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Photo by sstepph
I recently took my glucose test and just got the results that I do not have it. But during the wait, I was worried, of course, like every mom-to-be who took the test.
All these tests during pregnancy can certainly add stress.
One of my friends, sstepph, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during her pregnancy. I wanted to find out what she had to do to keep herself and her baby boy, who she named Garrett, healthy.
Before you were diagnosed, did you already sense you had gestational diabetes?
I had an idea...because I was so thirsty. I couldn't get enough water, and ice cubes, and ice cold lettuce. I had to pee all the time but I never thought anything of it since Garrett hung out on my bladder.
What are some of the other symptoms?
Excessive weight gain, excessive hunger or thirst, excessive urination, and sometimes recurrent vaginal infections.
What did you have to do to manage gestational diabetes?
I had to meet with a Diabetic Counselor and a Dietitian. The counselor helped me with making sure I kept my blood sugar down. I had to take my sugar count four times a day which wasn't too bad. I had to [test] before I ate breakfast in the morning and it had to be under 100. I also had to test my ketones every morning (which all you had to do was pee on a stick). Then I had to test my blood sugar one hour after every meal. They all had to be under 120.
Sometimes it was easy and sometimes it was hard. I had to be active or my sugar would be over 120. The first two weeks, I couldn't get it down and I almost had to be on insulin, but was able to control it with diet. Which is where the Dietitian came into place. She gave me a sheet of what I could eat and how much carbs was in each.
I had to keep track of everything I ate. I wasnt allowed ANY juice or soda OR SWEETS!! I was allowed a little bit of milk, but I had to measure it. But mostly WATER. I did use Crystal Light at least once a day to give some flavor. Which was fine. I was able to control it the whole way through my pregnancy and I actually lost weight and was in better shape than I was before I was pregnant.
Were there any complications in your health or Garrett's?
No. They did keep checking my blood pressure, weight, and Garrett's weight to make sure he wasn't getting to big. He was 8lbs at 37.5 weeks so they decided to induce me. (I was a 10lb baby so they didn't want him to get that large since I was small.)
How are you and Garrett (who just turned one in August!) now?
We're great!! He was tested at the hospital to make sure his sugar was OK. I've had my blood checked to make sure my sugar was good, but haven't had to take the three hour test again...yet.
What advice can you give moms who are told they have gestational diabetes so they don't fear the worst?
I won't lie, it IS scary to hear that you and your baby are at risk for things, but if you do what the doctor, Dietitian, and Diabetic Counselor tells you, you will be fine. ASK questions when you are concerned. I swear...it's hard because when you're up in the middle of the night and you're craving that brownie and you know you can't have it it's the worst!! Make sure you remove the sweets and what you can't have out of the house or have your husband hide them so you don't tempt yourself.
Thanks Steph! I'm so happy things have turned out so well.
Are you concerned about gestational diabetes?
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Moms With Gestational Diabetes group
Comments (3)
I'm a type 2 diabetic and controlled my blood sugar just fine with diet and exercise before this pregnancy. After I became pregnant my blood sugars soared and I went on insulin. At first I was on 12 units of insulin twice a day, now it's at 65 units twice a day. My insulin requirements keep rising, but my OB said this is a sign that the placenta is still doing a good job.
What works most for me when it comes to food is no dairy in the morning and when it comes to lunch and dinner, I split my plate so that 1/2 the plate consists of a healthy dark green lettuce salad, 1/4 of the plate is protein and the remaining 1/4 is a complex carb. I also have two snacks a day and drink a lot of water.
Exercise really necessary with any diabetes during pregnancy, but I found it is difficult because of my crazy anemia. Just showering and getting dressed has me exhausted. Getting through the weekly grocery store trip is a huge challenge. So, the little exercise I get in hasn't kept the weight gain down.
they said I failed the one hour glucose and made me do the three hour one (they stick you with FOUR needles!) but I knew I didn't have it. I had forgetten that they were going to do the 1 hr test that day and had indian buffet with coworkers before the test and I always eat healthy and my weight gain was right on target so I knew it was the lunch and didn't worry about it. They are always telling me that I might have problems and want to do more tests and everything is always fine so I don't worry till after the test comes back positive (so far hasn't). (They said fluid on baby's heart, there wasn't etc etc....)
I've fought it with two of my pregnancies, including this recent one. I manage to get my sugar down with diet thank goodness because I would hate to have to use the insulin. Although my doc has suggested I be tested after this labor, he suspects it may not only be a "pregnancy" issue with me, blah.....and my sugar still does rage from time to time if I fall off the wagon and don't watch what I'm eating. I can tell though, I can feel it almost immediately and I already know the things that will set it off, now it's just avoiding those things, lol...