Gestational Diabetes - Sherman Oaks, CA

I have 9 children. The last two pregnancies I had GD. the first GD one, I didn't have a dr. and didn't know I had GD. The baby came out almost 11 pounds, we even had a home birth and he was OK (but be careful, a big baby is susceptible to getting stuck on the way out! We had trouble getting his shoulders out). The second one, I had prenatal care, found out I had GD, and went to a nutritionist, etc. Keeping my diet balanced well helped, and he was only 9 lb, 12 oz! Then I knew why his brother was almost 11. I had never heard of GD. Anyway, seems the babies do fine, just get too much food and get too big. Also, as many of you have said, there is higher risk for type 2 in the mother in later life. At 50, I developed type 2, but am doing well at 60 with help from the dr.(Luckily they came out with several good meds and better knowledge about the disease about the time I got it)

It's not a big deal at all. It will not affect the baby and will go away after pregnancy. Just watch what you eat and do not miss any doctor appointments.

How can you be 8 months pregnant and not be due until August? lol.
I had gestational diabetes but was diagnosed at 8 weeks. I had it real bad and had to take insulin shots.
As long as you stay hydrated, have a very low carb diet, and walk daily you should be just fine! No fried foods either!

Hello,
I have gone through two pregnancies with gestational diabetes. The first pregnancy I was able to control with diet. The second one I could only control my blood levels with insulin. I am now having my third baby and again have gestational diabetes. It is harder to go through pregnancies with getational diabetes only in the sense that you don't get to eat whatever you want, and that is kind of good because it helps with weight contol. Stay away from complex carbs because it takes longer for your body to dispose of them and this raises sugar levels. Eat a lot of protein, especially in the morning when gluclose levels can rise rapidly. If you notice a lot of water retention, thirst, blurry vision or fatigue...this is all due to the diabetes. If you take care of what you eat, everything should be fine. Don't be scared if you have to take insulin...all of this is only temporary. It's amazing, within hours of your baby being born...your body recieves the message that you are no longer pregnant and your blood levels become normal again. After your pregnancy you need to continue to take care of yourself. Having gestational diabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Your baby will be fine. Both of my babies were born with normal weights and both are healthy today. Your nutrition is the most important thing during a pregnancy with gestational diabetes. Good luck.

I had this with my second pregnancy. I delivered a healthy baby this past Dec. 31st. Try not to worry, it's not as bad as you may think. Just follow the diet, and be faithful in testing your blood. If you want to talk further, feel free to e-mail me at ____@____.com you give me your phone number, I will call you.
Take care!
H.

I had it when I was pregnant. And I too was very scared. But all I had to do was cut out alot of carbs and sugar (not fun when you're pregnant!) and eat more protein-rich food (cheese for snacks, apple with peanut butter). My baby was perfectly fine and I had the benefit of not gaining too much pregnancy weight! I hope this helps!

First of all congratulation on your baby boy. My baby boy was born last September and I also have Gestational Diabetes. Don't worry about Gestational Diabetes. It does put a cramp in your pregnancy though because they will put you on a diabetic diet. That's the worst part for me because you are suppose to be able to eat without guilt when you're pregnant and now you have to go on a diet. This is my experience with having Gastetional diabetes. I have to checking my sugar level 4 times a day and record it. Not fun because you have to prick yourself. After 2 weeks being on a diet they found that my morning number is still high so they put me on a medication. The medication is just taking a daily pill. I was lucky that I don't have to take insulin. They also monitor the baby 2 times a week. This is kind of fun because twice a week I hear the baby heart beat and watch him on the ultrasound. Then based on how your baby develop they usually try to deliver the baby around 37 to 40 weeks. My water broke a week before the due date and he was 8lb 8oz. So the diet helped him keep relatively small. Then 5 weeks after the baby is born they check my sugar again and I am back to normal. The baby is also normal, he doesn't have diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a pain because it makes you go on a diet, check your sugar and do a lot of baby monitoring and extra doctor visit. Other than that though, it's not bad because if you stick to the diet you won't gain excessive weight. It makes it easier to loose it later. Hope my experience helped. Good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I posted this same question several weeks ago, so you may want to go look up the responses to this question. I was diagnosed with GD at 29 weeks during my first pregnancy, and my OB sent me to an Endocrinologist for blood sugar monitoring, and the endocrinologist referred me to a dietician, who explained to me about carbs intake and portions at each meal & snack. I had to prick my finger four times a day, and the endocrinologist wanted me to keep it at or below 120 mg/L per meal, although the ADA recommends 140 mg/L as the maximum threshold so check with the endocrinologist if your OB refers you to one. It's funny that the GD is sort of a blessing in disguise - it forces me to eat healthier, and stops me from gaining a lot of weight - in fact I didn't gain any more weight after I was diagnosed.

Basically, you have to watch the total carb intake you consume per meal, and read the labels on all foods. Even non-sugar food (i.e. pasta and rice) can raise your blood sugar levels, so either cut it out or eat very small amounts, and use whole/multi-grain and brown versions instead. I basically ate a lot of salads - sometimes twice a day - to keep my levels under control. I try to limit to 10-15g of carbs in the morning (i basically eat eggs, salad, breakfast meat or yogurt - Dannon Lite & Fit Carb Control is best), and 30g at other meals. Also what's helpful is that you go out for a 20-30 minute walk right after a meal at least a few times a week as that will help boost your natural insulin production to bring the sugar down. If the levels are high in the morning, that's not much you can really do to keep it down due to the dawn effect, but you can always go out for a morning walk.

Good luck, and happy healthy eating! (you'll have to skip the baby shower cake, though...) It will go away after the baby comes out.

I too had gestational diabetes with my last child. I was on insulin twice a day...I had to give it to myself in the belly! It's not as bad as you think. In fact, for me, it was quite educational and I actually felt better and healthier when I followed the diet. Do you have classes to attend? I had my child in Pennsylvania, but the doctor had me take classes and they gave me an insulin reader to check my insulin. It really is okay, relax, and remember, the second that baby is born, the diabetes is gone! I mean, the SECOND he/she is born! It's amazing, but it does go away. Good luck!

After the 1 hour test, I was diagnosed with Gestenational Diabetes -actually my levels were extremely high and they didn't want me to do the 3 hour test to make sure-. I was so scared and worried and sad...as if I had something to do with it. After doing some more research I found out that it happens to so many people, and it was managable. So, research combined with great support from my husband and family, led me to be OK with it.

My doctor sent me to take some nutrition courses (led by nurses and nutritionalist). They had me check my blood sugar morning, mid-day and night (first thing in the morning and 1 hour after every meal), and they actually put me on a diet where they dictated the amount of calories I had per day -things like limiting the amount of carbs eaten, no milk in the morning, less fruits). I did this for about 3 weeks (1 week I was travelling internationally so you can imagine how hectic that was). While I was away, I experimented a little bit and noticed that whatever I ate, my levels didn't really change. So, when I came back, I totally doubted the diagnosis, so I requested to take the 3 hour test, and the results came back fine, so....it was a misdiagnosis.

So, I think I got lucky, but...know that not all tests are final. Sometimes, it is a mistake...and 8 months is a little late to develop it. So, if you have some doubts, you may want to check with your doctor. Either way, I think you should definately start testing your blood sugar and be more careful about what you eat. Also, I remember the doctor saying that some babies of moms with GD may be large, so a C-section is neccessary (I ended up having a C-Section because of other complications, which is a totally different thing). You may want to ask your doctor about this.

Hope this helps! Good luck and please know that it happens to a lot of people and you and the baby will be fine!!!

Dear M.,

I have 3 children. I had a normal pregnancy with my daughter but developed gestational diabetes with both my boys. Don't be scared. You'll do great. This just means you need to take care of yourself. Follow the guidelines that the diabetes management center gives you. There are great resources on the web for recipes try www.calorieking.com for the carb load on anything in a restaurant plus it has some tips and recipes.
Eat the number of meals they prescribe for you a day and watch your carb load. Monitor your blood sugar and you should be fine. Your OB will monitor the growth of the baby and your weight. Their biggest concern is that the baby will grow too heavy, so do some walking and eat right. When I was diagnosed with my first son, I followed all the guidelines and walked every day. I actually had a hard time gaining weight. My son came 3 weeks early and he was only 5lbs. My second son came 4 weeks early and he was 4lbs. I have a habit of delivering early. It has nothing to do with the diabetes. If you have any more questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.
Remember, take care of yourself and you only have a short time left before your baby arrives. Make sure they monitor your blood sugar after your baby arrives.

M. G

M.,

I found out I had GD 4 days before sitting for the Bar Exam so I opted out of putting me and the baby through such stress at the time. I was given very little guidance on this issue much to my frustration so I am very happy to share with you some things I did as I was pretty upset about the whole diagnosis, even though I was boarderline GD.

After meeting with a diabetes nurse and getting the glucose blood meter, I was supposed to meet with a nutrionialist but that did not happen for nearly 1.5 months which was only 2 months away from due date. So I went to the American Diabetes website and also searched on Google for "gestational diabetes" recipes and foods to give an idea of what was important in the management of the GD without resulting to insulin.

What I used as a guideline is this: high protein and high fat and little to no sugar and limit the carbohydrates, this is particularly important after your 12 hours fasting--your first meal of the day. You will need to eat 6-8 small meals per day always including fat and protein, especially when you finally include fruit or something with sugar in it. Keep in mind I am a vegetarian so I am even more limited than someone who can eat meat or poultry.

So for breakfast I have either or combine the following: either 2 scrambled eggs with cheese w/ 1 piece of whole wheat toast,or 2 pieces of whole wheat toast, one with unsalted peanut butter and one with cheddar, goat, or feta cheese (cheddar has more fat which is good). Or I eat 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 3/4 cups of almonds or pecans or walnuts and some soy milk (it has a lot less sugar than regular milk)Do not attempt to put raisins or any other fruit in the oatmeal or you will see your glucose skyrocket. If you eat meat, then you can probably have bacon or sausages, just make sure they do nto have glucose, sucrose, high fruttose, or corn syrup in them.

Other foods I have combined are: lots of avocado, additional cheeses throughout the day, plain yogurt, 40-60 toasted whole almonds, cashews, tofu with curry or cayenne pepper, mix whole wheat pasta with durum white pasta (the whole wheat helps cut the carb down), hummus, cream cheese,cottage cheese, plain keifer, lots of veggies, green apples as they have less sugar, strawberries and blueberries mixed in with plain yogurt and almonds ( this is how you cancel out the sugar from the fruit--protein and fat). You can have a 1/2 a bananna as that particular fruit is very high in sugar. You can have 1 cup of fresh pineapple--the sweeter it is the less of it you can have.

When I finally met with a nutrionalist, she told me I could have one chocolate chip cookie a day or a small children's cup of whole fat ice cream per day. I have recently found a maker of diabetic cookies that are rather tasty. You can eat 1-2 graham crackers per day as well. This was the only useful information she gave me.

Be careful with eating any legumes. If you eat them, make sure you have sufficient fat to offset the carbohydrates that are in them. I have nearly backed off of eating what was once my major source of protein, lentils, cannelli, garbanzo and black beans. I eat them in moderation and always with olive oil or another fat like cheese or avocado.

If you must have soda, which I donot drink normally, then i would suggest buying Sparkling mineral water like Crystal Gyser and eitehr putting in your own lemon or getting it flavored as long as there is not sugar in it. I also make cold berry teas like TAZO "Passion" which is sweet enough to be a fruit drink and you can make soda like with the mineral water.

If you eat chicken or meat,then your dietary selection is greater. I would suggest you eat skinless chicken and combine it with something other fat. You should not eat fried foods, especially french fries unless you want to send your glucose to the moon. Though eating some fries once every three weeks and depending on what you ate duringt he day should be okay.

I found the nutrionalist I met with to be useless and she encouraged me to eat the fake vegetarian burgers, suasages, etc... I eat them once in a awhile. But those foods are filled with chemicals and artificial ingredients--so which was worse for the baby a little carbohydrate or artificial ingredients? It was and is a balancing act.

I have surprised both the OB Specialist and my OB at my ability to manage the GD. My OB looks at me with incredulity and also tells me that typically I should have been on insulin or bedrest by now. But I am still exercising, albeit much more slowly and now in the pool since I can no longer walk 3-5 miles and lift weights as easily.

I have used a balance of exercise and diet to maintain the GD and I have done exceptionally well and I have not needed bedrest or insulin at all. Most importantly, is that our baby will not be born too big (my goal was to deliver vaginally not by C-section unless an emergency arises) and she should not have any health issues regarding diabetes in her life. I am sad and scared about my health in the future but I have done my job in protecting her life and health so she can live normally without insulin, obesity, or other healthy issues that are the result of GD.

I am due within the next two weeks. Be aware that GD mothers sometimes have to be induced b/c the placenta cannot support a larger baby after the 40th week.

I hope this was helpful. Remember also to supplement with a prenatal vitamin.

Good luck and I wish you and your baby health and happiness.

L.

Dear M.,

Embellishing on some of the other mom's comments, stay away from sugars and high-glycemic fruits, but also avoid "white" foods (white bread, white rice, potatoes all processed grains that have had the fiber and dense nutrients processed out of them). Cut out any fast food and deep-fried foods, too.

DO load up on veggies, both cooked and raw in salads. A diet high in veggies will never raise your blood sugar unduly.

DO enjoy whole grains, especially the low-glycemic ones such as brown and wild rice and quinoa and buckwheat. These are more complex carbs and break down in the body slowly. You can eat sprouted whole-grain breads available at Trader Joe's and many health food stores), which also are more complex and have a higher ratio of vegetable proteins to carbs.

DO treat yourself to kidney beans, adzuki beans, and soy (if you're not allergic).

DO eat breakfast, a substantial one. Studies show that people who skip breakfast are more likely to develop diabetes of any type because the body gets tricked into going into a starvation mode, which drives sugar up. And don't be afraid to have some protein with breakfast.

Once your pregnancy is over, the gestational diabetes will cease. But did you know that women who had GD have a higher risk of developing full-blown diabetes later in life? The good news is that if you make a lifelong HABIT of eating the way you will be eating for the next few months, your risk will greatly decrease. And your baby will be getting top-notch nutrition, too.

Best of luck to you and your little one to be!

S. I., L.Ac.
Lotus Wellspring Healthcare
456 E. Mission Road, Suite 100
San Marcos, CA 92069
###-###-####
____@____.com
www.lotuswellspring.com

Hi M.. I too had gestational diabetes during my pregnancy. I was diagnosed at the last 2 months and was worried sick that I had harmed my baby in some way. I LOVE sweets and chocolate and blamed myself because I thought it was my cravings that caused it! Its not very common as I had not heard about it before in my circle of friends but after reading some research its pretty common for women over 35. (I'm 37) I stuck to a rigid diet of low carbs prescribed by my OB/GYN office and went for regular check ups every week at a different clinic that specializes in gestational diabetes. I had to take my blood count after every meal (4- 5 times a day) I also had a stress test every visit to monitor the baby's heart rate which was always fine. I worried unnecessarily and it was really a blessing in disguise because it made me follow a strict healthy diet for the last 2 months which I ended up enjoying! plus I gave birth to a beautiful healthy 7lb 11oz baby girl. Its an inconvenience I know and the last thing you'd expect in your last trimester but its temporary. After the birth the diabetes disappeared as I'm sure it will with you, so don't worry - it's totally normal! If you have any other concerns please call me: ###-###-####

I had gestational diabetes with both my pregnancies. I treated it by changing my diet, and had 2 healthy, on-time, at-home deliveries. The diet change was a bit traumatic -- I had to have peanut butter and carrots for snacks when I was really hungry and craving ice cream. I even lost a half a pound in my last trimester! It was really hard to stick to the limit of "sugar servings" (including bread, milk, and cheese), but the healthy babies were a great reward. You will also have to check your blood sugar often; I noticed a huge spike about an hour after eating a bagel. And if you find a food that causes it to spike, avoid it. By the way, it also changed me from a vegetarian (for 10 years) to a carnivore, which also was very necessary during nursing. Hope that helps. Good luck, and don't worry!

Hi M., GB is not something that you should worry too much about. Simply follow your nutritionists instructions on how to limit your sugar intake and you should be just fine.

I had GB with my second pregnancy (I have 4 kids) and I not only lost weight but I learned that having GB is a wake-up call to living a much healthier lifestyle, not only for yourself but also for your baby.

Good Luck!

hello

WHEN I WAS PREGNANT IT HAPPENED TO ME DON'T BE SCARED NOTHING HAPPENED.
FIND OUT IF YOUR SUGAR LEVELS GO SO HIGH LIKE 500 THIS IS REAL DIABETIS IF YOUR SUGAR LEVELS GO TO 200 IS HIGH SUGAR NOT DIABETIS REMEMBER DOCTORS EXAGERATE ALOT SOMETIMES .
WHEN I WAS PREGNANT THEY TRIED TO GIVE ME INSULIN AND I REFUSED MY BABY BORN NORMAL
I REMEMBER THEY TOLD THE BABY WILL BE VERRY HEABY AND SHE WAS 6 11
TAKE CARE AND DON'T WORRY

MARIA

Hello M., I also had gestational diabetes (so they said) when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I was taking insulin shot 4 to 5 times a day with her. It is ok that you have it just make sure you do what the doctor tell you to do. Now I said So they said, after you have your baby make sure the check you for regular diabettes because they told me i was fine and to stop taking the insulin. About a year and a half later I couldn't walk due to loss of feeling in my right leg. I found out then that I was a diabetic the entire time and now I have nerve damage and I walk with a cane. So please make sure they test you after you have your baby. And if you need to, have them test you more then once.

Hope that helps you out.

K.

you absolutely can keep in control of it through your diet. if s/he hasn't done it already, ask your doc to recommend a nutritionist to go to for meal plans. insurance usually covers part of the nutritionist's fees but if it's financially not an option, there are great resources online. check webMD.com for treatment suggestions.

I,too had GD. I saw a nutritionist and they put me on a special diet. I think i found out at 32 wks. The hard part for me was cutting down on fruit. My daughter was born at 7lb 1 oz and is now 5 yrs. There is nothing to worry about. It went away as soon as she was born. Both of my sisters had this during pregnancy. take it easy. I know it's scary- the unknown can be scary. Stay in the moment if you can. Best H.

Don't fret. I thought it was the end of the world too, but when I had it with my son, I was placed on a fairly strict diet. I controlled my carb intake through diet alone and I actually kept any excess weight off.

After I gave birth, the gestational diabetes went away. Though, you'll have to go back 6 weeks later for another glucose tolerant test and while in labor, the nurse will take your glucose reading and your baby's glucose reading to make sure both of you are in the clear.

Please don't be worried. It happens, and most get through it fine. Your doctor should recommend a nutritionist for you to see, and they will explain the diet that you need to be on. As someone already said, it is a bit of a shame because you have to regulate your eating habits, but it's not crazy bad. If I remember right, it was actually doing what you might do if you were on a regular diet, eating 3 sensible meals and 2-3 sensible snacks a day. The nutritionist will teach you have to figure out your sugar intake from various foods so that you can control that (even fibers and vegetables have some sugars, and they have a formula for that--and it is very easy to remember and live with, again nothing drastic.) You do have to monitor your sugar levels by pricking your finger and testing your blood for blood sugar. But if you follow the diet, chances are that that's the most you'll have to go through. I had it as well, and I was fine, my baby was fine (he was actually smaller than my first son by a hair). So again, please don't worry. And please, if you have any concerns, talk to your doctor.

Hi M.,

I had gestational diabetes w/ my first child too. I was also scared. But my pregnancy went fine and now I have a beautiful normal 3yo boy. My HMO paid for a nutritionist who taught me a lot about controlling my carb intake and check my blood sugar regularly. Basically, it was about 45gm carbs with every meal and 15gm carbs for snacks in between. But bear in mind it's not Atkins or South Beach. Also, have regular check ups with your ob/gyn.

In my case, after delivery, my gestational diabetes developed into diabetes type 2. However, I have been controlling my diet and exercising regularly, so I haven't had to take any medication and now have it under control.

Hope this helps. If you don't have a good nutritionist, let me know and I'll forward you mine.

Best of luck w/ your pregnancy!

Harrison's mom

HI
I had gestational diabetes, but it was a pretty mild form. It was controlled alot with diet and daily walks. if you aren't on insulin or glyburide, then you don't want to be, wow mood swings lol Towards the end, I couldn't control my blood sugars with glyburide, and just diet so they induced me a week early, no biggie :) Milk was my vice, but try to cut down on it there is So much sugar in it. A lot of it is portion control and just keeping a positive attitude. DONT BE AFRAID TO CALL YOUR DOC IN CASE OF HIGH SUGARS READING!!! This is your health and the health of your baby, trust your gut instinct when it comes to this. Some good news? I carried 39 weeks and my baby was only 7.45 lbs and was 20" long. My diabetes went away the day he was born and he doesn't have it. The good thing is now that I know a lot more about nutrition and can prevent it from getting me and my son later in life :)
You know if you are really worried about him dont forget about kick counts and maybe ask your doc to go on fetal monitoring once a week. It sure lowered my anxiety.

Hi, my friend found she had it last year when she was pregnant. She was 37 years old and that is not that uncommon in moms over 35 (as I am). Anyway, she just walked or exercised lightly for an hour a day & cut out sugar except that occurring naturally in fruits etc. She also cut out white bread & white pasta. I have known her since we were in 6th grade and she's always been thin and vegetarian so I don't think there was anything she could've done about her diet to prevent it. She had a natural birth, no problems and had a healthy, beautiful boy in August. She also lost her weight really quickly & didn't gain too much. I would just ask the doctor what changes you need to make to your diet and then Google it to read up a little more. I think it is totally manageable. Best to you!!! (PS I am due in Sept. & will take my blood sugar test in a few weeks I guess...)

Hi M.,
I also had GD with my first pregnancy. First, I want to tell you that you did nothing to get this. Some women's bodies react differently to being pregnant, and this is one thing your body did. I had a very healthy 6lb baby born full term, so please don't get too scared about having a very large baby. I also did NOT have it during my second pregnancy, so there is no gaurantee you will have it later.
That being said, your Dr. should send you to some nutrition program. I followed the "Sweet Success" program the hospital put me on. I checked my sugars 4 times a day and followed a strict meal schedule. Everything worked out great. Also, if I thought I may have eaten too much, I would go on a 20 minute walk after a meal. That really helps bring the blood sugar levels down. In the end of my pregnancy, when most peopl gain the most weight, I actually lost some because of all the extra activity I did. I was worried, but my Dr. said it happens, and the baby was very healthy.
Once you deliver, expect them to check your baby's sugar levels, just to make sure everything is okay.
Good luck, and you will do just fine! :-)

Hi M.,
I personally have not had Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes, but I have worked with people who do, and have been able to help through Optimal Supplementation.

Here is an excerpt from Dr. Ladd McNamaras (ObGyn) book Pregnancy & Lactation.

"Gestational diabetes is a glucose intolerance that arises due to pregancy. In all pregnancies, there is an increase in various hormones originating from the placenta (estrogen, progesterone, human somatomammotropin:, and the mothers pituitary (prolactin) and adrenal glands (cortisol). All these hormones act against insulin, therefore the mother's pancreas must compensate by producing increased amounts of the hormone insulin. If the mother is obtaining insufficient amounts of magnesium, selenium, zinc, chromium, and Vit B6 (among many other nutrients), she will have little to no reserves of these nutrients in her body. The placenta will be consuming a lot of these vitamins and minerals in its production of massive levels of hormones typical in pregnancy. With fewer nutrients available for the mother's pancreas to produce insulin, and insulin deficiency may occur.

(there is more information in the book, but did not want to type it all in here).

Unfortunately most prenatals are not Optimal Nutrition.

A study done by the American Pharmaceutical Association found that only 3 out of 9 FDA registered/pharmaceutical grade prenates met the standard for dissolving folic acid into the blood.

I just had a booth at the mamafest in No. County earlier this month, and was handing out information on the Importance of Optimal Supplementation during Pregnancy & Lactation, (and Optimal supplementation for children). EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids) are also extremely important while pregnant and breastfeeding. If you like I can send you an article on that. My contact info is at the bottom.

There is a Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplementation by Nutrisearch that compares 1600 supplements in North America. The company that Dr. Ladd Mc Namara recommends, and that I work with is Usana Health Sciences, and they were one of only 4 out of 1,600 to receive the Gold Medal for their supplements.

Sincerely,
D. Gates - Gold Director
USANA Health Sciences
home/office ###-###-####
cell ###-###-####
www.imagine_enterprises.usana.com
____@____.com

Hi M.,

I also had gestational diabetes in my 7th month I think, or whenever they check your blood sugar. I was sent to a nutritionist and put on a low carb/high protein diet for the rest of my pregnancy. My baby girl was born 10 years ago, at 7 pounds totally healthy. Try not to worry, with diet hopefully all will be fine. I was scared too, because they tell you if you dont control it your baby could get real big. I would love for you to keep me posted, and feel free to ask me more questions if you need to. E. K

Dear M.

You shouldn’t worry too much. I had gestational diabetes with my second baby; she is now 10 months old and very happy and healthy. I am too. When I found out I had gestational diabetes, I changed my diet fast, and by doing so, I lost 11 lbs while still being pregnant. My diet was of some one with diabetes, and the Atkins diet. Very low to almost no crabs, high protein and fiber, and no sweets. But be careful, something’s you might think are ok to eat might shoot up your blood sugar high. For me it was fruit, I didn’t think that it would do very much, but the natural sugar just mad it jump. And be careful of everything you put in your mouth. My pre-natal vitamins, sugar free gum, and even brushing my teeth mad it go up. And one other thing, gestational diabetes only affects you when you are pregnant, as soon as the placenta comes out you are fine. But you and your baby are at a small risk of developing diabetes later on in life. You also have a high chance of getting gestational diabetes if you have another baby. I am pregnant with my 3rd baby, I just found out Memorial Day, so I am curios to see if I will have it with this one. Ask your doctor or the speclise your doctor sent you too more about everything. Just relax, and Congratulations on your first baby boy. If you have anymore questions or just want to talk you can email me at ____@____.com

S.

M.,

I'd only like to tell you to RELAX and follow your Dr's advise. You've also gotten lots of wonderful advise from our fellow Mommies which could help you. At this point you don't have too much longer to go, so from here on out do whatever you can to minimize yours and the baby's risks. You can't help but worry but just know that everything always works out. Also, since you just found out, it indicates to me that you probably don't have any symptoms yet (like gianing too much weight and leading to overweight baby), which is probably a good thing and speaks to possibly not having any complications.

Anyway, good luck to you and congratulations on your little boy.

I had this too, and there is nothing to worry about! It is easily managed through diet, and infact, I considered it a gift as it really made me look closely at how and what and when I was eating...it's amazing how much attention one will pay to our bodies in a case like this!

Hi M.,
Try not to worry. I got gestational diabetes in my 6th or 7th month and everything turned out fine. I was not insulin dependent but my OB had me check my blood sugar levels 4 times a day. I really had to watch my diet and balance the carbs and proteins and minimize the sweets. The diabetes can make the baby grow a little bigger but the OB should monitor that. The good news is that it almost always disappears after delivery. My son was tested right after birth and was (-). I was tested some time after delivery and was (-) as well. We are both fine now and just living the "terrific three's". Hang in there and best of luck!

I had Gestational diabetes with my first pregnancy that I was able to control with my diet. It was really easy- I just had to watch portion sizes with my carbs. We had no complications from the diabetes and it was gone after I had my son (my son's sugar was fine when he was born too). I did not have gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy.

Don't stress, follow the advice of your nutritionist/doctor, and get creative with what you eat. There are tons of options for non sugar foods nowadays. They make everything with Splenda now! Good luck and congrats on your first baby!

I also had GDM diagnosed 3mo before my baby was born (3/08) and took no medications. Talk to a nutritionist and stick to the diet. I ate 6 times per day, avoided ALL sugar including most fruit, read every label and only had 3 or 4 blood sugars in 3 months of checking 4 times per day that were higher than recommended. I recommend high protein, high fiber breakfast (no fruit and no regular milk but plain soy milk was fine) then am snack (hard boiled egg or cheese and wheat crackers, triscuits are low sugar), lunch with vegetables, whole grain, protein; pm snack of fruit and protein like nuts or peanut butter; healthy dinner with veggies (2 servings), protein, whole grain and maybe some fruit and bedtime snack of protein and fruit or veggies (I had green beans or other veggies with cheese melted on top or crackers and cheese or 1/2 banana and peanut butter or fat free sugar free pudding and fruit/nuts). Do not eat carbs alone, always with protein. Drink only water, unsweetened tea or coffee (mostly decaf) and rare milk (nonfat or soy). Try Ezekiel brand bread (low sodium orange label has only 15gm carbs and 1 or 2 gm sugar per slice, the lowest I found). Watch portions and weight gain. It is not fun, but it is only temporary for most women. You do have a 50% chance of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future so take this seriously and eat healthy, exercise and maintain a healthy weight for your height forever. Also be sure to get a fasting blood sugar check annually from now on.
Please email me if you have other specific questions. I can give you my specific diet if you want more detail than above. I am a doctor and did not go to the nutritionist but developed the diet with their information and my own knowledge. Good luck - you and your baby will be fine.
____@____.com

It's ok. YOur worring on it affects the baby more. My sister had it with each pregnancy.(4) Big babies but just fine. I had it on my last child. I kepted to the diet and did the fingers pricks and i kepted it in check. It may cause the child to come earlier and be bigger but it you behave with the diet or shots you and the baby will be just fine. Chill

Hi M.,

Don't worry too much, this is something you can get through. It's totally natural to worry but it's not uncommon for first-time moms to get this. I got it with my 2nd pregnancy but my sister had it for both hers and we survived. As an older mom with past infertility issues, I was willing to do anything for the sake of my baby's health and to reduce risk to myself. Especially since my dad's side of the family has adult-onset diabetes.

It's been almost 6 years since I went through all this but I can remember it almost like yesterday. You're LUCKY because the blood sugar "finger pokers" as I called them are so gentle now! Mine were like mini instruments of torture. For me that was worse than injecting myself with insulin.

The worst thing for me was when my blood sugar dropped and I got seriously dizzy. I immediately checked my blood sugar level and knew to drink a little fruit juice. 20 minutes later I was okay. You can also get dizzy when your sugars are too high. You'll need to call the doctor if things get crazy but in most cases you should be educated on "what to do if" and those solutions are all you need. When in doubt, ask!

You will need to get a nutritional plan with a registered dietician ASAP and that should be covered by health insurance. Then you'll have to learn to use a blood sugar monitor. This requires getting a sample of blood from your finger and placing the sample in a monitor. As long as you watch your diet, get any sort of exercise (walking's best 20 minutes/day minimum), and monitor your blood sugar, you will be fine.

There will be days you'll be fine and others when you'll go "oops" in the morning. In the mornings, it became routine to check my first urine of the day - a check with little sticks you dip in. If there's too much or too little of something (sorry can't remember), that means you didn't eat enough the night before. Then I'd poke my finger with the blood sugar monitor device, record everything in a little log book, then if my sugars were too high I'd have to inject a tiny bit of insulin as my doctor prescribed. After every big meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) you'll wait at least an hour and have to check blood sugar levels. I had to check more frequently towards the end of my pregnancy.

You'll have to see your doctor more frequently to adjust eating or exercise habits or for insulin amounts to take but if you're lucky you can control everything with just diet and exercise. A few weeks before you're due you may get strapped to a fetal monitor to check your baby's health. I had early contactions because I wasn't drinking enough water.

Try to have small, low carb/high protein/low fat meals ALL DAY. Like every 2-3 hours. I am allergic to peanuts so peanut butter snacks were out but you can do alot with nut butters, cheese and eggs for snacks. My favorites (if you can tolerate most foods) were quesadillas at midnight or small soy butter sandwich on 1 small slice of toasted whole wheat bread. Nutty trail mixes, the occasional tuna sandwich and alot of chicken salad on celery sticks were my main snacks. Frozen or regular yogurt (read labels to see if it's within diet guidelines and avoid sugar substitutes if possible) with nuts was a great dessert. Hope you're not vegan or you'll think I'm nuts... As a special treat I'd even have a small McDonalds burger with half a bun and a few fries.

There are so many choices about foods to eat in the G-D diet but you're the judge of what's best for you and what's in your budget. You can go all out and eat only organic or avoid red meat but try to get alot of those omega-3 foods. Just have no regrets and do the best you can in the quality time you have left in your pregnancy.

If you're working, you should bring a small cooler with you and a large enough purse to bring in the extra stuff you'll need to snack and supplies to check blood sugar during the day. It's all extra work but hang in there!

Drink lots of water, walk or exercise as your doctor prescribes and follow your nutrition plan and you'll be fine! I only gained about 20 pounds with my G-D pregnancy but my OB thought my baby was measuring large and insisted I have a C-section. (I have stories about that - you can ask me later) He was bigger than my first but not like they thought! If you can deliver vaginally, you'll be lucky. Being a first time mom is frightening but again, you're lucky to have more advanced medical help and lots of resources from this forum of great moms to ask for help! Best Wishes!!!

:-) K.

M.,

Gestatioinal Diabetes is not that bad. I had it with my 6th child. All you need to do, is make sure you stay on the food program they give you, check your blood when told, and visit your doctor on a regular basis.

If you do this, you should have no problem. I did have my child C-section though. That might be something you will want to discuss with your doctor. The doctor stated my daughter would be at least 10 lbs (but was only 8 1/2), but she was breach.

I had a productive pregnancy and was able to do the things I have always done.

J.

GDM usually goes away after you deliver and your blood sugars should go back to normal. Did your doctor send you to see a dietician? You should have been referred to someone who can tell you what you should be eating and how much. Does he have you monitoring your blood sugar daily so you can see if your diet is effective? Sometimes babies of moms with GDM are large and may have to have blood sugars checked at birth depending on their size. But relax, follow your diet, get some exercise by walking each day and all should be well. You only have a few weeks to go.

I feel for you. I was diagnosed with GD while pregnant with my daughter. I was sooo bummed. I felt like it was something I did. But it is genetically predisposed. I followed the diet which was really easy, checked my blood sugar levels after meals and when I woke up and excersized lightly (mainly if I ate too much sugars). I loved the diet and it kept my weight way down! The dr thought my daughter was going to be on the large size. I was all set to be induced on my due date. She came on her own 6 days early and weighed 6-4. Follow the diet and you will be fine! Hang in there!

Hi there -

I got GD too when I was pregnant with my son. At first, I was so overwhelmed and sad. I thought I was going to lose it. My Mom was so wonderful with me. She told me that everything was going to be fine. And it sure was. I even had to check my blood every day for a few weeks. And I got through that. I was very careful with my diet and in the end it was great because I kept my weight down and that felt great. I kept a diary of what I ate. The nutritionist gave me all the paperwork on what I could eat and not eat. And I followed it. And again, it was actually easy to follow and great in the end. Because I was healthy. So, take a deep breath. Find out all the info. you need from your doctor and nutritionist. Get hugs from your family and friends. Get the support. Lots of hugs. You deserve it.

best wishes,

R.

I too was diagnosed w/gest. diab. but I wasn't diagnosed until my 9 month of pregnancy even though in my 6th month I gained 18 lbs in a month. Don't worry! Even at my late date i had to go to a nutritionist and was put on a strict diet. When that wasn't enough i had to poke my finger 6 times a day and when that wasn't enough i had to go on insulin(oral).Turns out it was no big deal. The only bad part was after 8 months of eating what ever I wanted a could only eat what they told me and being hormonale that was not fun!! I was deeply concerned about the baby having it since i was diagnosed so late and i was so big i was told that the baby would be at least 10 lbs. He was fine no problems and was only 8 lbs. Watch your liquid intake and make sure you eat a carb w/a protein to break the sugar down more no slowly. No fruit juice and watch your milk becuz 1 8 oz. glass has 12 to 13 grams of sugar. Hope everything goes well and best of luck. Love K.

First, don't panic. You are going to be okay. You may have a large baby due to the diabetes, although I had it and my daughter was only 5lbs. 11 ounces. The big thing about your diet is to eat healthy. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains are good. You can have sugar, but you should limit the amount since you need to have a good diet. They should be checking your urine and blood pressure a little more often than most pregnancies and will watch you carefully for any complications. If you would like it, your OB should be able to send you to a diabetes educator to help you with your diet. (I did become diabetic finally when my daughter was 15. A good resource is the American Diabetes Association. I think they have a local office. But they do have a web site that has good information and books and publications you can buy. Their toll free phone number is: 1-800-342-2383. I hope this helps. It's going to be okay.

Don't stress, I had gestational diabetes with my first pregnancy. It's the placenta that produces a hormone that blocks your body from producing insulin. Just stick to your diet and try to get at least 30min walk in every day. If you test your blood sugars and it's a little high go for a ten min walk they'll come down. And don't stress our if the diet isn't enough and you have to be put on insulin, I was and I stuck to my diet. It's just that placenta that blocks your insulin. Now the diet is the best thing that happened to me in the my first pregnancy because it keep my weight down and made me eat healthy. I'm two months pregnant wiht baby #2 and have already started my gestational diabetes diet, don't know yet if I have GD again but it's better to start early, plus it's really healthy way of eating. If you have any other questions, concerns or need someone to talk email me and I'll give you my number. Congrats on your baby and Good luck with your diet.

Hi M.,
Don't panic, as long as you follow the instructions by your dietitian you'll be fine. I was diagnosed with GD when I was about 7 months pregnant. My Dr. sent me to a dietitian and she made me a food plan for me to follow. She also made me buy that little machine to check your blood three times a day. To be honest, it was too much to my point of view at the end. Because they made me so fearful of if I ate more than I should my baby would grow too much and I would have complications at birth such as, the baby won't fit in the birth canal, and I would end up having a cesarian... etc. So, I was terrified and tried to follow the diet and check my blood sugar three times a day. I don't wish this to any woman when pregnant because at least in my case, it took away some of the joy that I had just for the fact that I was so scared to listen to all the stories the dietitian and dr. told me that could happen to me. At the end, my baby was born healthy, and not huge at all. Too much to handle when you are pregnant. But, I the same time I say, it's better to do a little sacrifice to have a happy ending. Who knows how I would have ended up (and my baby) if I did not follow instructions,

I have to say though, it was so hard for me to have my poor fingers pinched every day. I cheated some time by eating more cookies than allowed... but thanks God I was still ok.

It was traumatic because before I got diagnosed, I had cravings of eating flans and deserts! Can you imagine me after finding out! I had to cut all that sugar at once and I often cried and felt so miserable. For the most part I feel it was worth it. But, some times I think I could have eaten a little more treats and I would have still be ok.

Anyways, hand in there. It's only going to be 2 months! and you'll have your little healthy one. After he/she is born you will go back to normal, no more diabetes is found for most woman.

Good luck, God bless you and your little one and hang in there!
SUsana

Hi M.: I had gestational diabetes 24 years ago with my first daughter, then the second and the with my boy 16 years ago. I would recommend that you get on a strict diabetic diet a.s.a.p. Dr. Peter Anzaldo was my doctor he is in Orange, CA. He took care of me and the babies, and I managed the diabetes with diet, but later on I did have to have insulin injections in my 9th month. I don't mean to scare you but do get on that diet. Okay. I am sure you are going to be fine. However, after the baby continue a healthy diet. I.

I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my son. As hard as it is you need to try not to stress. I was told that sometimes the baby produces an insulin blocker that makes it so that you cannot break down sugar like you normally can and thus the gestational diabetes. I had it bad. I was on a strict diet and had to take my blood sugar levels 8 times a day and insulin 4 times a day. Hopefully you will be able to control your levels with diet adjustments. I was able to control my levels, but it was hard. No regular soda, only diet(I missed real soda). I was able to give birth without a c-section and my son was only 6lbs11.5 ouces. I was worried he was going to be huge. I hope you have an easier time than I did. If you need any more advice on how to deal I don't mind helping. Oh yeah, once I gave birth I had no more diabetes.

I also recommend immediately cutting all sugars (including fruit, especially high glycemic fruit like pineapple, mango) and carbs (no rice, bread, potatoes, any flour-containing products) and up your veggies and protein (an organic non-GMO cold water washed soy protein powder like Shaklee's would be great) - it's just for a short time until the baby is born and I know you can do it. This will also cleanse your system which is great for you anyway and may actually help prevent allergies in your baby when he/she is born.

Wishing you all the best with this (and congrats on the baby),

J.
www.shaklee.net/healthyfriends

Gestational diabetes can be quite serious. Has anyone from your doctor's office sat down with you to go over meal plans or how to check your blood sugar (glucose) with a glucometer? If not, it would be a good idea asap. I am a nurse who used to (sahm for the past 14 months) provide teaching for gestational diabetics. Usually, you are able to control your blood sugar (glucose) with diet and exercise as well as weight control. If not, you may be prescribed insulin to help. Blood sugars should be checked 3-4 times per day, 30 minutes after meals and be kept below 140 but above 70. You can keep these low by limiting carbohydrate intake (simple and complex carbs). All packaged foods should have nutrition labels on them that list the number of grams per serving of total carbohydrates. You should be keeping your intake between 30-45 grams per meal (3 meals per day) and 15-30 grams per snack (2 snacks per day). The other thing to keep in mind is not to go more than 4 hours withiout eating a snack or a meal or blood sugars can get too low. Gestational diabetes usually resolves within 6 weeks of having your baby but it makes your risk of developing Type II diabetes 3 times more likely later in life. For your baby, controlling blood sugar will keep him/her from growing abnormaly large in utero. Some babies have trouble regulating their own blood sugars in their first 24-48 hours of life and may need an IV with an IV dextrose(type of sugar) infusion. There is lots of info online including specific meals plans. Good luck.

You need to follow your OB/GYN's instructions. Also, your doctor should be sending you to a Nutritionist, and he/she will clearly delineate what you can/should be eating and have food/menu suggestions for you. Your OB/GYN will also monitor you to keep tabs on your pregnancy.

Do research on it perhaps, google it. But as always, follow your Doctor's advice as only he/she will know your full condition and medical history.

Don't worry. But yes, GD often goes away after baby is born...BUT it can leave you predisposed to getting Diabetes later in life. So be aware of this predisposition.

When I was pregnant with my 2nd baby...I did not have GD...but my numbers were close. With that in mind, my Doctor was pro-active in it and had me go to the same dietary recommendations, just in case. I'm fine now...but I am always aware that I came "close" to getting GD. So...even after having my baby..I am conscious of my eating/health habits. It's all about prevention.

Sometimes, with GD, babies can be born big. So Doctor will monitor this as well.

Take care, and follow Doctor instructions, and you'll be fine.
All the best,
~Susan

hey just hang in there. i had it while i was pregnant and everything will be ok just listen to the doctor and insist on a nutrionist visits. they really help. any other question just let me know.