GD advice | Mumsnet

gxt · 2022-11-10T11:29:04+00:00

Hi all, I’ve just found out I have gestational diabetes and have been referred to the diabetes nurse. I was just wondering if anyone could share any good resources where I could read up on it, get advice and maybe ask any questions I have along the way (or any other sources you found helpful) as I’m only 28 weeks. Thanks

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Rosegold3112 · 10/11/2022 11:54

Hi gxt!

First off, the best resource by far is the gestational diabetes UK website. There is so much support there and recipes for some delicious meals that are gd friendly (including Puddings!) was an absolute life saver for me in my first pregnancy. There is also a Facebook group under the same name run by the same lady and I found this so helpful as you can ask specific questions about anything that you're not sure about there and there's such lovely support from loads of mums going through the same as you.

Invaluable advice I'd give you is to pair your meals and snacks well! GD doesn't mean you need to completely restrict your carbs but just be smart about them. Don't eat a naked carb and get clued up on best ways to pair. If you're eating something high in carbs then balance it out with high protein and healthy fats as this will help slow down the breakdown of the carbs and keep your bgl in check. So for example, I would eat a few cubes of dark chocolate with a handful of nuts, or a packet of mini cheddars dipped in philadelphia cheese.

When pricking your finger, do it on the sides rather than the middle to prevent them getting too sore (but they may bruise occasionally so alternate as much as you can).

If you need to go on meds to help you with bgl then this is not a fail and you're just getting the best help for you and your baby.

With my first pregnancy I was so scared after being diagnosed and I was so strict with my diet. My diabetic nurse told me to stick to around 30g of carb per meal (some potatoes have more than 30g!) and I was too scared to even have this many carbs. I'd have no more than 20g per meal until I found the GD UK website. I was starving and miserable and carbs are still so important for baby's growth. I constantly had ketones in my urine and I'm pretty sure I lost loads of weight too. Despite how strict I was I still ended up on metformin. I'm 15 weeks now and was diagnosed again immediately and this time round I've been far more relaxed. I've not been afraid to experiment this time and test my tolerances. I eat a fair few meals that aren't particularly gd friendly and for now they are paying off, but I'm already on metformin and insulin this time as well, but I'm miles happier than I was post diagnosis first time. GD is progressive though, so your tolerances can change and by the time I'm in the 3rd trimester I'm sure a lot of the meals I currently enjoy might well be off the menu. Wishing you the best of luck!

Original poster

gxt · 10/11/2022 17:47

Rosegold3112 · 10/11/2022 11:54

Hi gxt!

First off, the best resource by far is the gestational diabetes UK website. There is so much support there and recipes for some delicious meals that are gd friendly (including Puddings!) was an absolute life saver for me in my first pregnancy. There is also a Facebook group under the same name run by the same lady and I found this so helpful as you can ask specific questions about anything that you're not sure about there and there's such lovely support from loads of mums going through the same as you.

Invaluable advice I'd give you is to pair your meals and snacks well! GD doesn't mean you need to completely restrict your carbs but just be smart about them. Don't eat a naked carb and get clued up on best ways to pair. If you're eating something high in carbs then balance it out with high protein and healthy fats as this will help slow down the breakdown of the carbs and keep your bgl in check. So for example, I would eat a few cubes of dark chocolate with a handful of nuts, or a packet of mini cheddars dipped in philadelphia cheese.

When pricking your finger, do it on the sides rather than the middle to prevent them getting too sore (but they may bruise occasionally so alternate as much as you can).

If you need to go on meds to help you with bgl then this is not a fail and you're just getting the best help for you and your baby.

With my first pregnancy I was so scared after being diagnosed and I was so strict with my diet. My diabetic nurse told me to stick to around 30g of carb per meal (some potatoes have more than 30g!) and I was too scared to even have this many carbs. I'd have no more than 20g per meal until I found the GD UK website. I was starving and miserable and carbs are still so important for baby's growth. I constantly had ketones in my urine and I'm pretty sure I lost loads of weight too. Despite how strict I was I still ended up on metformin. I'm 15 weeks now and was diagnosed again immediately and this time round I've been far more relaxed. I've not been afraid to experiment this time and test my tolerances. I eat a fair few meals that aren't particularly gd friendly and for now they are paying off, but I'm already on metformin and insulin this time as well, but I'm miles happier than I was post diagnosis first time. GD is progressive though, so your tolerances can change and by the time I'm in the 3rd trimester I'm sure a lot of the meals I currently enjoy might well be off the menu. Wishing you the best of luck!

Thank you so much for the info. It’s really helpful, looks like I’ve got a lot of reading up to do!

All the best for the rest of your pregnancy 😊

OP posts: