Gestational Diabetes Chatter #6

[~mamaspice~]

Ohh, McCains sweet potato Oven fries! I'll have to look out for those when I do the groceries tomorrow night. I'm glad your Dietician appointment went so well. And yeah I'd been told too that limiting fats is very important for controling the diabetes.

Lets hope your BBG decides to come of her own accord a couple of weeks early so there is not need for induction

[didispunk]

Thanks everyone... its not fun... but i am ok


went to be last night with a reading of 5.4

then woke this morning to 7.4 .. WHAT THE HECK!!! I am stressed so that is not going to help levels.. grrrr

I go back to day stay Friday so i might just get a date soon!!

[PanthaLily]

Hi everyone.
Just thought I'd pop in and introduce myself.
I'm PanthaLily. Live just north of Brissie.
I'm 30 weeks on Sunday.

Got a phone call yesterday from the Diabetes Educator at the hospital. After being told last Friday in my breastfeeding class that no one in the class had Gestational Diabetes, I get a phone call asking if I'd received my letter informing me I have GD and if I'm available to atttend a class next Tuesday. Not happy Jan... actually... I'm quite upset as I'd thought I didn't have it.

Got the letter today that says "As I have been unable to contact you...." not impressed.

Anyway... hope you don't mind an extra one in the group =p

What is involved in GD anyway?
I know I'll have to monitor/adjust my diet and I know that if uncontrolled it might mean a higher birth weight. But does it effect anything else?
What kind of things can/can't I have now?

I'm kinda bummed because it's my birthday on Monday and I was going to make a really scrummy but really BAD cake... might have to reassess that idea now lol

Thanks everyone!

[~mamaspice~]

Hi Panthalilly. I say enjoy your birthday on monday. You're not going to the diabetes educator til Tuesday right?

Basically you'll have to follow a Low GI diet and monitor your blood sugar levels 4 times a day. They'll want your blood sugar levels to stay under a certain reading and if they go above that, thats when you might need insulin. Lots of people control it with diet though. Oh and you'll preobably have an extra scan or two to monitor bubs growth, the amniotic fluid levels and the blood flow through the cord.

Welcome to our thread, and best of luck for Tuesday x

AFM I had my scan today. cord blood flow is good Amniotic fluild levels are normal Bub is measuring 35 weeks or 5lb 8oz already mg:

[didispunk]

Hey ladies glad scans etc are all going great!!!

I got my C-sec date booked again today!! let just say i will have a baby next week.. I will ask Feeb to post in here for you guys fi you want.!!!

Now i need to pick names.. WE HAVE NON!!!

[~mamaspice~]

Thats great Didi, at least now you know the end is near! All the best for the birth of your LO.

[belfie]

Didispunk - woo hoo that's great you've got your date! Would love to see the update in here, but will be keeping an eye out for your BA anyway

Pantha - welcome . I agree with MamaS said re enjoying your birthday. Plus, when you can't even monitor yet, why stress yourself? In terms of what to eat, there's a great diet plan pdf part-way down this Gestational Diabetes info page. I only monitor my BSL's 3 times a day, not 4 like MamaS (endocrinologists are all different - go figure). Oh and as far as I know, usually you get referred to see an endo... so i'm not sure if that'll happen after you go to the class on Tues. In terms of extra scans, well again, I've never been referred for an extra scan due to GD either. As for being upset, entirely understandable. I've been upset too, and I've had it before and know what to do (in theory), so sending big hugs your way feel free to vent in here. Re diet, I guess the quick tips are: by eating low GI - go for things like sweet potato (lower GI than potato), basmati rice instead of normal rice, reduce sugar intake - that kinda stuff. You still need to eat carbs (it's not about cutting them out) plus keep up your protein and snacks. And if you need insulin, then so be it. Sometimes your BSL's just go high due to the placenta (my obs described it as my placenta and my pancreas having a tug of war lol). Sometimes you'll eat a food and get a good BSL but the next day the same food puts you high. Things like tiredness/illness/stress can impact as well. So basically you do the best you can, you're looking after yourself and bubs - and ultimately it's better to know and have it controlled than to have it uncontrolled!

MamaS - Glad to hear bubba is looking good, and pls pls pls don't freak out about their size estimation. You know my opinion on that and I've just heard tooo many girls being told bub is big at 33/34 weeks then they birth a 7lber at 41 weeks!! Aah it makes me see red when ppl get freaked out (IMO) unnecessarily.

AFM - well slightly better BSL's today phew - actually managed one in the 5's finally! Back to see my endo on Monday, don't know if I wanna know what he's gonna say!

[belfie]

MamaSpice - i'm really confused now . I was curious so checked some of my fasting BSL's. In the last 3 days i've got 6.4, 5.7 and 5.8. So I reckon they're all too high... but i'm off to see my endo today anyway, will see what he says even though he didn't even want me to do fasting BSL's . I just think it's so weird that different endo's seem to do everything so differently! I was even checking the clinical management guidelines for RWH here in vic, and that says under 5.0 fasting and 6.7 post-meal!! How are your BSL's going now?

Pantha - Happy Birthday for today!! I hope you have a great day

[~mamaspice~]

Happy Birthday Pantha!

MamaSpice - i'm really confused now . I was curious so checked some of my fasting BSL's. In the last 3 days i've got 6.4, 5.7 and 5.8. So I reckon they're all too high... but i'm off to see my endo today anyway, will see what he says even though he didn't even want me to do fasting BSL's . I just think it's so weird that different endo's seem to do everything so differently! I was even checking the clinical management guidelines for RWH here in vic, and that says under 5.0 fasting and 6.7 post-meal!! How are your BSL's going now?

Yeah it's unusual how our endo's have such a different approach to fasting BSL's. See what your endo says about it today. Mine have been really good on the 6 units of insulin. They have all been under 5 since I've been on 6 units.

[belfie]

Hey that's great that your fasting BSL's have been low. Well my endo said there is a divergence of opinion about whether it's important or not. He believes that if they're going up, then the post-meal ones will go up too - so no need to monitor all of them. He said i could monitor them if I wanted... but then I guess I only monitored post-meal last time and bubba was born a fine size. He reckons i'll be on insulin pretty soon as I've already had so many high BSL's. So one more over 7.5 and it's insulin time. I then got a 7.4 right after that appt... sheesh that's a bit close! So I'm trying to keep up my cycles and eat really well to delay it as long as possible! But also I'm at peace with the fact i'll end up on insulin most likely... I've just got too long to go. I think I've got thru my emotional bit though, I'm feeling heaps tougher mentally about everything - from my lack of mobility through to the insulin. We've renamed my pregnancy, it's now my pregathon

[~mamaspice~]

Good to hear you're feeling positive about everything. Don't worry about the insulin. It's not the end of the world mate (as you know already anyway ) Insulin is the least of my worries today. I did a dipstick test at home this morning and it showed positive for protein. But that's for another thread, Lol. I'm hoping when I go to my antenatal appointment tomorrow it will be all good.

You are 3/4 of the way through your pregathon

[PanthaLily]

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Had a great weekend/night - hubby took me to Gold Class to see the latest Twilight and I went on a baking spree yesterday.

Had my GD education class today.. my head is swimming with information overload, think it might take a while for everything to sink in and to make the changes. I've got a follow up appt with the dietician next week so we'll see how I am then.

I've got to test my BSL's 4 times a day. First thing in the morning, then 2 hrs after every meal. The morning one needs to be under 5.5 and the ones after my meals are meant to be under 6.7. Did a test while we were in class (about 2 and 1/2hrs after breakfast) and it came back with 4.2.... I thought that was a little low, but they didn't seem too worried about it.

Good luck with the pregathon Belfie... not too much longer now!

[feeb]

With Joy and Rapture I have the honour of announcing Didispunk has had her baby

Its a BOY

No name yet as changed mind on name picked!!! 4.1kg Mum doing well, Bubs not as good has some breathing issues getting transfered to Melbourne but says all ok.

Please think of her as she is apart from bubs.

Will update with info as I get it.

[belfie]

Thanks feeb for letting us know - that's such wonderful news!

Pantha - it SO is info overload to start with, but honestly it does get better and easier. Geessh I'm still learning stuff this time around! Plus everyone varies a bit in what works for them, so it can take a little time to work out what's right for you to eat.

MamaSpice - thanks for the encouragement. I'm gonna have to stalk you and go find your thread about the protein, but I hope it's all ok , you don't need any extra stress!

Well i had an obs appt today so asked him what he'll want to do if I'm on insulin, and he said not past 40 weeks - induce at 38.5. Looks like my placenta may have moved up a smidge, but i"ll get a "proper" scan at nearly 34 weeks so we'll see. So now i've got my hopes up again for a vag birth. I'm still getting some 7.4's so teetering on the edge of insulin but kinda resigned to it. Thanks for all your kinds words on my "pregathon" on the bright side... I've probably only got 8 weeks to go! Plus obs is now wanting to see me fortnightly so I'll be well monitored at least. Plus bubba girl is looking good and wriggly and my fundal height is spot on for size.

[~mamaspice~]

Thankyou for letting us know about Didispunk Feeb. Oh the poor thing, it would be soo hard being separated from bub. HOpe she's with him again soon.

Pantha, it sure is overload, but try not to worry too much, you'll figure it all out

Good to hear bub is spot on for fundal height belfie. I have my first Ob appointment since starting insulin tomorrow so it will be interresting as to what they say re; when they want bub born by etc. So your Ob wants bub out by 38.5 weeks?

I did another dpsticktest tonight and it didn't show up as much protein so it's all good tomorrow.

[belfie]

BA-BOW. Got an 8 tonight boo - so it's insulin time for me i guess. How friggin' quick was that!?!?!l. I guess I'll call endo & dietitian tomorrow to organise appts.

Will be very interested to see what your obs says. I teased my obs cos last time I was on insulin we compromised on 38+5 which turned into 39 cos the hossie was busy! So I said you let me go later last time lol... he did say that I'd have a better chance of less intervention (even with an induction) cos it's my 2nd... so that was vaguely positive. Also due to the pelvic floor nerve damage I have (plus a prolapse) he thinks we'd be better getting her out earlier while she's smaller.

Glad to hear there wasn't as much protein tonight and have fingers crossed for you too

[feeb]

Nate Norman is his name

Didi is feeling ok, pain under control, resting up. Expressing heaps!

Nate is doing well off ventilator, sugars stable should be back to mum tomorrow. (she doesnt feel up to car trip to visit him)

He is a gorgeous chubby bubby.

[PanthaLily]

ok, so I know I haven't been doing the tests for long... but I'm kinda confused.

My fasting test this morning was 3.7... 2 hrs after breakfast is was 5.6 .... which is the highest I've had.

So I'm curious... what is a "normal" BSL reading?

They want me to be getting less than 5.5 on the fasting ones and less than 6.7 on the post meal ones.
I haven't changed ANYTHING in my diet yet.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun... but if my levels are so consistently low... shouldn't they be getting me to have MORE sugar in my diet, not less?

Blarg... this GD stuff really does your head in hey?! lol