High risk of Gestational Diabetes - Any advice would be great
I had an early GT test at 18 weeks due to extreme thirst & the results have come back not so great. My OB has told me not to panic but that I need to start following a low GI diet from today & be retested at 28 weeks. I had DS with me at the appointment and he was unsettled so I didn't get to ask a lot about it & just said I would google low GI when I got home....now I'm wishing I had stayed to chat more about it as there is so much info on google I have no idea where to start.
Can anyone help with low GI tips and I'm also wondering if anyone else was tested early & at risk of GD but managed to avoid it by changing your diet/lifestyle? I am now 23 weeks and have only put on 1.5kgs so far but I admit I have not been eating well as I'm turned off a lot of food & generally just not very hungry, I also drank a lot of Gatorade when I was really thirsty so I'm sure that probably hasn't helped.
Any advice that you could share would be much appreciated!
I had GD with DD1 it wasnt found out until 26 weeks when I went into pre-term labour with her, DD2 the results were high but borderline and I managed to avoid it JUST this time I was first tested at 18 weeks like you and retested again last week to find out i havent avoided it this time around.
Heres what i got on a handout at the drs:
When you first wake up in the morning, your blood sugar will normally be low. If you eat a breakfast that is high in starch and sugar (like pancakes and syrup, or sugared cereal with fruit) your glucose levels will skyrocket. However, skipping breakfast is not a solution! A small, high protein meal that includes a meat serving, a complex carbohydrate such a slice of whole wheat toast, and a glass of milk or cup of low calorie yogurt will start your day off smoothly.
A common mistake is waiting too long for lunch and dinner, then overeating. If your sugar level dips too low, it will tend to bounce higher when you finally do eat. A snack of vegetable sticks with low calorie dip, cottage cheese with a small serving of fruit, or whole wheat crackers with peanut butter can help get you through until lunchtime. Keep a tray in the fridge with healthy snacks you can eat on the go.
A serving of protein, one of vegetables and one or two of carbs - try whole grain pasta or pita bread for variety. Avoid white processed bread. Water or unsweetened 100% fruit juice is much better than soda, but if you can’t resist, make any soda you drink diet. If you can plan on some physical exercise after each meal you can eat two bread servings at a time for energy, or indulge in two bites of your favorite dessert!
Another snack to help you coast till dinnertime. Again, pick a serving of fruit and or vegetables to help you meet your minimum for the day. Vegetable / fruit juice blends are a great way to help you get enough of both of these important foods. Combine such a drink with a few tablespoons of soft cheese on a whole grain bagel for a quick easy snack on the road.
This is possibly the trickiest meal of the day. If you eat late and are inclined to crash into bed shortly afterward, you will need to guard against overeating. A whole grain wrap stuffed with chicken and salad trimmings is a good quick meal when you are beat. Drizzle some dressing over it, or follow up with a sugar free cookie to provide a little fat. This will break down in the early morning hours and help you make it to breakfast without your glucose levels bottoming out. If you eat earlier, and like a larger dinner, make sure you will be active enough to burn off some of the calories before relaxing. Try catch up any missing servings of vegetables and fruit at dinnertime; these are the most often overlooked throughout the day.
When you are up for more than three hours after dinner and your sugar level starts to dip, a light snack may be in order. This can be as simple as an apple or a small whole grain muffin. If you go to bed early, and constantly wake with drastically low levels in the morning, consider a wee hours foray to the kitchen to boost yourself. A half sandwich of chicken salad on whole wheat or a few peanut butter crackers with a cup of milk will be enough to keep you from crashing.
Thanks so much MrsS, that's great info so far. I certainly am guilty of waiting too long between meals & generally have only been eating two meals a day due to nausea. I will need to force myself to eat small regular snacks from now on instead of 2 meals a day. I would definitely appreciate any other info you have to share!
I did read a lot about preeclampsia and GD as soon as I found out I was preggy. I am guilty of eating some foods that are high GI at times, however I have basically endeavoured to snack over a 24 hour period mostly, and especially in the first trimester with morning sickness. So although not especially low GI - I was having biscuits or a piece of toast at 3am sometimes.
Through avoiding Listeria I have eaten a lot of cheese which again is not the best as it's salty but apparently lots of calcium is good for preeclampsia.
Low to Medium GI things I eat though are things like Basmati Rice, eggs, plain yoghurt, cheese, meats, fish (little tins of salmon), milk?, vegetables I am not sure but I basically am snacking no matter what.
Sorry to hijack. I dont have GD but my DH has recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Re: the low gi potatoes someone mentioned earlier - Coles has a brand called Carisma. They cook up and taste like any other potato and are around $4-5 for a 2kg bag.
This is a really good thread. I didn't know there's a link between GD and PE. All I knew was my Mum kept lecturing me about PE as my Nan and Auntie on my father's side had that; and on my partner's side which is possibly less relevant, one or two of his cousins had GD.
High risk of Gestational Diabetes - Any advice would be great
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