Glucose test at 32 weeks

[TeainanIV]

Help! Having a panic, I've gone for a growth scan today and baby is on the 96th (!!) centile and tummy is measuring large. I've been booked in for a glucose test in the next week or so - and now I'm panicking. I have quite bad health anxiety and I'm now blaming myself for not being more healthy over this pregnancy. Although I don't feel like I've been horrendous, I've definitely been less active than my first and relied more on sugar to get me through pregnancy with a toddler!!

This is all a huge contrast with my first pregnancy, baby was tiny - born on the 1st centile at just over 37 weeks! I've consequently been on aspirin all this pregnancy to encourage growth - which has clearly worked!!

Has anybody else been on aspirin and had a large baby which turned out to NOT be gestational diabetes?? I'm trying not to spiral, but the word 'induction' was also mentioned today which terrifies me too. Apologies for this ramble!!

*Edited for spelling

Three of my babies had huge tummies and lots of scan suggestions of GD but I didn’t have it (I wasn’t on asprin through). GD isn’t your fault so don’t blame yourself.

If you find out you have GD then it's really not that bad.

A) it's not your fault, it's how your pancreas reacts to the presence of a placenta. You cannot control that or stop it from happening.
B) the treatment is first off diet, you reduce carbs, choose carbs that are complex and contain more fibre like whole grain, you pair them with protein like eggs or peanut butter on toast. If that isn't enough then you might have to take a couple of tablets or at worst give yourself a daily injection. It's all manageable and something you can absolutely cope with.
C) it's temporary, once the placenta is out you will in the majority of cases no longer have diabetes.
D) you have several weeks to get your sugar levels under control which will help your baby, the sooner you know the better for them. You may need to be induced as they have concerns about placenta quality if you go overdue and may need to stay in hospital for 24 hrs after birth so that they can check babies sugar levels over that period of time. My DD had perfect sugar levels from birth, was 8lb 11oz at 37.5 weeks gestation, is now a very healthy, happy, wonderful 10yr old.

It's more likely if you have PCOS, and does make you higher risk of getting T2 diabetes in the future but certainly not a guarantee.

It's an unpleasant surprise if you are diagnosed, but it's something you can handle. Try not to let the fear take over.

I am not on aspirin but have a large baby (highest he was measured at was 97%) and have been tested twice for GD, negative both times. Some babies are just big. Equally as PP says you can't "cause" GD so don't blame yourself, you just get it or you don't get it and if you do, it's much better to know so that you and baby can be best cared for! It will be okay 🙂

I'm also not on aspirin but was tested for GD after a scan at 34 weeks showed baby's AC was 98th percentile - the test came back clear so either baby is just on the big side or the measurements are inaccurate (baby isn't here yet so I don't know!). The doctor was pretty clear that they are only about 60% confident in the measurements taken on third trimester scans, so nobody seems particularly worried and I haven't had to make any changes to my birth plan. So remember that the measurements are an estimate and not to be taken as absolute fact.

Try not to worry too much until you've had the test and know the outcome - you might be panicking over nothing. And if it is GD you have a bit of time to try and get on top of it. Either way, whether it's GD or just a big baby, don't beat yourself up over what you could or should have done differently. Good luck.

Oh and if induction is worrying you, I was induced at 37.5 weeks because she was measuring big.

I went in on the Wednesday morning, had some monitoring, blood pressure checks etc then they put in a pessary, which was like a tablet on a string that was placed against my cervix.

Then I spent 24 hours wandering around the hospital, watching tv, reading my book, snoozing and snacking.

The next morning they checked me and said they'd be able to break my waters, I had a bit more monitoring and BP checks, waited for someone to be free and at about 1pm they broke my waters.

I then wandered for a bit in very wet trousers as waters kept breaking and dribbling.

Contractions started pretty quick and within an hour were well established so I wandered back to the ward, paced round my bed, tried the big bouncy ball and hated it, paced a lot more, then got gas n air which was wonderful.

All of a sudden felt like I needed to push so called the MW over, who said I couldn't be ready yet so she'd check me in a bit, I told DH to get ready to catch, so MW sighed loudly, rolled her eyes and came over. I was fully dilated and crowning so she shouted for help and shoved me on the bed, I was pushing as I was being wheeled to a delivery room.

DD was born 4 and a half hours after my waters were broken.

There are loads of horror stories around about induction, but there are also loads of stories of it going fine and being a good labour and an easy birth.

Thank you all for your messages, they've helped me immensely!! After a traumatic birth with my first baby (despite her being a dinky dot!) the prospect of another potentially difficult one is filling me with dread. I was a bit clueless on GD so it's reassuring to know it's nothing I've done - I find it hard not to blame myself 🙈. Hopefully it'll come back all clear, but as many have rightly pointed out it's better to know and get on top of it now rather than leave it! Xx