Gestational Diabetes my readings on GDm app

[Poppypip1]

Hi could any of you lovely peeps have a look at my first week of tracking and offer me any reassurance? I have got a few red readings (which I can link to foods that I tried but obviously can't tolerate so won't have again) however I'm putting lots of pressure on myself to get all green and feel utterly rubbish I'm getting reds. Is it going to give my baby extra sugar every time I get a high reading? I'm trying so hard it's frustrating when I'm not getting it right.

I've had very little support or guidance from the midwife/nurse so feel a bit like I'm in the dark a bit. I had gd in my first pregnancy but that was so long ago and it was nothing like this then! Everything seems far stricter and more monitored (obviously a good thing) but I just feel a bit lost with it all.

Hey I had GD.

If you can pinpoint what you ate that’s fine. The fasting ones might cause them to want to medicate though. Don’t worry about baby, you’re doing all the right things and keeping vigilant. It’s sustained high bloods that can harm baby but you’re on top of it now.

Tips for bringing fasting levels down so you can stay diet controlled-
Eat a high fat low carb snack before bedtime (green yoghurt and berries for example) and drink plenty water in the night if you can, even if this means extra loo trips!

Good luck, I had a baby who was measuring pretty big, even with mt levels being diet controlled. Baby was born healthy and sugars were fine at birth.

Also the tea & toast was the best thing ever after being low carb for so long!

GREEK yoghurt not green 😂

I had GD and used the same app as you. Check out the Gestational Diabetes UK group on Facebook, I found their information much better than the NHS. Also its an active group so they will answer any questions.

Your readings arent scary high, it could just be an adjustment period whilst you figure out the diet and what works for you, as it seems we can all tolerate things differently in GD. I ended up medicated and was on metformin and insulin injections. I'd dreaded that outcome but it was surprisingly ok.

Half of them are fasting so it’s more complicated than something that you ate. You can try a glass of milk or extra snack with protein before bed. However, it never worked for me. I never had a reading over except the fasting ones, and I never had a fasting reading under, even on insulin. I was in hospital for a while before birth for other reasons and even with them controlling my diet and upping the insulin each day it never came down. Baby was fine though.
(Walking after meals helps a lot if you can — I was mostly on bedrest so couldn’t.)

If it's high fasting there's little you can do about it and you probably need medication to bring it under control. Please don't feel guilty! This is all to do with your placenta!
There's a website called www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk and a Facebook group also! Lots of advice!

Thank you so much.

The first high fasting was after I'd eaten something that I didn't realise had sugar in the night before which caused high after dinner and high fasting I assumed that's what caused it and the second was because I had a late snack before bed which I think caused it. However maybe I'm being a bit naive there and I am going to end up on meds/insulin.

I've been reading the gestational diabetes uk website, however a couple of my high readings were foods suggested from that site. Will I hear from someone to discuss my readings? I've been inputting what I eat each reading too.

Thank you for replying I really appreciate it

The late snack is good for your fasting readings, not bad.
Your body does a whole cycle overnight with blood sugar, it’s not as simple as being a result of what you ate the night before. If you fast longer, the sugar could go up rather than down.
Broken sleep upsets what should happen overnight so if your first child is waking you up or if you are waking up with heartburn that can give you high fasting sugar.

@MadameDragon

The late snack is good for your fasting readings, not bad. Your body does a whole cycle overnight with blood sugar, it’s not as simple as being a result of what you ate the night before. If you fast longer, the sugar could go up rather than down. Broken sleep upsets what should happen overnight so if your first child is waking you up or if you are waking up with heartburn that can give you high fasting sugar.

Thank you, I think I might end up on meds/insulin. That's fine. I just wish I'd hear from someone and get some advice on how I'm doing with what I'm eating etc.

All the advice above is great- the forum is good. I found the NHS guidance awful. I basically did a low carb/ low GI diet ( think south beach diet ) and got properly educated about food over my four pregnancies. TBH it was all a massive pain in the arse but given the choice I think I’d do it again cos I learned so much about food, that I just wouldn’t have done otherwise.

I’m quite active anyway, but the only thing that brought my morning one down was doing an hr’s exercise ( CrossFit) each day, the days I missed cos of my partner’s shifts, in the morning I had above the threshold. I think it was the post-exercise burn you get from doing weights which helped over night maybe?

Best of luck with it- I always found it such a head fuck ( worrying and worrying about the baby and testing and ordering strips and timings etc etc) as well as a food fuck! It’ll be worth it in the end x

@Bluebleu

All the advice above is great- the forum is good. I found the NHS guidance awful. I basically did a low carb/ low GI diet ( think south beach diet ) and got properly educated about food over my four pregnancies. TBH it was all a massive pain in the arse but given the choice I think I’d do it again cos I learned so much about food, that I just wouldn’t have done otherwise.

I’m quite active anyway, but the only thing that brought my morning one down was doing an hr’s exercise ( CrossFit) each day, the days I missed cos of my partner’s shifts, in the morning I had above the threshold. I think it was the post-exercise burn you get from doing weights which helped over night maybe?

Best of luck with it- I always found it such a head fuck ( worrying and worrying about the baby and testing and ordering strips and timings etc etc) as well as a food fuck! It’ll be worth it in the end x

Thank you what time of day did you do your cross for class? I'm trying to keep as active as I can.

Usually between 9am ish to about 4pm ish, because I was just too knackered after that to go anywhere! I think it was the after burn from doing weights which helped to deplete my glycogen stores giving me a bit more wiggle room. It did mean that I often tipped into ketosis as I was also doing low carb- but it should be pointed out ketosis is very different from ketoacidosis in case your mid wife has a wobble when you pee on a stick as mine used to!

Just wanted to say thank you for all the tips and advice, my readings have been a lot better over the last few days smile haven't heard a peep from anyone so can only assume I'm doing ok or they'd have contacted me? Midwife mentioned something about them looking each week and getting in touch.

Ah great stuff! You’ve got this. It’s really not easy and it’s defo not fair, on top of all the other preggo admin, that you can’t just have a big plate of chips or a massive bar of chocolate. But it’s worth it and you’ll feel dead proud of yourself. I’ve forgotten how many weeks you said you were but prob just worth noting that around 33 weeks - about 36/37 ish it peaks before declining again.
You go mama! Best of luck and feel properly proud of yourself x

Thank you @Bluebleu really appreciate the support :) I'm only 18 weeks, so a loooooong way to go. Isn't it, I'm pleased you said that as I feel guilty for feeling it's tough!

In my 2,3 and 4th pregnancies I had it from week 13. And it was bad enough at 28 weeks with my first. I honestly feel your pain! Even now 7+ mths post partum, I every now and again think ‘shit, I’ve not tested’ or I’ll look at a banana and think ‘ better not have that!’.

Take it easy on yourself and plan a big splurge after. I ordered Dominoes to the ward 😂 after no2, and demanded a KFC ( 2 burgers 😂 😂) after no.4! I didn’t care what anyone thought, I’d had no carbs for about 7 months!! Anyone in my situation would have!
Xx