Gestational Diabetes

[amberof2]

Ok this is my 3rd pregnancy and the signs of GD are back in full swing. I'm doing my darndest right now to stick to my "eat every two hours, no more than 15g carbs/meal, balance with proteins" It's working, but it's incredibly hard work (IMO) - anyone else having to deal with this and having some success? I could really use some support.:(

[Bella Catalina]

I haven't had GD mama, but just a :bighug:

[FancifulFanny]

I didn't have it last time and have no signs of it this time thus far but wanted tp send (((hugs))). Try the best you can.

[3 ladybugs]

I have yet to get tested (will likely go in for the test on July 18th since my OB insists on me getting done at 28 weeks). I do have the diagnosis of Insulin Resistance (the biggest thing that made me go to ART therapy to get pregnant) so I imagine I will be in the same boat as you when the time comes.

My prior pregnancies ended before I could be tested (one at 24 weeks, one at 10 weeks) so I have no idea if me being IR will mean that I will definately have GD.

I am sorry you know so early. I know that the GD diet isn't fun. I have basically been on it for 2 years because that is what I needed to do to get pregnant. However because of my prior medical history they wanted me to eat as much as I could "once the stick turned blue" and they didn't care what I ate. So I have been having fun the last few months. :)

Good luck!
Jennifer

[SlumberMomma]

I'm not due in Oct, but I saw your post and thought I would weigh in as well :)

I had GD with DD. I was tested early, at 23 wks, b/c I gained 8 pounds from 19 wks to 23 wks. Sure enough, GD :yuck: My midwife started me off just eating a low-carb diet and that worked for a couple weeks. But shortly there after, it just started getting more and more difficult keeping my sugars in check, even if I ate perfectly. So, I ended up being referred to an endocrinologist and put on insulin (I forget at what week...). By the time DD was born, I was giving myself insulin 3 times a day (slow acting at bedtime and fast acting at breakfast and lunch). And that was with eating practically no carbs what-so-ever! Grrr....

Okay, long story long :giggle: , and the reason I'm writing this, is that you have to eat like this for only a fraction of your life! And when it's all done, you're going to have a brand new beautiful baby to love. Whenever you get frustrated with what you're eating (or not eating), try and remind yourself that you're eating well for both you and your baby. The lower your sugars are, the less weight you gain, the less weight your baby gains, you're less likely to have complications during delivery due to a large head or large shoulders (ooh, and your OB is less likely to scream INDUCTION b/c of baby size)!

I know how hard it is to eat such a strict diet, especially when you're so hormonal and all you want is a cookie (or 2, or some ice cream on top, maybe some chocolate). But remember, this too shall pass. I let everyone around me know that I had GD so they wouldn't offer me things I shouldn't eat. I found that if I ate protein at the beginning of my meal, and then my little bit of starch, my sugar didn't go up so much. Make sure you're getting some sort of exercise everyday (I'm sure it's difficult with 2 LO), even if it's just a walk around the block. That will help A LOT!!

I am 6.5 wks with DC#3 and just celebrated DDs 1st birthday. I had my last bite of cake for 8 months yesterday and will begin eating a GD diet tomorrow. I will be tested for GD early this time, but I'm not waiting until then to eat a low carb diet. Good luck! It sure does suck, but the end result is SO worth it!!! If you ever need to chat or vent, feel free to PM me!

[staceyroo77]

I had GD w/ my second pregnancy...It was really hard. I'm just found out I'm pregnant, and I'm going in Thursday for the 1 hr glucose test already. I'll be almost 5 wks then. I hope I don't have GD, and if I do I hope it's not until much later on, the last few months of my pregnancy seem forever b/c of the diabetic diet and medications.

[mcbruhn]

Believe it or not, my gestational diabetes has proved to be a blessing! I lucked out. I have a great nutritionist. I've had no trouble with the diet she gave me (although my numbers weren't SUPER high). She told me to really go for proteins (especially lean ones) and for vegetables, to go easy on starchy veggies and moderate on fruits. And I couldn't believe it, but a glass of milk or a fruit yogurt is actually pretty high in carbs! Cheese and plain yogurt are better.

Breakfast: 15g carbs (One of the YoMommy yogurts and some hard-boiled eggs works for this)
snack: 30g (1-2 hours after breakfast) (Yogurt with fruit--I get the calcium enhanced stuff to make up for less milk intake--or some fruit crisp, a banana with peanut butter, etc.)
Lunch: 60-75g carbs maximum (3-4 oz. protein, lots of veggies, some limited starch)
snack: 30g carbs (some energy bars fit this category)
Dinner: 60-75g carbs maximum
snack: 30g carbs (a lot of ice creams have 15g carbs in 1/2 cup, so that's a cup of ice cream! Yummy! Now my hubby checks carbs religiously when he shops)

Something that really helps me to maintain this diet is my Living Cookbook program. It's a cookbook program that crunches nutrition numbers on recipes. You type in a recipe, link the ingredients to its database, specify the # of servings, and there you are. It isn't as accurate as a nutrition lab, but plenty accurate for counting carbs. And you can subtly alter some of your recipes to cut carbs and up the nutrient value--I like adding oat bran to baked goods for this (substitute up to 1/4 the white flour--but don't do it for something like pizza dough that needs to be tender!). You can get the program online and use the free trial version for quite a while before deciding if you want to pay to continue using it. When I told my nutritionist about it (I had been using it before GD), she was all for it!

My nutritionist also told me (and this really works!) that even 15 minutes of walking after a meal cuts glucose considerably. I've cut potatoes out completely (that was the ONE time my glucose was too high).

In general my low numbers are in the 80s and my high numbers are in the 120s. I occasionally am in the 70s range and in the 135+ range, but those numbers are pretty rare. I've been able to go down to testing 2x/day (waking sugar and then I alternate 1 hour after meals). Of course I have to do ketones, too.

I've also started an exercise study through Penn State for women with GD. It's great. They gave me a pedometer, so I'm tracking my steps, and I get to work out 2x/week with a personal trainer. I do a mix of treadmill walking, low-impact aerobics and stationary bike (it's recumbent, so it's comfy with a belly in the way). It's all designed for pregnancy, and there is a nurse there, so very safe. They have me test my sugar before and after exercise, and it's cool to see how much glucose I have burned in just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (plus warmup and cooldown) on some days! Other days I start at a good number and it stays about the same. I've been feeling great, and actually happy that I was diagnosed with GD so I could be in this fantastic study! To increase my activity, hubby and I have been walking 1.5 miles every evening (around the neighborhood) and we're going to take salsa dancing again starting tonight. I love the salsa instructor at our Y, and I know that she'll let me modify some stuff for pregnancy.

You might want to see if there are any studies in your area that you can participate in. I actually get compensation (not much, but nice) for my study! And the trainer time is FREE, so I can't even begin to calculate what that would cost!

Good luck, and remember that this can be a way to change your life in a positive way! And too, this isn't just your issue: remember that you need to do this for your baby. In other words, use those lemons to make lemonade!

[sweetpeasbowtique]

great post above, I didn't want to quote it since it was long. I also was borderline w/ my third, I failed my 3 hour test. I just started watching my diet, no juices, only water and that helped alot. Hang in there and you can do it!! I actually managed to lose a few lbs. and was still eating exactly what the baby need and nothing he didn't. :thumbsup:

[mcbruhn]

great post above, I didn't want to quote it since it was long. I also was borderline w/ my third, I failed my 3 hour test. I just started watching my diet, no juices, only water and that helped alot. Hang in there and you can do it!! I actually managed to lose a few lbs. and was still eating exactly what the baby need and nothing he didn't. :thumbsup:

THANKS! I've actually lost a little weight too, though my bump is getting pretty prominent...

[starrsmomma]

I am 30 weeks pregnant with DD #2. I didn't have GD with DD #1, buit just failed my 3 hour test yesterday. They have me testing blood 4x a day, and modifying diet. So far so good. My only concern is breakfast. I am afraid I will overdo the eggs (cholestorol). Any other ideas on what can be eaten? Cereal is too high carb.

Also, anyone ever tried Glucerna products? I meet with a nutritionist tomorrow and plan to ask about it!

[mcbruhn]

From what I've heard, eggs are considered much less of a cholesterol culprit than they used to be. 2 eggs/day are actually considered to be fine.

I've been eating the Yo Mommy yogurt first thing in the AM when I don't feel like eggs. They ring in at about 15g carbs. Cottage cheese is also a good choice, and you can get nonfat. And then 1 hour after breakfast I have some fruit, or yogurt with fruit, or something else (b/c I can have 30g carbs then).

Good luck with the nutritionist. Ask LOTS of questions and describe your typical eating habits in detail. At least for me it was very rewarding.

[CarrieAnn0413]

Are there signs/symptoms of GD? I had it with DD and had no clue until my glucose test came back. I have my 1 hour test in a couple weeks.

[mcbruhn]

A nurse once told me that really NEEDING to drink lots of water was a sign. Of course, with summer heat and all, that seems a little inaccurate. I was feeling "buzzy" after meals with lots of carbs, so I suspected I might test positive (and did).

[missdoodle_bug]

does anyone remember what their 1 hour glucose test was? Mine was 155 and I just did the three hour today. I was wondering if your first tests were in that area and if they were, did you develop gd

[missdoodle_bug]

my 3 hour test came back all normal!!!!! After the high 1 hour I did start eating less sugars and carbs so that may have made a difference.

[mcbruhn]

Awesome mama! Glad you passed!

Just in case you still want to watch your glucose levels, here's what my nutritionist suggested for managing my gestational diabetes--maybe you could do a more "relaxed" version if you're interested. This is for about 2200 calories/day and it's pretty darn easy to follow:

breakfast: 15g carbs
snack (at least 1 hour later): 30g carbs
lunch: 60-75g carbs
snack (again, 1 hour or more later): 30g carbs
dinner: 60-75g carbs
snack: 30g carbs (a lot of ice creams have just 15g in a 1/2 cup serving!)

As you can see, it's about not having much in the morning (apparently that's when you're most insulin resistant), and then keeping a balance through the rest of the day. It's particularly important to have a good snack with a little protein before doing any moderate exercise--snack 1 hour before, roughly. For breakfasts, I find that a small yogurt and 1-2 hardboiled eggs work well.

[CarrieAnn0413]

I found out today I failed my 1 hour test :( I go in Monday morning for the 3 hour. My numbers were 154, maybe I will pass the 3 hour. we'll see. Either way I am going to start watching my diet now. So whatcha' all eating? I need some meal ideas :)

[staceyroo77]

Awesome mama! Glad you passed!

Just in case you still want to watch your glucose levels, here's what my nutritionist suggested for managing my gestational diabetes--maybe you could do a more "relaxed" version if you're interested. This is for about 2200 calories/day and it's pretty darn easy to follow:

breakfast: 15 carbs
snack (at least 1 hour later): carbs
lunch: 60-75g carbs
snack (again, 1 hour or more later): 30g carbs
dinner: 60-75g carbs
snack: 30g carbs (a lot of ice creams have just 15g in a 1/2 cup serving!)

As you can see, it's about not having much in the morning (apparently that's when you're most insulin resistant), and then keeping a balance through the rest of the day. It's particularly important to have a good snack with a little protein before doing any moderate exercise--snack 1 hour before, roughly. For breakfasts, I find that a small yogurt and 1-2 hardboiled eggs work well.

My meals are...
breakfast 30 carbs
snack 15-30
lunch 45 carbs
snack 15-30
dinner 30 carbs
snack 30-45carbs

60-70 carbs for lunch and dinner seems high to me, but I'm just going by what was recommended at my high risk ob's office...it's pretty much the same for all the patients there.

[mcbruhn]

Yeah, with the plan my nutritionist gave me, it's working out pretty well. I tend towards the lower end of that scale with lunch and dinner, in general, but it's nice to have the wiggle room! And my readings have been stellar.

[CarrieAnn0413]

Question for you all...

Are there any fruits that you were told not to eat or that you have eaten and they made your levels to high? I am a big fruit eater (especially when pg) and I am not sure if there are any that I should stay away from.

[MyLil'Mountaineers]

I had the 1 hour GD test done at 15 weeks because I had GD with my other 2 children. I failed. I would have bet money on passing because I'm feeling great. I am seeing an endocrinologist in 10 days to figure out what's going on. Last time, it was determined that I had a slow recovery. I failed the 1 hour and failed the first 2 checks (not counting the fasting check) of the 3 hour but passed the 3rd check. I just had to tweek my diet a little and everything was fine. It actually was a blessing because I only ended up gaining 10-15 pounds. He was a healthy 7lb 10 oz baby.

Someone asked about symptoms:
With my first, I was so dizzy one day that I feel down the stairs. My OB started asking me questions and my answers were really suspicious. She sent me for the test and I failed miserably (I don't remember what my numbers were).
With my second, I was just really dizzy and sleepy all of the time. Like I said earlier, it was determined that I just had slow recovery time but was still diagnosed as having GD.

This pg I had absolutely no symptoms. I felt unusually fantastic. So, you never know. I tell people that you can't go by how you feel.

I'm already on the diet and I seriously want to pull my hair out. I think the fact that I'll be on it for 22 weeks is just killing me. I'm not a bad eating normally but I love my carbs. LOL!!! But like a pp said it's only a fraction of my (and your) life and the benefits are awesome (healthy baby, healthy mama). All of the missed cakes will mean nothing when I'm holding my little baby!!

(((HUGS)))

[staceyroo77]

Question for you all...

Are there any fruits that you were told not to eat or that you have eaten and they made your levels to high? I am a big fruit eater (especially when pg) and I am not sure if there are any that I should stay away from.

I'm not a big fruit eater, so I'm actually eating more fruit on the diabetic diet, than I usually eat. I think the only one that my nutritionist mentioned was kiwi, but you just have to try it and see how it works for you, iykwim.

ETA, that I think they say to avoid fruit, and milk first thing in the morning for breakfast, but they are ok later in the day

[mcbruhn]

Watermelon were the only no-no that I heard about. I avoid those and potatoes. Most other things are OK in moderation. Just make sure that you space out your fruit consumption. And eat more veggies--most have almost no carbs!

[XoXo]

i have a HIGH rate of diabetes in my family, and when i was Prego with DS2 i was tested the day i found out i was preggo.. a week later i had to take the 3 hour test.. then i had to start the special diet to try to control it and at 17 wks i was place on insulin.. here was my diet

Breakfast ~15-18 gm Carbs
snack~15-18 gm carbs
Lunch~ 30-45 gm carbs
snack~15-18 gn carns
dinner~ 30-45gm carbs
snack~15-18 gm carbs...

I followed this diet VERY closely and lost 30lbs while preggo with DS and when he ws born he was in NICU for 3 days got low blood sugar

with DD i was GD also... I followed the same diet, but not SOO strictly, i lost 10lbs, but with DD i was always sick to my stomach.. I was never on insulin, but i was on MetForman and another med.. DD was born at 35wks and a picutre of perfect heath.. she was on the large siz for being soo early , she was 7lbs 1oz....


I have to share this story... our DD was the first baby for DH... i was havign an issue with HIGH blood sugar in the am's.. he went with me to the Dr.. This guy was horrid, his eyes never left my chest and he told my DH i was STARVING myself and my baby, and my blood sugars were proving it... i wasn't eating enough at night and my body was burning fat to make up fro it, which was giving me the hig blood sugars.. Dh was speechless and didn't understand (even tho i was trying to explain to him) he took me to Olive Garden, and they had an all you can eat pasta bowls... he had me eat 4 bowls.. He kept saying.. the doctor said you starving.... you have to eat for our baby..lol.. he just kept ordring food... I ended up throwing up in the bathroom.. i went home and pri8nted up a bunch of reaserch and we never went back to that Dr. again... ;)

[XoXo]

with my nutrionist said 1 piece of fruit counts as 15 carbs...

[mcbruhn]

I got a little table on the carbs in most fruits from mine. Roughly 1 fruit (like a peach or an orange) is 15g carbs, but a large banana has 30g. A handful of berries is about 15g also.

I have to say it's nice to hear from other folks who are dealing with their GD with diet and exercise. There are some women in my exercise study for GD who just aren't willing to adapt anything at all, and end up on insulin! And my nutritionist mentioned that there are other women who just ignore it completely and end up having all the complications you are warned about! Frankly, I hate needles enough that the idea of having to do daily injections is more than enough motivation to modify my lifestyle! I'm doing OK with all of the poking and prodding at the regular midwife visits, and all the blood samples, but the idea of having injections daily JUST DOES NOT APPEAL. Somehow that's totally different than sticking my fingers 2x/day. I know it's not logical, but that's how my brain works.

Anyway, I really appreciate that there are other women out there who, like me, are dealing with GD in a productive way. Yay for us!

[CarrieAnn0413]

Thanks for the fruit info ladies :thumbsup: It is only day 2 and I am already having a hard time figuring out what to eat. And I feel hungrier than normal. I thought with less sugar and more protein I would feel full longer but nope. I was starving not even an hour after breakfast and not long after lunch as well. I have snacks in between. I feel like i am living in the kitchen :giggle:

So anyone want to share some meal/snack ideas. I think I need to go shopping for more food

[AlliBaba1234]

Maybe you're just eating less all around since you started keeping track religiously- at least that's what happens to me, haha! :)

My mom had high blood sugar at a doc's appointment once and I remember she just started managing it with the low GI diet and her numbers are great now. She eats blueberries quite often, I think (low sugar).

I would definitely get a cookbook or 2. The "Best Vegetable Recipes" cookbook has amazing information on cooking some of the weirdest, yet tastiest, vegetables (and it's a little less intense than the plain "Best Recipes" cookbook). Bok Choy, celeriac and rutabegas, anyone? I still use their super-easy brussels sprouts preparation and its variations. And maybe Google "diabetic snacks" or "low-carb snacks" if you get bored and see what kind of hits you get. I'm AWFUL at meal and snack planning, especially coming from a household where we ate mostly flavorless or convenience food, and we never ate together. Meal planning is NOT my forte, kwim??

Good luck and happy eating!

[mcbruhn]

I like the EatingWell Diabetic Cookbook. It's expensive in stores, but I got it on Overstock for something like 10.50. It very clearly indicates how many 15g carb servings are in any given recipe, and I like their recipes.

I love stir frying Chinese greens or even green beans with garlic, chili, soy and a little rice vinegar. Vinegar lowers your carbs, by the way, and rice vinegar is a good way to flavor stuff without getting too much sodium. This is the kind of thing that takes only a few minutes. Often times we have the greens with rice (yes, you can do rice in moderation with GD) and with steamed pork or shrimp dumplings. Many stores carry good ones in the frozen ethnic food section. So I start the dumplings steaming, then the rice, and then stir fry, and everything is done at once after about 15 minutes.

[mcbruhn]

Oh--forgot to mention: A little bit of cheese (1-2 oz) or a hard boiled egg is a great way to stave off hunger. No real carb issue in either, and enough protein to keep you going for a while.

[XoXo]

when i was GD, it I seems to be eating all the time.. what i woudl do is cut chunks of cheese up and keep them in the fridge and had hard boiled eggs on hand...try some plain peanuts, look for soem adkins bread and have soem toast with peanut butter... my REAL saving grace was Crystal light... ohhh
i read where 80% of morning sicknesss was related to smells.. i had the worst morngn sickness.. i found relief in crystal light lemonaid...

[CarrieAnn0413]

Thanks for the food ideas :drif: I got am going to hard boil some eggs tonight, I wonder if I would like egg salad (or if that would be ok with the mayo, have to check that one). I found some whole wheat bread that is low in carbs :thumbsup: And I am on a salad kick, I dont stay full for long with that though. Oh, the peanuts sound goooood. Making a list :thumbsup:

[starrmama]

Messed up the quote somehow, but this is about the egg/cholesterol and breakfast issue...

Most of the mainstream advice about cholesterol is just plain wrong... you don't get high cholesterol from eating cholesterol in food... it is the body's coping mechanism to try and patch blood vessels damaged by trans fat, sugar, and chemical additives/toxins from our environment and processed foods... at least, that is my belief after extensive reading... if you don't want to take my word for it, plenty of great info can be found at www.westonaprice.org I am eating a very restricted breastfeeding diet including trying to keep my carbs down because of yeast issues, but dd and I seem fine with eggs, so most days I have 5 eggs! Every morning I eat 2 homemade sausage patties and 2 eggs with 1/2 cup raw sauerkraut... Your body NEEDS the nutrients found in animal foods... search out some truly free range local eggs (preferably fed orgaic grains and living outside on pasture) with bright yellow yolks... they are a HEALTH FOOD!

Elizabeth
(somewhat outspoken advocate for omnivorous diets that include animal fat and cholesterol... and only a little crazy, but that's due mostly to lack of sleep, not the eggs :thumbsup: )

[starrmama]

Ok, have to say something about Crystal light too... a great and much healthier replacement for that is lemon juice, lime juice or cranberry concentrate with stevia added and water... stevia is a no calorie sweetener derived from an herb that doesn't have the side-effects of splenda or nutra sweet...

Elizabeth

[AlliBaba1234]

I thought the new advice to diabetics is to stay away from artificial sweeteners (don't remember why).

Does anybody know about agave nectar and GD?

[AlliBaba1234]

BTW, how many nuts are too many? They say nuts are great, but don't eat too many during pregnancy b/c of the whole nut allergy thing. Does anybody know?

Sheesh.

[CarrieAnn0413]

BTW, how many nuts are too many? They say nuts are great, but don't eat too many during pregnancy b/c of the whole nut allergy thing. Does anybody know?

Sheesh.

good question. I want to know too. I was going to buy some nuts for snacking but dont want to eat to many. if i can i'll ask my mw on monday when i go in for my 3 hr

[mcbruhn]

I just eat a handful of nuts as a snack every few days. I like pecans, mainly.

[AlliBaba1234]

OK, good, because I eat peanut butter on a slice of bread every other day. I was hoping that was OK :S

[CarrieAnn0413]

I ate peanut butter almost daily with dd and she doesnt have any nut or other food allergies. From what I found online, it is more related to genetics so if you have food and/or nut allergies in the family you may want to stay clear of them while pg and bfing. still going to get my mw's opinion when i see her. had peanut butter on whole wheat bread today for a snack and it was yummy!

[MagnoliaWhisper]

Ok, wow I had to catch up on a lot of posts.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, so this is my life pregnant or not. lol

1. I'm not trying to be mean, or pick on any one when I say this......but please, if you can at all do think of this as a life style change and try to stick to a pretty healthy diabetic diet after GD-almost 100 percent of GD goes into type 2 with in 10 years of GD if they don't change their lifestyle/diet.

2. For recipes, it's not "whole" foods really, but they do have all the diabetic exchanges, and nutritional listings, I just love healthyexchanges.com

3. As for fruits to avoid, I've never heard to avoid watermelon. Why? It's mostly water and lower carb then most the other fruit out there. My dad is a RN and calls it a diabetic wander fruit or something like that. lol I love the stuff and ate a lot of it while pg. As for potatoes, I ate them too during pg. lol I say EVERY thing in moderation. As long as you eat with in your carbs you should be fine. I am anti low carb diets though, as they are hard on diabetic kidneys. I'm more of a ADA diet plan (pyramid) advocate, in the long term studies show more long term good blood glucose with the pyramid diet then the "low" carb diet.

4. I am not saying the person who had the nutty dr was starving herself, but what I am saying, is partially the drs explaination can be correct. IF you don't eat a night time snack, and your blood sugar drops in the night (usually around 3 am), then your liver will make and dump sugar, giving you a high blood sugar in the morning. However, I think that is more of a type 1, type 2 thing. I believe with GD, I hear it's just almost impossible to avoid a morning high.

5. It's not that bad of a diet. Just try to focus on what you can have, and what you can do, rather then on what you can't. lol I used to think the schedule of eating every 2 hours was hard. I did it all my life, and sometimes it was a drain.....then I had my DD, who couldn't latch and I wanted her to have breast milk. So, I had to become a exclusive pumper. The first 16 months of her life I pumped 8 times a day (every 4 hours, even during the night, for 16 months!). And because I'm a type 1 diabetic, I still had to eat every 2 hours. lol I'm still pumping and my DD is 22 months, but now I'm down to only 5 times a day. Any way.....some days it seems like all I do is pump milk and eat, pump milk, and eat! lol haha I am starting to long for the days when all I had to do was eat every two hours. lol hahaha

6. Is there any food you particularly like and are missing? Maybe I can give some help.

7. Eggs, I agree with what others said. I LOVE eggs, I eat them all the time and my cholesterol is fine! And high chol, comes with diabetes, yet I don't have it. And I eat eggs every morning! Um..more then 2. lol haha OTOH, while pg, the thought of eggs made me ill, even though I was used to eating eggs every morning before pg, and now have resumed that egg eating habbit! lol However, while pg I did eat low fat cottage cheese every morning for breakfast. And sometimes pb sandwiches.

8. The great peanut debate. I also agree with the other poster, I would say it has more to do with genetics then you eating them. I ate lots of nuts and lots of peanut butter (and other nut butters) my whole pg! It was easy when I was tired, and nauseated. My daughter doesn't seem to have any problems with it. She eats nuts now, even though she's not 2. Her ped doesn't seem to care. Although I only gave her breast milk her first 12 months of life-which her ped wanted. When I talked to her ped about pb after 12 months she said she was fine with it, and she herself ate pb all the time! lol haha And thought it was nutritious and good! lol

[MagnoliaWhisper]

oh one more ps, I used light bread for breakfast and sandwiches, cause it's lower carb, and higher fiber. Remember you can subtract carbs, if it has 5 or more gms of fiber!

[mcbruhn]

Watermelon was listed as having a high glycemic index in the stuff that my nutritionist gave me. And the one time I had potatoes, my glucose went way up. They were listed as having a high glycemic index as well. So I avoid both.

Other than that, I eat as varied a diet as possible. I had a pretty good diet to begin with before all of this, so I really haven't changed anything. I still eat rice and pasta. But we don't do breakfast muffins--we do more eggs and other stuff with protein. I do fruit crisps topped with an oat struesel instead of pie, because piecrust is also pretty high. But I personally don't feel like I'm denying myself anything much. I've even found ice creams that work within my carb "budget" for snacks.

Plus, I HAVE approached this as a lifestyle change. But I had that approach to pregnancy in general. I run my recipes through my Living Cookbook program to crunch the nutrition info, and I'm exercising 5-6 days a week. Basically it's my new project. And I don't see myself "regressing" once this is over. I'm more looking forward to having sushi again!

[MagnoliaWhisper]

Ok I don't do regular pasta, only the high fiber stuff, but that's a personal choice. lol

I don't believe in the GI. Cause what they did was studies on a small amount of people (I believe 18) and had them eat these foods and then took their blood sugar afterwards. Every one responds differently to different foods. So how I respond to watermellon, and how Joe does will be different. Our genetics, how fat we are, etc all has a role in that. The Diabetic Cooking magazine just this month had a article on the GI and said it wasn't reliable for the reasons I stated and a few others. It's more reliable to go by the carbs and fiber something has, and then take your personal blood glucose to see how it effects you.

I will say with potatoes, I do not eat big ones, I make sure they are under 8oz. I weigh every thing! lol :)

As far as pie crust believe it or not, they are fine for my blood sugar, but biscuits are not! lol haha

I like Ice Cream too! lol Bryers (but not the low carb, or sugar free, I just make sure it's around 20carbs and under 120 cals 1/2 cup), and Edys are my favorites.

[CarrieAnn0413]

oh one more ps, I used light bread for breakfast and sandwiches, cause it's lower carb, and higher fiber. Remember you can subtract carbs, if it has 5 or more gms of fiber!

How does this subtracting carbs work? I am very interested. Even though to my great surprise I found out yesterday that I passed my 3 hour test. I still feel I should be eating better anyway. My dad has type 1 and a few of my aunts on my moms side of the family have type 2. I had GD with my dd so I need to make some changes for my future health and why not start now.

[mcbruhn]

The EatingWell Diabetic Cookbook says that you can subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrates to come up with a more accurate carbohydrate number (since the fiber passes through). So if something with 21g carbs has 3g fiber, you're actually at 18g. I'm sure MagnoliaWhisper might have even more complete info based on her experiences.

[CarrieAnn0413]

The EatingWell Diabetic Cookbook says that you can subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrates to come up with a more accurate carbohydrate number (since the fiber passes through). So if something with 21g carbs has 3g fiber, you're actually at 18g. I'm sure MagnoliaWhisper might have even more complete info based on her experiences.

Thanks, I was wondering if it was that simple or if there was more to it. That explains why some food affect me differently. Fiber!! :giggle2:

[jenbengtson]

i jsut had to do my three hour test today and i don't know what i am going to do if i fail it...i am can't stand eating meat right now and don't know how else to get the protein i need...

[littlefornow]

I have PCOS (www.pcoscoach.com) so I was not exactly shocked when the nurse told me today that I failed my one hour test (28 weeks today). I am going in next week for the 3 hour test but my gut tells me I'll fail that one too since I've already gained a pound a week this whole pregnancy. I was doing pretty well with a low-glycemic diet until I got pregnant (works better for me than low-carb). But, with the severe morning sickness I got in the habit of eating whatever would stay down.

My older sister had GD with her last couple of kids (she has 10). She had to do insulin shots with the last two. I am totally freaked out by even the idea of a glucose monitor, don't know if I could do shots. But she said that walking at least 20 minutes every day is the only thing that kept her sugars under control well enough to keep her at one shot a day instead of 3. She did say that eating right became a full time job the last trimester of each pregnancy.

So, now I need to find more time to eat right, more time to exercise, time to practice Hypnobabies, more time to sew (poor baby still has almost no stash!), amore time to make Sheepish Grins soap (cause I KNOW I ain't gonna be doing that in a few weeks since it requires standing up for a couple of hours and I may not even be able to reach the counter soon! LOL).

[MaryF]

I had GD when I was pg with Ethan, and have it again this time... I have found that it was easier to manage when i was pg with him because I didn't have to worry about what my LO was eating, too, yanno?

I have a very distinct feeling I will be put on insulin this time:( I have my next prenatal visit on Tuesday, so we shall see what she says.

[kimnlogan]

I had GD with my first pregnancy but I was on bedrest from 15weeks to 36 weeks and it was fairly easy to control with some minor diet changes. I really was hoping it was mostly from inactivity that I had issues. Evidently not so much. I did pass my 3hr test a few weeks ago but after gaining a bunch of weight recently and measuring 5weeks ahead per fundal height I decided I needed to start checking once in a while. Wellll... after eating out and having chips/salsa and a chimichanga my glucose was 187 two hours later! Ugh! So.. .back to monitoring and off to the endocrinologist I go next week. It hasn't been too bad this weekend (until I ate two large pieces of a self-rising crust pizza and a filled donut last night... dang it.. sometimes a girl's just gotta eat what tastes good!LOL) so hoping that I will be able to control through some minor diet changes again. Unfortunately I have had SUCH a terrible sweet tooth this time! Ugh!

Anyway.. I feel for all of ya in the boat.. and scoot over.. I'm comin' in too! :)

Kim

[littlefornow]

I failed my one hour test two weeks ago so I had the 3 hour test last week. My doctor and nurse were out of the office for almost two weeks right after I had the test. So, when my results were in I was really, really annoyed when no one would tell me my results. I called and got their scheduling desk, finally (stinking phone tree....). The receptionist told me no one could get me my results til the following week.

I am usually pretty calm, but I freaked. I just knew I needed those results THAT DAY. So I called again and got their urgent care message line. I explained that I NEEDED those results because the stress of not knowing was not good for me or the baby. I did finally get a call back and the nurse was really nice. She told me I had failed all 4 of the blood draws for the 3 hour test. She explained how to eat, said I should take a class on GD and said to have a good weekend.

Then, I get a call from the doctor who was covering for mine. She told me my results were SOOO bad that I needed to go to the hospital immediately and get it under control. I tried to talk her out of it, but she was clear that I needed to do this. Said it would be two days.

Well, it ended up to be 4 days because it took them longer to stabilize my numbers than they were expecting. One of the docs in the practice told me that in 12 years he had never seen someone fail ALL 4 blood draws. Yay me! Ever the leader.

So, now I am taking my blood sugars 6 times a day or more and giving myself 4 shots a day. I am seriously freaked out by needles, but I don't really have a choice but to do this. It is like a new full time job. I am constantly testing, eating, injecting, testing, trying to figure out what I can eat that won't make me sick.

So, now even if I had a new midwife, I would still be condemned to a hospital birth since it would be illegal for a midwife to attend me. And, I am gonna have to have an IV insulin drip during labor. I had talked my doc out of doing an IV unless necessary, now it is necessary.

Not enjoying this game....

[mcbruhn]

Little--

I'm sorry that this is turning into such a pain (literally), but I want to congratulate you on your attitude. We have to do what we can for our baby's health. Kudos to you for using the insulin, despite being creeped out!

Is there any chance that if you are able to get your diet under control, that you might be able to eliminate the insulin?

And one thing I learned from being in my gestational diabetes and exercise study is that even 15 minutes of mild exercise (like a walk around the block) can help drop your sugars after a meal in a very healthy way. Maybe that would help.

[littlefornow]

I definitely plan to start doing more exercise, but I am going to wait a few days until I have everything else under control. My sugars were nearly perfect today (yeah!) but that meant I also had a really bad headache most of the day as my body adjusts to all of this. Until about 6 PM I was also feeling really mentally confused as my brain got used to the lower sugars. I kept forgetting what I was saying and not being able to think of the right words.

I am hoping that exercise and a really strict diet will keep things under control, but the dietician said that typically the need for insulin increases up until delivery. My sister had this with a couple of her last pregnancies and she said that walking was the only thing that helped her keep the number of shots down.

We are due the same day!

[mcbruhn]

You know, I was grouchy about having to do the GD screening so early in my pregnancy (it was around 18 weeks at our local practice), but now I'm glad. I wonder if it's harder to control if you catch it later? Seems like it would be...

Try having a really low-carb breakfast first thing. Luckily I like eggs, so I do 2 hardboiled eggs and a small (4 oz) yogurt. Or on weekends, my husband makes me an omelet or a fritatta with veggies and cheese in it. That was my major diet change, and at least for me, starting the day with low sugar really seems to pay off as the day wears on.

Good luck, and I think it's really cool we're due the same day!

[littlefornow]

I started out with insulin resistance due to my PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) so I knew I could develop GD. I just didn't expect it to be so bad. Unfortunately, my sugars start out high in the morning no matter what so the insulin is the only thing that helps. I am strictly limiting my carbs according to the dietician's instructions but their diet has me eating more carbs than I normally would anyway. They have me doing completely different things than I would normally do, so all I can do is follow their plan for a few weeks and see how it goes. So far my numbers have been much better the last 2 days but my sugars are spiking an hour after my huge insulin shot for the day ( I get three small and one large) and that makes no sense at all to me. Doctor's appt. in the AM so maybe she can explain that.

[mcbruhn]

I remember hearing that if your body's sugar drops too much, it reacts by upping your glucose level naturally. I wonder if that big insulin dose is too large? I actually had my sugar go UP once after an exercise session (for my study they have me test before and after). My sugar had been low to start that session, and I'd worked pretty darn hard. Maybe that's worth mentioning to your doctor.

Good luck! I'll be sending good thoughts and prayers your way.