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.

Hi ladies, hope you are all well this afternoon!!

Loftyjen I have also read that it is often required to start expressing early so that there is colostrum available for the baby even if there are circumstances which prevent the mum feeding straight away. I asked my NCT beastfeeding councellor about it and she agrees that it would be a really good idea but not to use a pump as the amount you will harvest is too small and will get wasted. She explained how to hand express and told me to speak to the midwife about how to capture and store the special stuff. hope this helps a bit.

I think that I am coming to terms with this GD thing not being my fault at last, so I am feeling much better. However it doesn't help when p[eople say things like "have you thought about changing your diet"? grrr!! no, I hadn't, thanks for the suggestion, I will put down this victoria sponge immediately and begin on a healthy eating plan!!! (gosh I can be grumpy when I am not getting treats!!!)

Got a scan tomorrow so hopefully I will know how all of this is affecting the precious one!! fingers crossed.

Hi Ladies,

I had my scan yesterday (32 weeks)and the AC measurement had the baby in the 95th percentile but head and femur measurements were about 50th. what does this mean?

thanks

Mamjo I think it means the baby potentially has a bit of a big tummy on it, most likely from being exposed to higher sugar levels befor eyou were diagnosed, which means they will probably want to do more growth scans on it to make sure it doesn't get too big.

Please don't worry too much about it as your baby will soon settle down to whatever weight it's meant to be once it's born.

Also please bear in mind the scans aren't brilliantly accurate anyway. I had a scan at 36+5 with DS where they said he currently weighed 5.5lbs, and then he was born at 37+2 weighing 4lbs 6oz, (he was just skin and bone and I really wished the GD had helped him put some fat on, you could count his ribs, which wasn't nice). It's more the trend between successive scans which matters.

I have another consultants appointment and a scan today, coincidntally I am 36+5, so I am planning to ask if I can see the notes from my scan with DS to compare!

Thanks CC

I have another one booked for 36 weeks so we will see what happens then. Hopefully by then my BG levels will be entirely sorted and he will have moved down the scale a little.

Had 10 blueberries this morning with my usual 2 weetabix (usually about 6.2) and got a 7.7, most frustrating. I do keep trying a bit of fruit because I love it so much but it always bites me on the bum!!! oh well never mind not long now and I can have the fruit platter I have been craving.

good luck today, I hope everything goes well for you.

So today was a complete waste of time. I waited for an hour before the receptionist came to tell me that they had just realised the consultant was on annual leave!! Was given the choice of having a scan with a sonographer or going home. As the baby hasn't been moving as much the last couple of days, I thought it was worth having the scan. The sonographer did a very quick scan and declared that the baby was a normal size baby and she had no idea why anyone had been worried, because as long as the baby fell somewhere between the 0 and 100th centiles everything was fine !

So I'm just going to wait for my appointment with the diabetes team on Tuesday, whilst willing the baby to put in an appearance of its own accord.

mamjo- I am so looking forward to having an apple when this baby is out! I am sick of strawberries and raspberries now which are the only fruits I can currently tolerate.

Oh CC - feel annoyed on your behalf (esp at sonographers comment!) - feeling bit feisty tonight!

Do worry that over rather than under estimating weights seems more common with scans - combined with feeling like I'm not that big (still seem to surprise people when I'm in my uniform at work with news of my pregnancy!) and that I've not really put wt on since GD diagnosis (have lost 2kg).

Having said that, am sure there'd be other stuff I'd be worrying about if not about this :(

Think I'm beginning my Arrghh it's still a wk and a half till my next scan, what will they say stress!

In many ways I'm not worried, the baby will be whatever size it is now, and what the scan says is pretty irrelevant- I just can't believe what a waste of time the whole thing was and how the hospital (and the particular consultant I expect) could be so disorganised and waste my time like that.

Just want this baby out now!!!

Just marking my spot so I don't lose you all again.

Well, I'm now in the home straight - I have CTG monitoring twice this week, then a sweep and induction next week should she decide not to come early. I'm not totally happy about induction as she's not growing big, but it's about more than baby size and I'm so looking forward to being able to have a piece of cake or a takeaway with WHITE rice!

I'm more worried about the birth this time than last - I think because of a range of reasons. Last time DS was early-ish (38+3). This time I'm already 38+5 and so I'm kind of waiting for her to arrive and I know if she isn't early I get induced. Also because of the Group B Strep and GD I have to be monitored lots so it's all rather less low key than last time. I'm also really tired, running around after the toddler, so wondering if I'll have the energy for labour. I guess there's the worry about the toddler too, but Granny (my mother) has come to stay and he's perfectly happy with her.

I'd just like this to be over and done with and meet her (and see if the name we've picked suits her.)

Found you all.

So had a baby girl on Saturday 14th at 14.57. She weighed 6lb 6oz, has dropped down to 5lb 11oz. She is unbelievably tiny, to me anyway, but is doing well and feeding and sleeping loads.
The inducement dragged on as my body went into stubborn mode and wouldn't get into labour, despite the synto drip being in for almost 24 hours. Once labour started it was 3 hours and pretty calm.
After birth they asked me to feed her within 2 hours and then they would start blood testing 3 hours aftr that. She tested over 2 each time so by 7am Sunday it was temp monitoring for 24 hours and we came home on Monday at 1pm.
I am off the metformin and checking bloods each morning, getting about 5 before breakfast. Have to go back for another GTT in 5 weeks but am sincerely hoping that it will go like it did before.

Hope the rest of you are coping with everything and hope to hear a few more babies have been born soon.

Debs- congratulations! Sounds like you had a fairly heavy going time of it, but a good outcome in the end.

I'm booked for a sweep on Tuesday and then induction on Wednesday, when I will be 38+3. I had hoped it would all happen by itself before then, but that seems to be getting less not more likely every day! I was all crampy on Tuesday, but since then feel great!

I'm hoping that my previous quick birth means induction will be ok, and so glad to be on the home straight now.

Congrats Debs, and best of luck for Tues/Wed CC.

I've just started mat leave (a shift early as I managed to badly sprain my ankle this am - ironic as I'm an A&E nurse!). Just hoping I'm up for gentle exercise again soon (aim to be swimming again tomorrow!) as sure that's what is really helping keep sugars under control.

I'm ages behind the pair of you - at the moment been told their happy for me to go to 40/40 so going to go by scan dates (21/09) rather than calender dates (17/09), esp as bubs isn't the biggest want to have maximum chance to grow as much as possible!

Congrats Debs, good luck CC - hope to hear from you soon. Jen: 40/40 is good, sorry about your ankle though.

I had my sweep but am still waiting. I have induction later this week, at 40+1 unless they're busy.

If anyone still reading this topic from the past expressed colostrum, would they pop over to www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/1027512-having-expressed-colostrum-antenatally-how-did-you-use-it? and answer my questions please.

Lucy is almost 2 weeks old now and my blood sugars are stabilizing nicely. I check them every morning before breakfast and they are about 5.2. I have my GTT on the 20th September so will know more then. Just have to keep off the chocolate biscuits and remember my portion sizes.

I thought I'd join this thread. I found out this week that I have GD and got my monitoring kit yesterday.

I am a little confused about diet. The nurse told me I could have green fruit, which she said is green apples, kiwis, watermelon, greenish bananas. This is the hardest part for me. I love nectarines, plums, mangos, pineapple, grapefruit, oranges, strawberries and so on.

Is this all true?? When I look at the GI diets online, this doesn't seem to add up. e.g. www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

She also said that I should limit veg from under the ground. Carrots are particularly sugary, which I suppose I always gathered anyway.

Hi Again, berries are all fairly low sugar so good (and this is best time of year for them :) !)

Not really looked into "green fruits" as am more of a berry bunny myself, but do wonder about bananas as they are quite high sugar/carb-ish, but do remember kiwis are good.

Ankle slowly improving - still swollen though and bruising is coming out in all it's glory now!

Debs - have you been told to stick to GD diet?? I've got my GTT booked for 12wks post delivery as the team at Kings College (in London where I'm having bubs) say that 6wks post can sometimes be too early but don't fancy staying dessert free zone till nearly christmas!

Hi Again with fruits it is best to go for the ones that you really need to add sugar to, then don't add the sugar. so anything that ends in berry, ie strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, blueberry are fine.
The greener a banana the less sugar in it so sterr clear of ones that have started to blacken.
Pineapple, mango, passionfruit and watermelon are no-no's as the have a high sugar content. I did eat loads of watermelon tho as it was hot and it was nicer then a cold drink.

Green veg is better then carrots and sweet potato is bnetter then a white potato.

Confused? I was but you get better at finding out what sends your blood sugars up.

Loftyjen I am eating more bread then I should but apart from that I am sticking to most of the diet. They didn't tell me to but I figured I might as well try and keep up the good work before the GTT.
I have noticed that I can eat chocolate without feeling sick and bread doesn't sit as heavy as it did so am using some willpower to stay on track.
I do feel 6 q
weeks is quite quick to retest you but that is just how our PCT do it. You are supposed to be tested every year but I didn't get a call after last pregnancy, I think I might request one though.

Hi everyone, I had a little boy on Wednesday, weighing a surprisingly hefty 6lbs 2oz. Just got home and have tucked into a pizza with champagne, both of which were heaven!

Induction went well, only needed my waters breaking.

Have stayed clear of the sugar testing so far, I am determined to enjoy eating normally for a couple of days.

Hope everyone's well, and I'll be back soon.

Blimey! Well done CC - had lost track that you were due so soon!! Glad everything was so straight forward too.

Debs - glad you've let go a little bit! Having not gained any wt since my GD diagnosis can see the benefits (bubs has been growing well in the meantime!), don't know how well I'll stick to it once I've had bubs though

Well done CC thats a good weight for 38 weeks. I bet he is tiny though. I can't get over how small Lucy is.

Lofty I want to try and stick to it as I lost at least 5 kilos being pregnant. have lost weight with all my DD pregnancies. With DS I put on loads. Not weighed myself since birth but I have noticed that my jeans feel better around my legs. I have real thunderthighs so any decrease is eagerly awaited.
It is harder to stick to when you know that baby is safely born but then I never did have any willpower

Hi ladies, I haven't visited for a while. Congratulations CC glad you had a good induction.

Really frustrated this week with my readings as I haven't changed my meals but some of the reading have gone up. I can see a pattern that the glucose levels are higher (about 1.5 points) on the days that I am at work. Has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks everyone for your good wishes. We're all settling in well at home and getting used to being a family.

Hopefully my experience will reassure those who haven't yet had their babies that induction doesn't have to be as bad as everyone says. I had my waters broken at 9:40am and had DS2 at 3:02pm, I coped on just TENS, although it was harder than with DS1 as I had to be on the monitor the whole time. I was still able to walk around next to the bed though so that helped.

We did have an issue during the first night with DS2's blood sugar levels, which suddenly dropped. The paediatrician wanted to give him formula, but I resisted as I had all my expressed colostroem at home and knew I could express more and wanted to try that first. In the end I just fed him solidly for an hour and after that we had no more problems. He's feeding well, so all my expressed colostroem got thrown away, it wasn't a waste though, as I'm sure it meant I had more colostroem which helped keep off the formula.

My sugars have been fine, I'm tucking into fruit with wild abandon, but have been pretty restrained on the other sweet stuff. P.S.- the midwife who came yesterday didn't believe I'd had a baby and told me she needed to see 'the mother' too! I'm wearing size 8 jeans- was wearing a 10 when I got pregnant!

...everyone seems to have vanished off of here :(

Am booked for my induction next Tues (eek!) and have managed to con't with diet/exercise control.

Am sure it's worth bumping this up as con't to see the occasional GD thread starting and as it's something that so little is generally known about, this could be v useful to newer GD guys.

Good luck on Tuesday Jen. I hope your induction goes as well as mine did.

Thanks CC - did you have anything to start your induction or were you already dilated so they just broke your waters??

Had a sweep attempted today but cervix was still posterior/closed so couldn't - was kinda hoping it would be starting to head forward/open a little bit but hey ho!

Hope your settling into mummyhood ok! x