Anyone want to join in a support thread for those with gestational diabetes?

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Since it seems to be reasonably common, I thought maybe we could have an ongoing thread where we could discuss issues relating to it, and maybe share ideas of meals that work for us to keep blood sugars down.

I was just over the threshold on my GTT nearly 3 weeks ago, and have been monitoring my bloods 4 times a day since last Thursday. Had my first visit to joint diabetic/obstetric clinic this morning, which I found thoroughly impersonal and demoralising, so am feeling a bit low about it at the moment.

I am nearly 20 weeks, so still have a long way to go. Am hoping to control it just through diet, but consultant gave me a prescription for insulin 'just in case I need it'!

Am having the most problem with my after breakfast reading. Have been told to keep it below 7 one hour after eating, but even with the cereals they have recommended, I am getting around 8-9. Dietician has recommended trying baked beans on toast for breakfast instead. Is anyone else struggling with this one, as they said it is a common one to find raised due to steroids produced by the body in the mornings?

Guess it just depends on the hospital's policy jw. It's not like they would do anything much if baby was big at 26 weeks.

Someone suggested getting a stats list together, as it's hard to remember when everyone's due and other pertinent details. I'll start and could you all add yourselves?

CSWS - due 1st October - attempting to control through diet

Yeah, probably is down to the hospital I should think. Like you say, not a lot they can do anyway!

Here's me added...

CSWS - due 1st October - attempting to control through diet
Johnworf - due 14th September - 20 units insulin a day

JW - we got scans at 28, 34 and 38 weeks if that helps?

Misdee - good luck for thursday!

have added myself

CSWS - due 1st October - attempting to control through diet
Johnworf - due 14th September - 20 units insulin a day
otter1980 - due 19th May, induction date 21st may - diet control

ooh otter1980 didn't realise that you were due so soon . You have probably said you are but brain does not process any information these days due to baby taking it over

I had a long conversation with my diabetes midwife this morning about all the things/concerns I had. She was fab and we're going to go over my birthing plan at the next clinic visit.

She's said baby will be with me as soon as they've done what they do and I'll be encouraged to BF her in recovery. They will not give a bottle without speaking to me first. Baby will have BS tested after I've fed her within 3 hours. So there we have it!

Also told me it's normal with women who have GD for the BS to start rising a lot at 23/24 weeks (where I am). Nothing to do with anything I've eaten.

She's also put my insulin up again - 10AM - 12PM. Not a problem really.

Have to ring clinic on saturday to check in with readings and take it from there

Happy due date otter!

Glad you got some clarification from your mw jw.

I think my hormones might be wreaking havoc already . Had brown rice with stir fried veg for lunch. Worst thing on it was a bit of soy sauce, and yet I scored 7.4 .

oh dear CSWS you and you naughty soy sauce!

I'm craving lattes at the moment. Sadly can't have all that lovely frothy milk

Do you have to ring your weekly results into hospital to see what they say about them and if they're going to start you on insulin?

I know you're not particularly high (7.4 just scraping in after a meal) but maybe diet alone is not holding that bad sugar back? I think I was round about your many weeks when they started me on it.

I wonder how disneystar is getting on at the hospital?

Btw CSWS your DD's playhouse is better than the actual house I live in!

You'd be amazed how many MNers have said that jw!

Don't have to phone them in unless I'm concerned. Clinic is once a fortnight, so should be on Monday, but as it's a bank holiday I have an appt next Friday instead. Made it then as will at least have had first scan, but he said that if there were any probs then to see him sooner.

I have prescription for insulin in case I need it, and would just need to see mw (there on Mondays and Thursdays) to learn how to use it.

It's the early induction thing that really makes me want to avoid it.

Is soy sauce that bad? Could it be responsible? I had the same thing one night last week (was just eating leftovers today) and the result was good.

lol. I dunno if soy sauce is bad for you. I'm not sure what the sugar content is. I don't use it personally as it's too salty for my high b/p.

See what they say when you go in on Friday. I have to write my daily (x 4) results in a log and let the clinic have the results once, sometimes twice, a week by phone. Perhaps they'll be keeping a closer eye on you now you're coming along in weeks.

So your scan is Friday? How exciting. I would like mine all over again but I'll just have to wait until 28 weeks for the sizing scan.

I've just asked my MW about early induction and she said as long as sugars are under control - by whatever method - there's no need to induce. I know that I'll be induced tho cos I'm having a CS but if it was a normal labour, they'll leave you to go to due date. Not sure if this is all hospital policy tho.

hi guys just got back

well good news is insulin is working baby weighs 3lb 9oz its the smallest baby i have had at this stage being diabetic

his head is fused they dont know how much yet i had a good long chat today
i am going to have an elective c-section 7th july

he hopes baby will come early and save me from it

he is also breech

its what i wanted and elective but so sad that he is going to be ill im trying to be positive but i have to admit to feeling quite weepy today

hope all you ladies are ok today and eating well and sensibly no cream eggs or ice creams lol

no idea how to add myself to list

disneytar - elective c-section 7th july
42 units of insulin a day

otter wont be long now then the day is not over yet baby might still decide todays the day

You've misunderstood me a bit on my dates. My scan is next Tues (27th), and I will see the consultant on the Friday afterwards (30th).

Just gave diabetic m/w a call to see if the result of my hba1c was back. I got 5.8, which she said is mid way through the 'normal' range, so that is good. Have a feeling that they caught me right at the beginning of my GD starting, hence the borderline result in my GTT (7.9).

She also pointed out that I need to use diet baked beans rather than normal ones .

I think the induction policy varies from hospital to hospital, but rules were made to be broken, right?! So when you have a planned CS, do you still do the whole induction thing first? I'd always assumed that they just went straight for the cut, and you missed the whole labour experience.

How does this look?

otter1980 - due 19th May, induction date 21st may - diet control
disneystar - elective c-section 7th july 42 units of insulin a day
Johnworf - due 14th September - 20 units insulin a day
CSWS - due 1st October - attempting to control through diet
pepperrabbit - due 10th October, complete fraud a the mo, 1st GTT Thurs (2 x previous GD)

Ladies, I've been lurking on this thread for a while and this is my first Mumsnet post (so it'll will probably all go horribly wrong....). Wanted to contribute as I think that the thread is great, really informative and supportive.

I had GD with DS. Had to inject insulin in the mornings (from 10 rising to about 20) and whenever I had pasta - OUCH. I also jabbed up when I fancied some Christmas pud that year! Had to check the BS 1 hour after eating and it had to be under 7 which seems pretty strict compared to some of you guys. Am abt 18 weeks into my second pregnancy with a OGTT due at 20 weeks on 3 June. Due date depends on who you speak to - GP says 22.10 and hospital says 17.10.

CSWS, from my experience at the lister they like to induce at 38 weeks. i tried to get them to do it at 37+ last time due to half term holiday, but they are very strict at not before 38 if no other reasons.

CSWS see this is yet another conflicting piece of advice....I was buying the low sugar/weight watchers beans and my dietician said not to as it doesn't make much difference. You should be looking at the tin size (I have the teeny tiny baby tins). So I dunno who is right.

Welcome JKmum so the bleeders club (or the pricks club if you like ). Some of us are jabbers, some of us not.

Also CSWS the results of my 16 week GTT Plasma were 5.7 and 7.7 so I was only just over and look at me now .

Whoops @ scan mix up dates.

Welcome to MN and our lovely thread JKMum .
My target is the same as yours was. Good luck with your GTT.

misdee - I don't want to be induced at all, never mind before 38 weeks!

I shall check the labels on the baked bean tins like Sherlock Holmes tomorrow.

jw - 7.7 is below the threshold at my hospital, so you'd have escaped altogether and be none the wiser!

Glad that the baby is not growing too big disneystar, and hurrah for getting a date sorted for your c-section.

who sets these threshold numbers? They all seem to differ!

disneystar glad you got your CS. How are you feeling about the other things going on around the birth and LO's condition? Did they give you all the info you needed?

andyrobo237 - fairly pernicious little response.

Am I troll - no.
Am I someone who has been a diabetic a very long time and accepted that fact a long time ago -yes.
What the hell has the number of posts I make got to do with anything. I only post when it is something important.

I am entitled to my opinion and like I said , sitting in the clinic listening to people tell me how lucky I am because I have had it since the age of 7 and it is worse for them - got my goat. The whole woe is me, my life is worse than yours and you do not understand - pisses me off.

Controlling your blood sugar is a minefield and you will eat something one day and perfection the next day - of the scale. PRegnancy and for some of us pre-pregnancy it is a strict diet of keeping carbs low and plenty of exercise.

Porridge is excellent - made with water and add a little stewed fruit for taste.

But the key to most of it - is exercise. You ahve to burn off what you eat. Be that a quick walk or whatever. YOu can eat as little as you like but if you do not temper it with exercise then you are screwed.

So yes a long standing diabetic has an opinion, gets pissed off with those more fortunate and believe me you are and does have some advice to offer. There is bugger all support for Type 1 diabetics out there and vile responses like yours are exactly what annoys some of us old timers no end.

andyrobo237 - fairly pernicious little response.

Am I troll - no.
Am I someone who has been a diabetic a very long time and accepted that fact a long time ago -yes.
What the hell has the number of posts I make got to do with anything. I only post when it is something important.

I am entitled to my opinion and like I said , sitting in the clinic listening to people tell me how lucky I am because I have had it since the age of 7 and it is worse for them - got my goat. The whole woe is me, my life is worse than yours and you do not understand - pisses me off.

Controlling your blood sugar is a minefield and you will eat something one day and perfection the next day - of the scale. PRegnancy and for some of us pre-pregnancy it is a strict diet of keeping carbs low and plenty of exercise.

Porridge is excellent - made with water and add a little stewed fruit for taste.

But the key to most of it - is exercise. You ahve to burn off what you eat. Be that a quick walk or whatever. YOu can eat as little as you like but if you do not temper it with exercise then you are screwed.

So yes a long standing diabetic has an opinion, gets pissed off with those more fortunate and believe me you are and does have some advice to offer. There is bugger all support for Type 1 diabetics out there and vile responses like yours are exactly what annoys some of us old timers no end.

fatback the exercise regine i agree with
last summer pre pregnancy i was riding around on my bike lots of walks with DC and the dog
combining diet and exercise does either help or work
i went to clinic yesterday and said i eat very very little they were not concerned just said i was actually doing to much using insulin up to quickly to slow down a bit

you do come across as someone who is pissed of with being a diabetic since age 7
and yes other peoples comments annoy us at times
but thats what they are other peoples views we all have them and respond differently
ive had to watch my diet and exercise pre pregnancy this is not new to me either
but to some of the mums to be diabetes is a scary thing all the questions they do not undertand
this is why this thread is so important
some questions that are asked may seems silly to you but very real and important to them
we all like to have a whinge and moan and what better place to do it eh than here !!!!

fatback any ideas or suggestions you have please share with us
you know more than we do probably so have valuable info
any suggestions gratefully recieved

I'm utterly screwed. Even my bacon/egg/mushroom and 1 slice of toast combo didn't work this morning - got 7.5 .

Fatback - porridge shoots up my blood sugar to over 8 in the mornings. Any other suggestions, as I currently have nothing that I can eat for breakfast?

CSWS according to my chat with my MW yesterday, it may not be anything to do with what you're eating but more to do with how your body cannot deal with it. What was fine last week may not be fine this week as you're advancing into your pregnancy. Apparently the bigger your placenta gets, the harder it is for your body to deal with the hormones it's doling out.

Maybe you're coming up to the time when they'll think about insulin for you.

I got to the point you're at a few weeks ago where nothing I ate would keep my BS within the ranges. It was then the hospital told me nothing I ate would do that as my body quite simply couldn't make enough insulin to deal with it.

hello - just bobbed in to tell you that we're still here... no signs of coming out of her own accord...

on the body not producing enough insulin point apparently it does start to level out (about 36 weeks i think it was?)