 weeks, I'm 36 weeks today, currently controlling with diet and exercise

I was diagnosed at about 38 weeks, had to be really strict with diet with it being so late on. Was booked in for induction on due date ( and growth scan the day before for some reason!) But baby was born naturally day before her due date at 8lb6.
Try not to worry about the birth too much and try and stick to the diet ( which is hard but worth it). Avoid any white carbs, try wholegrain pasta.
And take some treats in your hospital bag for after the birth when you can eat normally again

No the blood monitoring is to make sure blood sugars are being controlled by diet - nothing to do with the abdominal measurement. In fact I was told not to worry about the abdominal measurement as they're happy with it being on the bigger side as it means baby is getting all the nutrition it needs.

I'm not sure about your level 2 hours after your meal as I'm measuring 1 hour after but if you want pasta you can try having a smaller portion with plenty of protein and vegetables.

If your other levels are within range try not to worry too much about the odd high one.

If you test 2 hours after eating it should be 6.4 or under.

Hi guys ..just tested my urine and it has keytones in .. should it still even though my blood sugars have been fine since my fasting one? Do you always have keytone in urine with GD??? Help! Xx

Relax, im not sure whether it should but unless you are testing using the same stick as a midwife it may not be accurate. please stop testing your urine.

Just test your bloods at the required times. Avoid white carbs and try brown. The inky white carbs that are really any good is basmati rice as that takes the longest to digest. Also make sure you exercise after your meal if you are able to. It will help lower your sugars.

Have you spoken to the diabetic midwife and the dietician?

I work at a drs surgery so use the same urine sticks as the midwife...my husband says it's a bad thing I have access to these things as it's just making me worry more. Seeing the MW Monday so will check with her but will try relax. I have been going for a walk after each meal today and my readings are ok...waiting to see what it is after 2 hours now just had my tea. Still getting a high fasting one in the morning but hoping a walk tonight might help that any other advise? I dont eat anything now from tea until morning but keep feeling hungry..any suggestions? Really grateful for all your advice xxx

Plain yoghurt and berries, almonds/ nuts , sugar free jelly, carrot sticks and hummus.
Also recommend the gestational diabetes website for meal/ snack ideas.

Try a snack of protein before bedtime or glass of milk. If your body doesn’t have enough in overnight you will be breaking glycogen fat stores into glucose which can cause an increase in morning fasting sugar readings. Is what the midwife told me. The only time I don’t do this is if I have high readings after dinner as my body will have enough in to cover me till morning.

I diet controlled for 33weeks. Diagnosed at 9 weeks as I had prior GD. My only advice is get on the gestational diabetes uk website and follow all their dietary advice. There are fab recipes forn things like chocolate brownies that won't affect your blood sugars and it gives you ideas of things that you can tolerate. You should be pairing which is when you help slow sugar by adding fats...so if you have a small square of dark choc have it with a handful of nuts. This helped you slow sugar absorption into the bloodstream. Or try a bit grated on cream. Fats are good... cheese. Cream. Natural yogurt. You can eat as much of this as you like.
Avoid tropical fruits like pineapples and stick to green apples with peanut butter or berries with cream.
You can do this!

I had GD and at first was able to control with diet, but my morning fasting numbers just kept creeping up so I ended up on metformin. I was induced 2 days before my due date and he arrived on his due date 9lb 5. We were home 12 hours later. Peanut butter and apple is a good pairing snack that doesn't spike numbers, babybel before bed. Drink plenty water and try go for a walk after meals.