Gestational Diabetes General Chatter #2

Thanks Melbel, I thought you could have 0 carb snacks while waiting but wasn't sure.

Tennykins, it does take a while to get used to, I am sure you are doing fine. A 6.0 two hours after a meal is good. The 6 before breakfast is a bit high, but you are seeing your dr soon. How are you adjusting to the low GI diet?

There is a brand of ice cream that is low GI, and another that is no added sugar. Dairy is reasonably low GI so if you get the low fat/sugar ones they don't do too much harm to the BSL (different for everyone though). With the lean cuisine meals etc, check the rice is a low GI variety like Basmati - the GI rating is different for different types of rice.

I guess I'm going ok with the low GI. I'm not fully sure if I'm doing everything right, but I'm sure trying. Very hard work. I feel hungry alot. lol.

I agree with the others. Lean Cuisines have been my lifesaver over the last few weeks when I haven't been bothered to cook. Portion controlled and veges. Sometimes I have to add 2 slices of bread just to give me a little bit more carbs and to stop my BSL bottoming out during the night.
A word of warning about the low sugar ice cream is portion size. I discovered the hard way that if you eat too much then it gives you diarrhea (sp?). I have also found this with the low sugar chocolates and lollies.
Tennykins, you are early in your pregnancy and by the end of it you will be an expert on GI and BSLs. Just keep taking your readings and trying to eat low GI and things will sort themselves out, whether that be control by diet or insulin.
Also you said that your husband could do with losing some weight also. My husband is the same and I have put him onto Lean Cuisines/ Healthy Choice meals as well. It is working really well as he is getting more veges than usual and his portions are more controlled.
Stick with it and see what the Educator and Dr say at your next appointment.

You may feel hungry for a little while especially if you are used to consuming more carbs plus you are growing a baby so you're gonna feel more hungry anyways!!

Your body will be craving carbs for a while. If you're hungry you can eat just try to eat the zero carb stuff like vegies and protein foods as i said before. And try and stay away from the artificially sweetnened stuff like diet drinks. Artificial sweeteners particularly aspartame (nutrasweet) have a chemical that actually makes you crave carbohydrate so beware substituting sugar with artifical stuff can end being a vicious circle that one.

ETA: yup artificial sweeteners in large doses give you the runs big time!! In fact if you are not used to them small doses will do that too. I guess I am used tothem after 28 yrs od them so they don't really bother me. I used to get them really back if I chewed sugar free gum of all things!

Caz, have you seen the dietian lately? Maybe they can prescribe some food that might keep you full longer. One thing I have learnt on GD and dieting in general is to find food that is "value for money". That is, eat a food that will go the distance. Hence I have oats for brekkie over cereal or toast. It may taste ordinary but for me, it sustains me the longest. But appreciate how it must gross some people out. Its an aquired taste.

As for snacking, it hasn't been stressed with us. I tend to just listen to my body. If I am feeling even slightly hypo I have a snack. If I feel full and content and know that I can last til luchtime say, then I don't have one.

Talk to your dietian Caz. That is what they are their for.

And as for hubbie, well mine is no different. He and DD were chillin out on the couch watching a dvd on Sunday. I was playing computer games in the study. Then I hear them yelling, asking ME, the diabetic in the family, to make them both an ice cream in a cone with smarties and sprinkles. Sheesh! I'm only human! So I licked the spoon after :redface:

Ye saw the doc/diabetes educator- not the dietician.

She educator said my readings are good - so thank god Im doing something right.

I found a muffin recipe which I made last night - after my last dinner reading....
oatmeal and cranberry. It wasn't 'bad'.

Sandles - Im not a big icecream eater (only choc)....LOL.

Caz, I am glad they said your levels are good :dance: And muffins are on my list to make too. Imake them for husband each week but his come out as low fat and 30g of carb per muffin (and thats with Splenda, buttermilk and orange juice). So I will try a diabetic version this weekend.

My dietian was very happy with my diet. My only changes are to eat the afternoon snack. Even though I feel full she thinks lunch to dinner is too long without food. No problem. Also to add a yoghurt a day in. So that is now my afternoon snack :)
Have red meat 3 to 4 times per week for dinner and add another carb to my dinner plate. Corn she said is low GI compared to medium for sweet potato and high for white. Having corn with white potato though brings down the GI of the white potato for whatever reason. So now its corn and potato with every meal (unless I have rice or pasta of course). And that was it. Oh and add another fruit serve, so a plum or two at supper.

I asked why my numbers are so low given I have changed my diet very little. So they showed my GTT results. That explained it all.

Fasting blood test was 3.8. I get 4.0 now so that's normal for me.
2nd blood test after glucose drink was 9.3. The minimum is 8.2. Ok, warning signs.
3rd blood test, people WITHOUT GD will go down. The mimium for GD is 11 something. But because mine stayed at 9.3 I was diagnosed with GD but I am not as bad as some because my levels did not go up.

So the educator said that my insulin levels are fine and normal, but being pregnant has added an extra strain and when challenged, they don't work as well. Like a car with a loaded trailer. This all made sense after seeing my test results :clap:

Sandles - ye its funny how some things lower the GI when eaten tog.

I read in my cookbook of a damper recipe, then eat it with baked beans to lower the GI. What the.....

For dinner - I made lentils/doongara rice yest and had salad. My reading was 7.1!

But then after the 2 hr lunch test I went crazy binging on cherries, cheese, jelly and wholemeal lavash bread.

Caz, you are inspiring me to cook!!

I might drag out the ole bread maker and whip us some herb and cheese damper. I used to make it all the time before kids.

Whats the deal with flour and GD? Use wholemeal only?

I have been snacking on grapes ever since I got home. Not looking forward to the result. I can't help it though when they are sitting in the fridge, washed and chilled and its 33 degrees outside :redface:

Sandles - yep I'd say use just wholemeal. Just tested after dinner (5.2), so whipped up another batch of oatmeal and cranberry muffins for supper and im gonna put some Logical marg on them.....

What is the result after grapes. Pls let me know....

Caz

Hi there,

I am new to the boards. I have gestational diabetes and 31 weeks pregnant. I too have had high readings so seeing the diabetes doctor tomorrow and not looking forward to it, I think I will need to go on insulin. It is just so hard. I am eating the right foods, and I still have high sugars arghhhhh

I am getting bigger and I am worried that my baby is getting too big as well. I am going to ask my obstetrician in my next visit how big he is expected to be at full-term and if I should be induced.

Shell

Shell despite what a lot of obs say there is no reason why you should be induced just beacuse bubs might be a bit bigger. If your placenta is still functioning well and they can do dopplers and scan to check this you should still be able to deliver naturally... if that is what you want. I don't have all the right links but there is a lot of info out there about this so try not to get too despondent about it all.

Re the wholemeal flour..... it tends to be a lot drier than white so be careful when baking you will prolly need to up the moisture content to compensate. What works well for me is to use half white and half wholemeal. The wholemeal lowers the GI and the white makes the texture still right. Most of my diabetic cookbooks do this too.

hi girls,

i am finally getting around to introducing myself over here, i am 29 weeks pregnant (tomorrow) with my 2nd child and was diagnosed with GDM a few weeks ago (i didn't have it with my 1st pregnancy, that had its own complications ! but know i was at high risk due to pcos and insulin resistance), i was quickly put onto night time insulin which has been increased several times since then to keep my fasting level below 5.5 and this week i also had to start insulin at dinner time, im going to be induced at 38 weeks at this stage, maybe earlier depending upon how things go. i was induced with my DD so not too worried about that.

i am off for an ultrasound today to see how big the baby is (they want me to have them at 28 32 and 36 weeks) was measuring big in my check up on monday and im so hoping it was just stretched out in there at the time ! my DD was 2.7kgs and i was hoping for that again but think that plan has gone out the window now lol

Melinda

Caz, the grapes seem to be ok with me. After snacking on them from the moment I got home from work (5.30ish) til serving dinner at 7.30 (which had pasta in it) I got a reading of 5.2. I thought for sure that I'd tip the scale on that one. Try and see. Just have to be careful because they can spike your glucose levels which is what we don't want. Slow and steady wins the GD race. But try and see. I also had a BIG bunch for supper and got 3.8 this morning.

Shell, I asked my educator a similar question the other day. How will you know if my baby is too big to deliver naturally? Will I be induced because of GD? I was told that with my regular check ups with the midwife, they will monitor baby's size with the traditional fundal measurement. Feeling baby too will give them an idea. I was also told that the preference (for Canberra Hospital) is for as little intervention in the natural birthing process as possible. So no, they wouldn't induce me just because I have GD.

When were you first diagnosed with GD Shell?

Melbel, thanks for the flour tip ;) I will give that a go. And Melbel, how do you go with grapes and diabeties?

Hey girls,

I went to the diabetes doctor this morning and he said I won't need to go on insulin so I was very happy and relieved to hear that. I just have to watch my blood sugar levels, so going to try and watch everything I put in my mouth so my levels aren't too high over the next two weeks, because I have another appt with him in two weeks time to see how things are tracking.

Thanks for the pointers on the inducing, I just assumed because it will be a bigger baby you will need to be induced, so I will chat to my obstetrician when I see him next to see what he says. I personally don't want to deliver a 10 pound baby naturally, well that is what I am picturing anyway haha

I am feeling much more positive about the whole thing today, I think hearing that I don't need insulin made me think, ok, you can do it.

Sandles - I was first diagnosed at 26 weeks, and I am now 31 weeks.

Shell xxx

Thanks girls. I was first diagnosed at 26 weeks with GD and actually feeling so much more relieved now that I know I won't need insulin. The diabetes doctor said I should be fine, just monitor what I am eating and I have my next apt in two weeks time, so I will be working hard to stay below 7.0 during the day. Good to know I won't need to be induced though, I have just been reading up on articles which say if you have GD expect to be induced around 38 weeks. I am going to ask for a measurement scan as well, to see how big little DJ is now, hopefully not too big eeeek. I don't want to deliver a 10 pounder eeeek.

For lunch today had a 6 inch subway - wholemeal with vegie pattie. Two hr reading 6.0.

I might need to go on insulin, I'm not fully sure yet.
My OB said I might need a little bit, and I guess it will start soon, like maybe next week or within a couple weeks. Depends on what my educator lady says.
I see her tomorrow.


So below 7 during the day is good?

My doc said that later on in preg. Im today 31 weeks could need insulin but all is great for now. She saying that it gets harder for yr sugar to stay OK at the end of pregnancy.

Well I just saw my endocronologist - for the last time! He is so pleased with my results that I only have to phone him every couple of weeks until I am delivered. Even gave me instructions on what to do with my insulin the day of my c section! So no more blood tests, no more special appointments. JUst have my Ob now checking my sugars. I am booked in for a 2 hour GTT 6 weeks after baby is born and he is very interested to see if the GDis going to go away since I have a family history of Type 2 Diabetes but I had a normal test in September '06. Hopefully it will be like with my last child and within 4 hours of delivery everything will drop back to normal. FIngers Crossed!
Good luck everyone!

That is great news :-)

Shell - our babies are due same time - mines on the 14th of March!

Kirsten when are you due - thats excellent!

That is great to hear Caz :-) Do you know what you are having or keeping it a surprise? We are having a little boy, calling him DJ (Daniel Joseph) :-)

It is getting soooo close that is for sure, so looking forward to it. My hubby is in Melbourne tonight, so I am enjoying my time alone tonight. Better enjoy the peace while it lasts because once little DJ arrives, it will be full steam ahead :-)

Shell xxx

Shell - we are having a boy too - I have a ten year old DS so he's very excited. !! Calling him Seb (Sebastian).

Are you all organised? We just layby-ed & bought things last weekend.

Hoping the cot is delivered tomorrow!

Caz

Yeah we are both very excited. His little room is all set-up basically, just a few more things to buy but otherwise it is decorated and the cot is ready for him to sleep in kehehee We have our baby shower on 9 Feb, so hopefully we will get the remainder of the things we need and then we will be ready to go. I am using Baby Bee Hinds cloth nappies, so this weekend I am doing pre-wash on them. I will still use disposables for when we are out and about. I also need to clean some car seats we had given to us as well. Lots of little things to do before little DJ arrives. Just getting really excited. I also need to get the bits and pieces this weekend for my hospital bag. A friend of mine told me that her friend's water broke at 31 weeks eeeeek and that is where I am up to, so better to be safe and have everything ready to go, just in case :-)

Are you all set for your little boy's arrival? I love his name, soooo cute :-)

Ye I need to pack too, wanna buy heaps of cheap undies for the hospital.

Some interesting observation.....

Tonight I knew I may have a high reading on the sugar test as I had no food in the house except for party pies, lettuce and peas and had a bit of apple cider.

Just checked the level after 2 hrs - 8.2. Hubby said check it again, came at 7.4. Then checked it a third time - 7.2.

Makes me wonder how accurate this thing is!

The BGL meters have a variance of up to 1.5m/mol on any reading.....also make sure you have washed your hands before you test as any residual food on your fingers can give a false reading.

Oh and re the grapes....I don't eat them so cant help you there!!!

Yep washed hands with soap and towel dried well.

I have discovered if you drop yr blood but its not enough then do it again in a space of second the reading comes false too.

Hey Caz, baby Benjamin is due by c section February 25, so I'll be 38 weeks 2 days. GOing to try and talk my ob into bringing it forward a week. I had my last child at 37 1/2 weeks and he was fine. No breathing problems or BS dips after delivery. I am just so ready for this to be over! I haven't even thought about my hospital bag except to think that I need to pack it! Trying to remember what I took last time and what I regret not taking! GOing to start putting some reading material together as it is a perfect opportunity to catch up on all the books I haven't read!
Anyway, got to go and have some brekky. What delicious item will I have this morning? Sometimes I just can't be bothered eating!

My machine seems to work perfectly fine, but yeah I always make sure I wash my hands before use because of the food residue etc. I have some alcoholic wipes by the bed for my morning reading as well, since I am too tired to get out of bed to do the reading so my hubby normally brings it to me (only on some ocassions mind you haha).

Heya ladies. xx
How're you all doing?

I'm doing better. Lately I've been getting 5's, so I'm happy with that.
Had a huge breakdown yesterday. I went to a little kids birthday party, so much nice "bad" food. I controlled myself. lol. I thought I did well, and it was so hard, it's the first time I've kinda been put to the test. Lol. So then I come home to my DP having all this greasy, fatty hamburger and hot chips & gravy. Such a nice kick in the teeth for me. Lol. I totally cracked it!
He claims he's given up things, but in actual fact he hasn't really.

Yeah I have been doing really well lately, since my diabetes doctor appt I have been getting low readings, nothing high at all, the highest was a 7.4, which is high but not too bad, well according to my doctor anyway. That was only 2 readings at that. The rest have been fairly low which is great. I am still eating the foods I like, just watching how much of it I eat and making sure I balance things out. I slipped up last night and ate pizza for dinner and that would my reading up high, so decided to do another test in another 30 mins and it came down to 7.4, so I was happy with that. I have also found if I drink heaps of water before a test it brings down my sugar levels, so just a little trick I have learnt ;)

Way to go on your readings! Sounds like you're doing really well.
Also thanks for the tip, Shell. I'm going to try drinking heaps of water.

:D

Ahhhh yes the magic wonders of H20 :-)

I drink lots during the day and I suspected that it helps to bring the glucose level down, so great that people are seeing that too.

I am pretty much in a routine now and finding everything easy. The highest reading was 6.8 and that was because we had people over for dinner and I just had to have another piece of fresh italian bread. Other than that, I too am just enjoying my normal eating, watching the amount and also when I eat. All my readings are in the 4's and even though they do consider 4 and below the start of a hypo, I feel good in the high 4's so I ain't going to worry. Plus I am getting all the necessary serves from all the food groups.

I have told everybody at work not to send flowers when bubs is born but chocolates ;) But I'd be happy with both :lol:

Great to hear, Sandles.
Congrats on your levels.

It's getting easier for me, lately. It took me about 2weeks to adjust, but I'm going okay now, I think. Lol. I've been getting in the 5's. I got a 4.9 after lunch yesterday, which is odd. I did exercise before testing though, cause I didn't have anything all that great. You know, nans and the old style cooking with fat.. Lol.

So how long have you got to go, Sandles?

haha on the chocolate instead of flowers idea - love it!!! Might start saying the same. Mind you some of my friends know that I will be dying to eat alot of chocolate once DJ is born.

I am 33 weeks and it wasnt until my last 2 (28 & 31) appointments my urine strip showed that my urine contained a slight trace of glucose. The first time was at my appointment with the Dr. and i asked if i should be concerned but said it was nothing to worry about, a couple of weeks later with the midwife, the same again so i asked her if i should be concered. She said i should start cutting out white bread, pasta, rice and sugar and if my next test still has a trace i will have to go for more tests. (I generally eat healthy but must admit i do have my splurges) Will these tests be for gestational diabetes? Im doing really well on keeping my eye on what i eat now but wished the Dr. pointed this out at first so i could have actioned it quicker and kept myself from over indulging over the christmas break. :doh:
Has anyone else had this happen, then with the correct diet and exercise have had the urine test come up with no trace? any comments would be greatly appriciated. :)

Haven't had a urine test since my first glucose testing so I am not sure. I suppose I may find out at my appt next week. My blood sugar levels have been low, so hopefully I can keep it up.

Don't worry, we all splurge, more so for me on the quantity of food. I am just sooooo hungry..... But I still end up with a low blood sugar reading if I do eat more than I should, so that is a good sign :-)

Shell xx

I have not had a glucose test yet so maybe thats what the midwife is talking about. Guess ill find out at my next appt in 2 weeks. Just have to wait and see!! :rolleyes: