Gestation Diabetes Snacks and recipes!

[Moominmiss]

I’m 28+3 and had confirmation today that I have GD.

It was a real shock and I feel pretty overwhelmed. I was tested due to my Dad being type 2, and my age (38). I really didn’t think I’d have it.

Anyway, I’ve been told I’m being referred to the diabetic team at the local hospital and that tomorrow I have to pop to the maternity unit to pick up a GD kit, whatever that is.

My midwife told me not to start Googling as I’ll just scare myself so has told me to wait until I’ve had my appointment with the dietician etc.

But I wanted to start a thread where ladies with GD can share snack and recipe ideas.

I am utterly clueless. I have no clue what I can/can’t have.

We eat a lot of pasta/rice based meals so from what I gather that’ll need to change.

What sorts of things can I buy to take with me to work to snack on throughout the day? I used to take things like cherry tomatoes and strawberries and a packet of crisps.

What can I do for quick easy, take to work lunches? What can I do for tea that my 3 kids might also eat so I’m not having to cook separately?

I honestly feel so lost and overwhelmed with it all.

Please feel free to add snack/meal ideas!

Look at the Gestational Diabetes UK website, it is really helpful. You do need to avoid too many carbs, so a bowl full of pasta won't do you any good, but you can have a smaller portion and fill up the rest of your plate with protein and vegetables. It's a good idea to combine any carbs you eat with fat, so things like granny smith apple and peanut butter or dark chocolate (I ate the 85% stuff) and nuts make decent snacks. Berries are good, but avoid fruits like bananas and oranges. Full fat yoghurt, cheese, hummus and veg sticks are other good snacks. Nairns do some ginger oat biscuits which are very low in sugar. When you start monitoring your sugar levels you'll quickly see what foods you can tolerate and what you can't. Don't worry, it is a bit of a pain but honestly it's not that bad.

Have a look at the Gestational diabetes U.K. Facebook and web page.. lots of support and meal and snack ideas.

One of my favourite summer snacks with GD was strawberries with full fat creams fraiche.
Cheese, pepperami, half an Granny Smith apple with cheese or nut butter. Full fat Greek yoghurt and a small amount of berries, veg sticks and full fat creamy dip. ( not in one go though )
Meals I used to ditch the carbs and replace with lots of green veg. Spaghetti bolognese would be bolognese served in loads of spinach with extra parmigiana cheese or a tiny amount of wholewheat spaghetti. Curry with cauliflower rice. It’s hard at first but you adjust. I would also take some sort of exercise too, walk, swim, cross trainer to help manage levels and burn excess sugar. I had it with 3 of my 4 dc. Take the NHS dietary advice with a pinch of salt, avoid weetabix and find what works for you and your body. What gives someone else low readings might not work for you & vice versa. Peas & porridge never had an effect on me but for most women with GD they give high readings.

Thank you both, that’s actually really helpful. I had no idea you still needed some high fat foods too.

I walk my dogs every day, the usual walk is around 4 miles, although it’s getting harder to do as I find My hips/pelvis aren’t coping as well with that distance, so might try to take up swimming instead as it’ll be easier on my joints.

But it’s great to know I should still be able to manage cheese (my other love)!

Can I ask both of you, but especially @EcoCustard having had it 3 times, how long after pregnancy did things return to normal? Or did you always just carry on watching what you ate etc?

@Moominmiss cheese was the best thing about it . The GD disappeared within hours of all 3 births. I am 2 years post partum from Dc4 and have had to overhaul my lifestyle recently as blood test showed I was heading straight for type 2. Lockdown didn’t help as I have eaten and drunk far too much wine too get through but already blood levels are coming down. I have an annual ogtt test to check fasting blood sugar levels, I do have to request from GP. You should get one after having GD as you are statistically more likely and susceptible to type 2 diabetes. Swimming should definitely help, loved the pressure relief in the last trimester.

All ultra processed food needs to go - that includes bread and pasta. And crisps.

You need low sugar and low carbohydrate - fat is completely fine, go for your life there but steer away from processed seed oils like sunflower oil as they are just generally bad, never mind when pregnant. Protein is also good, obviously.

So eggs, cheese, meat, green veg (not tropical fruit). A boiled egg snack is perfect. As is some meat. Some tuna mayo. Nuts. Loads of options.

Don't fall into the 'supplementary trap' with shitty chocolate substitutes - just cut them out completely. If you absolutely must have chocolcate - go for the 95% cocoa ones. You won't overeat those that's for sure! It's sometimes the magnesium we crave from chocolate so a few squares of the 95% sorts that right out - much more than a Dairy Milk anyway!

I had GD twice

My go-tos were low fat Babybel, high protein Arla yoghurt, all kinds of omelettes/scrambled eggs/hardboiled eggs, oat cakes with avocado, roast chicken with salad and brown rice/quinoa, green juice, nuts, iced tea bags, sparkling water with fruit essence, sugar free jelly, oatmeal with flax seeds/sunflower seeds and stevia, steak and mixed vegetables, ratatouille, popcorn