Gestational Diabetes General Chatter #3

[Astrolady]

Welcome to the BellyBelly Gestational Diabetes Genral Chatter thread
If you have any questions or experiences with Gestational Diabetes that you'd like to share or discuss, please feel free to do so in this thread.

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Tanya - tanminotti@bellybelly.com.au
Ambah - ambah@bellybelly.com.au Senior Moderator

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We appreciate all your feedback as it does help to make our forums a much happier, relaxed place to chat! Your comments will be taken seriously and treated with confidentiality, so please feel free to contact us anytime!

Don't forget to read the two BellyBelly threads on Gestational Diabetes:

Article by Henci Goer on Gestational Diabetes: The Emperor Has No Clothes
Gestational Diabetes & Induction

Your previous thread can be found HERE

[Jesstibb]

D'oh just realised I've been using full cream milk for the last day. I bet that is what made my cereal reading jump so high yesterday, cos the fats keep the sugar in your blood longer right? At least that would be a bit of an explanation.
Anyway I had two pieces of toast today with a little butter and vegemite and pulled a 5.1 so happy with that.

[shell_120308]

Thanks Kirsten. I will see what I can do. I am not a big carb eater normally because eating alot of pasta, bread etc makes me look bloated..... If that is what I need to do though, then I will do it.

Jess - yeah full cream milk would do that to you for sure..... At least you know what the culprit was....

[kirsten74]

Actually full cream milk shouldn't have an impact onyour sugar. THe fat in the milk will slow down the absorption of the sugar in the milk. I was actually told to not worry about the fat content of things as it was actually beneficial in keeping sugars down. So you might need to look elsewhere for the culprit Jess.

[kirsten74]

YOu might want to try this database to get an idea of things which are high and low GI. I found it really helpful when I wasn't sure on some things. The database seems to be having problems at the moment, but give it a shot when it is up again.
The Glycemic Index

[shell_120308]

Thanks for the link Kirsten, that will be very helpful for me :-) I didn't know about this website.

[teachmum]

Your right about the full fat milk kirsten. From what I've been told dairy is good because it has a mix of protein and carbs and therefore is lower GI. I often have a small choc milk as an on the go snack. Jesstibb you more than likely had too large a portion of cereal. Lucky you with the toast I can't eat two pieces for breaky even with 18 units of insulin.

Shell lucky you being told to eat more carbs. Like kirsten I am a carb addict and really miss them. Can't eat potato very often any more but small portions of rice and pasta are ok. I never have any trouble with the Lean Cuisine meals. Just goes to show that no two diabetics are the same!

[shell_120308]

Thanks if anything it has educated me on the foods that put up my blood sugar levels etc......

[AndiE]

Hi guys,

I was diagnosed with GD approx four weeks ago and have been monitoring my BSLs ever since. No insulin yet. I had several readings over 7 in the first two weeks, but my OB (bless her cotton socks) gave me another two weeks to try and bring everything under control. It ain't easy - but hey, we all know that - and I've posted about four high readings in the past two weeks. Including one day last week where I was 9.6 after lunch (my fault, I STUPIDLY ate two sweet biscuits) and was a 9 after dinner (can only assume rice noodles were the culprit). Since then though, I've managed to keep them down below 7. Obviously two consecutively high readings aren't real flash though!

Anyway - my question to you all is ... have any of you been to see an accupuncturist/naturopath/herbalist? And if you have, how did you get on? For the past couple of weeks I've been seeing a qualified/accredited a/n/h (she's all of the above mentioned stuff ) who has dealt specifically in fertility/pregnancy for the past 20-odd years and I'm sure her therapies are starting to help with my BSLs.

I've got my next OB appt tomorrow, and given I have posted several higher readings in the last two weeks, I'm wondering if she'll give me another week to see if the natural therapies will do the trick as far as my BSL are concered. Fingers crossed.

Also ... I read this morning that mums-to-be with GD who are in labour can be given up to four intravenous drips (well, I guess it all goes through the same needle into the arm) continuously. The four being glucose, insulin, saline and oxytocin (I think). Does anyone know if that's normal practice during labour where GD is present ...??? Man, I'd really like to avoid having that happen (although bub's health is my first priority ...) but still .... ! Any ideas??

Wow - sorry for long post. Welcome any thoughts you all have.
Cheers, Andie

[shell_120308]

Hi Andie,

I have never heard of the intravenous drip for births of mums with GD..... That is news to me..... Just speak to your ob about that because I am pretty sure it will be right. I suppose it depends on person by person.....

I found it hard at first to get used to the bsl's as well, hard to stay under 7.0 at first.... Then you eventually figure out what foods send you over the limit. Rice noodles is a definite no no for me, always end up with mid to late 7s if I have it. I have been told to stay below 6.9 otherwise I will need to start up on insulin. I am now almost 35 weeks pregnant so trying to avoid insulin if I can..... I am seeing my diabetes doctor this week. Have you been referred to a diabetes doctor as yet? or just the educator?

I haven't seen a naturopath or anything re: GD.....

[AndiE]

Hi Shell,
No, my Ob hasn't referred me to anyone yet, but I imagine it's a strong possibility. So far she's just told me to stick to a low GI diet (the accunpuncturist etc told me to follow a gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, no sweet tastes diet ...).
Anyway, I'm seeing my Ob tomorrow, so I might ask the question about a diabetes educator.
Cheers, Andrea

[shell_120308]

Ohhhh I see.... I was referred straight to the diabetes educator and diabetes doctor.... I suppose all ob's are different :-)

I just did my BSLs after lunch (2 hours after) and I had 3 small baby potatoes with protein and veges and my levels were only 4.6. I was wondering how a small amount of potatoes would affect me.

[Artechim]

For a GD mum, when you are in labour they will take your bsl hourly. Two consecutive high results will mean that you go onto a drip. I did have the combo. There were only three: glucose, insulin and syntocin. I think the glucose and insulin came with saline fluids. You won't need the syntocin if you aren't induced. I don't think you can do too much about it because if your sugar shoots up during labour there is a higher chance that bubs will have a hypoglycemic reaction after birth and may have to go to special care for monitoring.

After birth they will take bubs BSL, then they will take it 3 hours after every feed to make sure that all is well. If the sugars are low they may suggest giving a bottle of formula but the best solution to low BSL is breastmilk. Even if bubs is too sleepy/not really interested in feeding yet you can express some and syringe feed it to them. You only need a couple of mls to correct low BSL in a newborn.

[teachmum]

Shell - I was told by dietician that the baby potatoes are the best ones to eat because they have a different kind of starch to those big fluffy creamy baked potatos ... yum

Andie - Let us know how the natural therapies go. I've been on insulin since 7 weeks so it's been all about diet control for me. The midwife told me that when I go into labour, either induce or natural, I go off all insulin. They do test throughout labour and if you need it they will give you and insulin drip. She said because you're not eating you usually don't need it.

I was diagnosed at King Eddies in Perth (major maternity hospital) so each time I have an appointment I have to go to the diabetes clinic and see the ob, diabetes educator/midwife, diabetes dr, dietician. Might be different for you depending on the type of care you've chosen.

[shell_120308]

Thanks Teachmum, I didn't know that. It is a whole new learning experience that is for sure..

[Caz1971]

Had my 34 weeks check up. My readings have been mainly good, except for the "bad" eating of chips and some junk (which I normally do on a weekend).

The diabetes educator had Type 2 herself so had heaps of question.
Happy I dont need the insulin.

Would you girls know (cos Im sure Im going to have an inducement) when they tell you the date (meaning, how many weeks till they know) as Mum coming up from Sydney and needs to book a flight.....

Ye had things like pancakes, nugget etc. The pancakes (the wholewheat one), had a few too many so spiked it up a bit!

[shell_120308]

Caz - what are your levels like? The diabetes educator told me I don't have to go on insulin just yet, but possibly in a few weeks time, but my diabetes doctor said I do need to go on insulin..... You and I are only a few days apart on due dates, so I am just curious on your blood sugar levels :-)

[Caz1971]

Hey Shell, hows it all going?

Ye the diabetes educator said nothing abt me going on insulin.

My doc said for me to watch my diet and that I need to cut out things like Mackers/KFC for a diabetes free life. My mornings are fine, and after breaky/lunch but come dinner - if I've been naughty then it will be over 7 or under 8. The diabetes educator said for example, if I wasn't pregnant and got a reading of 8 then that's fine.

Are they going to induce you? Dr mentioned they induce week 38/39 so maybe due in beg. of March now.

Caz

p.s. Im usually in the low 5' before breakky, med 5 to low 6 after lunch. If Im good at dinner, low 6'.