Support and help with Gestational Diabetes?

[Crapweasel]

Failed the "Lucozade test" last week, I've now been told that my GTT has also come back high and have therefore been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes.

Having failed the Lucozade test but passed GTT during my last pregancy I was really hoping to dodge that particular bullet again. Oh well....

Did some searching in the archives and found this fab old thread with lots of support and tips on diet etc. Any current sufferers (or experienced old timers) fancy joining a similar thread for 2010?

I have a diabetic clinic appt on Tues (where I understand I'll get a finger prick testing kit and see a dietician) so I'll report back then.

I'm 29 weeks by the way.

Great to hear how things are going crapweasel - found following this thread through so useful when I was first diagnosed a month ago (and am pleased to report time is flying by far quicker than if felt like it would!).

Have recommended this thread onto a friend who has just had borderline GTT results - think this is the most useful resource available on the net!

Great news on not being diabetic Crapweasel. I am so looking forward to the day I can eat something even slightly sinful without feeling like I am breaking the law I have noticed that some of my favourite 'bad' foods from before are just not nice atm so hoping I won't go back to them after baby is born, would love to get into some smaller jeans.

So after panicking that my sugars were going up hugely, since Tuesday they have been really good, especially after meal ones. Not sure if I am being extra careful as I don't want to be started off at 38 weeks or if things are just settling down but I do like it. back at Clinic on Tuesday and taking the doula with me so I will have some moral support to tell them I am not going to be started off at 38 weeks. I really want to get to September which makes me 39+1.

Crapweasal, good to hear from you and glad things are going so well. Good news on the jeans too!

I saw the consultant again yesterday and the good news is the baby is still growing in there. The estimated weight puts it on the 4th centile, so still tiny, but he said the important thing is it's still growing, rather than the absolute size. I'm going to be scanned again in two weeks (will be nearly 37 weeks then), but he said the most likely thing is that we will be just waiting to let nature take it's course now, which is excellent. He did say he would like to induce at 40 weeks, which for me is 5 September (looks like we're running in parallel Debs!), but to be honest I'd be more than happy with that. Not keen on going overdue as I'm only having 13 weeks maternity leave, so going overdue seems such a waste, plus we have booked to go and see my in-laws in Turkey on 11 October. If I go overdue getting the passport in time could be interesting!

Mamjo- did you have an appointment yesterday too?

i was an original poster on the gdd thread 2 years ago, i remember the days well combined with 4 lots of insulin injections a day, im diabetic anyway but each pregnancy i always need to inject , im happy to answer any questions you may have re birth and controlling bs or whatever .........im taking a pg test today.......gulp

Ohh disneystar... how exciting! Make sure you come back and tell us the result

negative for me im afraid lol but any questions of gdd im happy to answer

Disney sorry for the -ive.
Can I ask if you were diabetic before pregnancy do you think you were given different advice then those of us who only developed diabetes during pregnancy?
And did you have to be induced. If so what where their reasons? I am currently fighting aginst induction at 38 weeks due to the faff it was last time.

On a positive note since clinic last week my blood sugar readings have definitely dropped down by 1 at least. even my teatime ones are good. Hope that will help me go full term.

Had clinic yesterday and they are pleased with my readings. Had 2+ketones which wasn't too good. They were worried I was starving myself, I 'm not but I'm not eating as much as I was in previous pregnancies. Had to have a scan as bump was measuring 30 weeks not 35 and a blood ketone test, came back 0.6.
baby is transverse which is why bump is measuring low. Having a growth scan next week and they said that will give a better picture on how baby is doing considering the ketones.
hope all is well as I will be using the good meter readings with a normal growth scan to argue against induction at 38 weeks.

Where have you all gone?
Holiday?
Having babies?
Whatever the reason come back soon I need the help

Sorry Debs, it's just been fairly quiet- no babies yet!

I'm 36 weeks tomorrow, so will be packing my hospital bag, baby isn't allowed to come until at least next weekend though as that's when my in-laws are coming down to look after DS. I had the diabetes clinic this week, 4+ ketones which is less than ideal, I was asked what I was eating and they seemed a bit surprised as they said it was fine. They suggested I eat a bit more carbohydrate, which I have been and my sugars have been fine. Diabetes doctor is keen to induce at 39 weeks if baby hasn't already come and they have said they will give me a sweep at 38 weeks. I'm happy enough with that, I am done with being pregnant.

I can't see the advantage of inducing you at 38 weeks if your sugars are fine and the growth scan is fine, burmese seemed to do quite well at arguing against induction, so hopefully you'll be ok.

Hi Chocolate what does the ketone thing mean anymay? They just asked me if I was starving myself. I'm not doing the usual pregnancy eating but I am making sure I eat.

Hi ChocolateCalculator- We must have the same due date- I am also 36 weeks tomorrow!

Just popped on to see if anyone had any advice about late diagnosis of GD and home births?

I am booked in for a home birth for DC3 (after two previous home births) but my last check up came back with glucose in urine, so on Tues i will be having my diabetes test.

If it's positive, will i have to forego the home birth? I really hope not!

Hi all just wanted to add myself to the thread. was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and am now on 1000mg of metformin twice a day am hoping with the diet and this my sugars will settle as have been high on the lower dose :(

I am 29 weeks PG and am very chunky (dress size 24 at the minute) although I havent put on any weight this pregnancy (my 3rd boy) in fact I am now 5lbs lighter than when I found out at 5 weeks!

Although I am finding the testing 4 times a day a pain I think the diet change can only do me good! as I am now in trousers that were a bit tight before I got Pg!

My little one is measuring on the 60th cent at the moment so not massive but a little big more so his tummy than anything else! I was induced with my first 2 due to other problems

so have no worries about being induced again in fact if anything I am more scared of going on my own as have never experienced that before!

So thats me! have read back on the thread and found it really interesting x :)

From what I understand ketones are released when you break down fat for energy, so are often the byproduct of a low carbohydrate diet. They cross the placenta, but as far as I can tell nobody knows if there is any effect from them on the baby, but because nobody knows they prefer you not to have high levels. Nobody has really seemed that bothered about mine, and I had them all the way through my first pregnancy too. I have come to the conclusion that my body is rubbish at growing babies, I still haven't put on any weight at all this pregnancy, and the midwife is bemused. Will be interesting to see what the next growth scan on Friday says, baby was on the 4th centile last week...

Welcome Dancing and Maclaren. I'm afraid I know nothing about homebirth as it never appealed even prediagnosis, I can't imagine the consultants will be keen though as they like to monitor the baby's blood sugars for 24 hours post birth. Crapweasal, who started this thread, had an unplanned homebirth though and wasn't made to go in afterwards.

I agree with you Maclaren that being made to follow the GD diet is probably no bad thing for anyone and I certainly intend to continue with many of the changes I have made long term. It will seem weird not to be testing my blood sugars once the baby is born, been doing it for 7 months now...

Thanks Chocolate I heard it was a bad thing but not why. It was only one urine test that showed it up and I had had a week where I just didn't fancy food at all. I still don't really feel like eating much but am trying to as I know I need to.
baby was on the 50 centile last few times and I expect it to be around the same on Tuesday. The other 3 were all around the same weight, 8lbs, so I can't see this one being overly huge or small.

I've never fancied a homebirth but would like one as natural as ds where I only had gas and air, could walk around when wanted and had minimal monitoring. Did want a water birth with him but the pool was being used. WRT to baby being sugar checked there is no reason why you can't do that at home. It is a bit daunting pricking a baby but you should have MW still with you for a few hours after birth so sh could get it started, then you could take over until the MW pops back the next day. As long as you are sensible and agree to go in if levels are low or you have any concerns there should be no problem.
Saying that tho the drs do like to give you a very medicalised birth where every eventuality is covered.

Sorry Debs75 - didn't realise you'd been left adrift (bad habit of clicking onto this thread an only reading further if can see there's been more posts

I was worried about ketones, found it useful to spend a fiver buying ketone urineanalysis sticks over the counter - get a pack of 50 and can cut them in half lengthways to double the amount of them.

I dip every few days to check what my level is (think first wee of the day is what is most important) and since last appt have increased the carbs in my snacks (and making sure I snack/have meal every 3hrs approx). Have either been negative or had trace in last few dips so think it's helping - plenty of fluid is important too as they help to flush the ketones out of the body (thus its picked up in urine).

Choc Calculator - my bubs is similar size (think a shade over 5th centile) and has been since 12/40, has really irritated me when everyone's mentioned about Oohh GD - big baby then (even after they've mentioned how "neat" my bump is!!).

Not too worried as bubs is big enough to kick me and seems to have developed a magnetic attraction to my R lowest rib - ow!

Back in clinic tomorrow and feeling v positive about how things have been going, am 35/40 on Fri so nearly into final month (eek!)

loftyjen, interesting that your baby is also small, are they not worried about that? My DS was born at 37+2 weighing 4lbs 6oz and therefore because of my previous history of growth problems I have had a never ending stream of scans and consultants appointments. The fetal medical consultant I'm seeing is horrified that DS's growth problems weren't picked up prior to his birth, so given your baby is measuring small it seems odd that nothing is being done...

I'm starting to get sick to death of being pregnant, I'm 36+1 today and having near constant braxton hicks, spasms of pain in my hips and feeling more than a little hormonal. I'm worried that because I've been hyping myself up for an early delivery for so long, I'm not going to be able to take the disappointment if I go all the way to induction at 39 weeks. Want this baby out now (although it's also not allowed to come before the weekend when the inlaws come to look after DS)! Will be interesting to see what the consultant has to say when I next see him on Friday.

Chocolate I waver from wanting the baby out now to weanting to hold off until September. Am also 36 weeks so feel on the home straight. I know baby could come anytime now so am almost ready but desperately do not want induction and am willing my body to fight the GD so dr doesn't decide I need an early birth.
I know there isn't a lot I can do, clinic tomorrow so hoping for some good news.

loftyjen woke up in the middle of the night worrying that you would think I was suggesting you should be worried about the size of your baby- that wasn't what I meant at all. If you're getting plenty of movement then all is fine I'm told. I was more saying it was just another example of different doctors being bothered by different things.

Debs75 I would also prefer not to be induced, but I don't think I feel as strongly about it as others do. I suppose it's because it's not linked to the diabetes, which if that was why it was being suggested would seem pointless. I'm also only having 13 weeks off work, so induction will save me sitting around wasting my maternity leave before the baby is born!

Hi All,

I lost the thread for a few days there, glad to have found you all again.

Well after 1 week of diet monitoring I had 2 after food results of 7.6 and 7.8 and so they decided to try me on Metformin 500 twice a day. I have been taking it now since Friday but it doesn't seem to be making a blind bit of difference. Is it supposed to be instant or does it take a while to take effect?

The Endo said that they will probably want to induce at 38 weeks, but it seems a bit to be making those kind of desisions to me, I was only 31 weeks on the day of this conversation.

I havent googled the arguments for and against early induction becasue I am just tying myself up in knots. What will be will be !!

I am having a scan this Thursday so will at least be a little more clued up then as to whether or not this is effecting the baby.

take care ladies.

Chocolate Calculator - don't worry, no panic caused! Bubs was estimated to be 3lb 12oz at 32/40 and have another scan in 2wks when I'll be 36/40 where I'm hoping bubs will be bigger (do hope bubs isn't too tiny as really don't want to be feeding too regularly!).

Am lucky that my local hospital is home to the famous Harris Birthright Centre (lead by the same consultant who runs the Fetal Medicine Centre on Harley St) so have research fellows doing all of my scans (which is standard there) and had been monitored already because of unequal uterine artery pressures - hubbie was 2wks over due and only about 6.5lbs so think bubs is taking after him (only measurement above average is the legs and since hubbie was tall and skinny when young think I know who's genes it's got!).

Had good appt today - diabetic team v happy with how I'm doing and think it's unlikely I'll need insulin (but may need insulin drip if I get bm over 7 in est labour) and obs have agreed to let me go to 40+5/40 before inducing as scan had put me back 5 days on initial dating scan - so 6wks today I'll either have had bubs or will be being induced (good as my Mum goes on holiday for a wk on 24th Sept and wants bubs to be born beforehand!).

Mamjo, glad you came back I was a little bit worried about where you'd gone. Glad it went well with the diabetes team.

loftyjen, sounds like you're getting loads of monitoring. If you do have a little one, in my experience the feeding is the hardest aspect. I battled to get breastfeeding established as he was just too small to suck, and went through an exhausting week of trying to feed direct, then cup feeding EBM and then topping up with formula, then pumping on a 2 hour cycle, with the whole thing taking about 2.5 hours from start to finish! Once I had got him feeding direct he then fed about every 2 hours day and night until about 7 weeks as I think he was catching up. As you can imagine I am hoping for an easier ride this time! My advice if you do have a small one is to get as much help as soon as possible as it is harder.

blimey CC - feel tired just reading that!!
Have bought a breast pump already so guess I'll be using it lots!
Have met with another local mum-to-be with GD who said she'd been advised to use a breast pump from 36/40 to stimulate milk production so that she had plenty of milk once the baby arrived - unsure if that'd really work - anyone heard this as well/has had it work for them?

Mamjo when I started on the metformin I got a dicky belly for a few days, not too bad but I definitely wasn't constipated that first week. I laso noticed I had 'almost' hypos as the metformin drops down your sugar levels and your body can find it a shock. After a few days everything went back to normal.

Had clinic, growth scan today and am back on Thursday for induction.
Baby has stopped growing and my fluid level has dropped. It was at 50% up till 32 weeks but the points today are just in a straight line. Have no idea on estimated weight as they have never said but I am guessing on 6lbs or maybe less.

Didn't want induction but as it now seems a necessity I am resignd to it. Just wish I had more then 2 days to prepare.

On the plus note sugar levels are doing fine

Debs a baby tomorrow- wow! Sorry about the induction- better out than in in these circumstances though. Make sure you let us know how you get on.

loftyjen i'm not sure how well a pump would work at this stage, but there might be some truth in what has been said. I've been expressing colostrum since 31 weeks, 1ml a day. All diabetic pregnant women are advised to do it at my hospital, to avoid having to give formula if the baby's blood sugars start dropping, and given my previous situation I'm keen to try. Anyway I have noticed that it is taking me less time to get my daily syringe full now than it did 5 weeks ago, and I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to get anything like this amount in my first pregnancy (although the fact I was still breastfeeding when I got pregnant this time may also be linked to that).