Diabetes diet - totally lost. What am I aiming for?

[mrsgboring]

Today at Cons visit, I was told that my baby was "fat" and that despite my normal (highish) GTT and post prandial blood results, I have to go on a "strict diabetic diet" to reduce risk to the baby.

I've been shown how to do blood glucose testing for pre-meal readings (that's all they want from me) Have had a very handwaving description of what I can and can't eat but it doesn't make much sense. Am I supposed to limit fats? How much carbohydrate can I have? I asked about oranges and was told "well they will put your sugars up but you've got to eat something fresh" - so I don'tknow if that means good or bad.

Low GI diet website says I can't have jacket potatoes but can have fruit juice (which I'm sure is wrong as fruit juice is ridiculously sugary). Aside from not being allowed to eat feckloads of mini-eggs , I really don't know what I can and can't have. Please can you give me a rundown of what I'm supposed to be aiming for?

BTW I normally eat fantastically healthily, but in pregnancy most things vegetable make me want to throw up and I have no interest in anything not basically made of sugar and/or fat, so this is a bit hard for me.

Your diet should mainly consist of complex carbs, yes, even now. This means brown bread, whole wheat pasta (although white pasta is fine, if, like me, whole wheat makes you go gurgph!), rice, etc.

Picture a plate. Divide said plate in half. Divide one half in half.

Fill the full half with veg. I know you said it makes you gag right now, but try to find something that you can eat. Fill one 1/4 with carb and 1/4 with meat.

If you stick pretty much to that, your numbers should work out okay.

Sorry, meant to post this link

I was told the same when I was diagnosed with GD - but my baby wasn't fat - they said he would be over 10lbs and that his tummy was over the 95 centile - he was 7lbs 15 and long and thin.

However, the diet - you need to limit processed carbs and anything high in sugar or starch - pasta, white bread, sugary cereals, sweets, fruit, fruit juice, rice. Fat isn't the issue here so normal healthy levels are fine. Also carbs need to be eaten with either fat or protein as these are much harder to process which slows down the absorption of the sugars and stops them peaking in your blood. So bread (granary or stoneground wholemeal) and cheese, or bread and peanut butter is better than bread alone.

Having said all that you re supposed to be able to eat more or less normally - just eat less carbs and eat them with protein and fats. I was told that the only "banned" things were fizzy sugary drinks and sweets.

Does that help?

Thank you both that is a great help.

Why do I need to eat vegetables? I know they are healthy etc. (and honestly they are the staple component of my diet when not pregnant - I love veg and am totally pro it normally) but how does it help the glucose control? Can't I just skip it?

In fact, can't I just have a Philadelphia sandwich and a vitamin pill for every meal until now until delivery?

Well, you do need veg to be healthy, obviously. And they are good for filling you up because they are either tiny amounts of carbs counter balanced by fibre or no carbs at all!

Okay, ta. Will cut up some carrots now.

Have only got just over 2 weeks till induction of labour, so it's not too horrific. Just that I also don't have long to get the sugars right.

If its only two weeks then its not so bad - you don't need to force yourself to eat things you don't want to. Not eating veg isn't the end of the world but you would end up eating just a lot of protein and a little carbs - not ideal (might give you constipation also)

You don't need to dose yourself with veg as such - could you have some salad with your meals? I used to have a blt for breakfast - very nice and didn't raise sugar levels too much.

Mm salad for breakfast - would like that in my non pregnant state. I can eat cucumber and lettuce atm, so could do a reasonable salad with that I suppose.

Tonight I have managed carrot and leek though so am feeling proud of myself.

My friend has been told her baby is fat although when they guesstimated his weight before she was induced today he was still under 7lb... That's not big both of mine were over8lb.

it's quite difficult to tell the weight of something by looking at a picture of it - which is fair enough but hospitals tend to present their guesstimates as rather more certain than they are...

I will be interested to see if this baby is huuuge as the scan suggests. DS was measuring 95th centile at 32 weeks but by 36 had fallen to 50th and by birth was under it. This one's weight doesn't appear to have tailed off, which in a way I would have thought was a good sign. But consultant seems to think that the abdomen is very fat. TBH the abdomen has always been off the scale for circumference, but baby has a lung abnormality, which we thought would account for it.

I just wish they wouldn't say "fat." I feel guilty enough about the baby being exposed to sugars already.

I was diagnosed with borderline Gestational Diabetes at 28 weeks, I'm 36 weeks now and have been controlling it with diet successfully. I do at least 2 tests a day (first thing in the morning and 2 hrs after my evening meal).

I've had the most success controlling my diet with lots and lots of veg I'm afraid. Here's a list of my most successful evening meals for glucose control.

~ Beef Casseroles with a handful of lentils for complex carbs and as much veg as I can shove in them to fill me up!
~ Chili Con Carne with wholewheat fajita wraps and salad rather than rice.
~ Pork Stir Fry with just under 1/2 cup of brown rice.
~ Cauliflower Cheese with Bacon
~ Frittata (posh omelette) with a grilled chicken breast.

Other staples that have really helped have been switching my bread to Burgen (Soy and Linseed - really tasty and less refined carbs than white).

Low fat soft cheeses - Philadelphia and Primula on dark rye Ryvitas are great for late night snacking - so go for it!

Weight Watchers yoghurts for desserts have been really kind to my glucose levels and go at least some way to satisfy any sweet cravings. As does a late night Ice Lolly (check the carb contents on the packet - I usually go for the cheapy no brand ones that contain about 8 carbs a lolly).

I've had to avoid most breakfast cereals which seem to spike me terribly, so I settle for 2 slices of Burgen toasted and can't wait to indulge in Crunchy Nut Cornflakes again!

Fruit juices are also a huge no no for me, they send my BG levels up to 10 with just a small glass.

The singular thing which has helped me discover what works and what doesn't is to simply test my BG with the meter as and when I try new things. Being diagnosed with GD has really openend my eyes to the little changes I can make to eat healthier all round, and I'm actually really grateful it's been discovered so I can make some of these changes permanent after little dink is here.

Sorry for such a huge essay, but when I was first diagnosed I was at a complete loss with regards to what to eat so if this post helps just one person - then great!

Charlotte (who despite all this healthy attitude still can't wait to scoff a huge plate of salty, vinegary chips and follow it up with an enormous bar of Galaxy!)

Charlotte thank you for this info - it's really helpful.

I have basically gone for the approach of keep blood sugars as low as possible while still remaining conscious. It is hell, but the numbers seem to me to be low enough, probably too low a lot of the time.

I've been asked to test six times a day before meals, snacks and bed (which I find completely confusing and unhelpful for working out which foods I can and can't have so have done a couple of extra tests after meals which are okay too but am now running out of sticks)

Got an appointment tomorrow with "the woman" for GD - I'm not sure what her job role is exactly, so hoping to know more then.

Do you think I will get told off for having lows? Lowest was 2.9 and regularly score in the low 3s.

When I had gestational diabetes I was advised readings between 4 and 6 were optimal.Readings below 3 you were likely to become hypoglaecemic - so it's not really a case of the lower the better when it comes to blood sugar.Sounds like your readings are quite low. I saw 3 different diabetic doctors in the 5 week I was diagnosed and they all had different ideas .As for my gigantic diabetic baby that I was apparently fattening up with all the sugar I was eating he was a measly 6lbs 11oz at 41 weeks.I found oatcakes really good - they never raised my sugars so I ate loads of them.

I'm not convinced my baby is huge either paddy, but may be in denial about this! People tell me I look massive but it is my third baby so would expect to look bigger anyway. Have only just got rib pain today at 36 weeks so can't be that gigantic.

Have read that hypoglycaemia is not an issue for the baby - am aware it's not brilliant for me, and feel pretty shocking most of the time, so hopefully will know more after I've seen them tomorrow perhaps I'll be able to ease up a bit.

Thanks for the tip re oatcakes - have had them occasionally as a snack but only dared to eat one at a time.

With regards to actual figures...

I'd say that 2.9 is a bit too low, the lowest fasting result I've ever had is 3.2.

Over the last 2 weeks I've averaged 4.1 fasting and my 2hr Post Prandial average is 5.9.

I've been told I need to keep the results

Oh and with regards to baby size... my scan last week at 35+5 is showing my baby as being a bit on the small side at 4lb 14oz. Now I know estimating current weight through ultrasound is pretty hit and miss, but the sonographer couldn't understand why I was having growth scans as baby has been 'small' all along.

Also discovered that Babe is breech, which at 36 weeks I thought they'd be a little interested in... but no... consultant and roomful of dieticians and diabetes educators were too preoccupied with what I was eating to even notice that in my scan results until I pointed it out as I was about to leave - cue look of surprise and hurried studying of my notes! Grrr!

Good luck with your appt tomorrow - as you only have 2 weeks left I bet they'd be happy to send you away with more testing sticks if you have a little whinge about how it would give you more security and peace of mind to know that you're eating correctly if you could test AFTER at least your main meal too (testing only before seems a nonsense to me).

Thanks Charlotte. The diabetes specialist was very pleased with my numbers, and didn't seem to worry about the hypos or the fact that I said I was "killing myself" to achieve them - she just said to carry on. She's changed me onto different sharps, but gave me a pitiful amount until I pointed out it wasn't enough. However, I wasn't on the ball enough with the sticks so I only have five days supply of those . Apparently I can give myself days off testing but I don't feel I can trust myself to do that as it's all too new.

At least I now have a diet sheet with some guidelines written down. Helpful stuff like "cakes contain sugar"

I don't have a script for my testing sticks - am just being handed them at the hospital, so shall see whether they come up with another appt for me within five days and try to scrounge some more.

Really and on your behalf about them not caring about a breech baby!