[JustLiz]

...so I was just diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I'm not terribly surprised because everyone on my dad's side of the family had either diabetes or gestational diabetes. I was hoping to get my mom's genes, but I guess I lost out. So even though I'm thin and exercise all the time, I got unlucky. Anyone else have gd? How did you deal with it? I'm going to stop drinking juice altogether (used to drink it watered down) and stop eating white rice. I already don't eat sweets or drink any other kinds of soda/sweet tea or anything else. Any other suggestions?

[JessMitch]

Hey Liz i have it too. I started my finger pricking and diet last Monday so it's been one week and i've already got my blood sugar under control. One word of advice, do not eat chinese food! I had some the other night, and i didn't even eat a lot of noodles, less than half a cup and my blood sugar was through the roof! You probably have to meet with a dietician and a diabetic counselor (I had too). It's not about cutting out certain things, it's about moderating your carb/sugar intake each day. DOn't worry though, you def won't go hungry! I feel like i'm constantly eating yet i lost 2 lbs the past week! I eat breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and a night time snack! I never really get real hungry so that's good! And even with all that i still LOST weight lol. You def want to cut out fruit juice tho... 4 oz of OJ is equivalent to a cup of raspberrys or an apple or something.. and 4 oz is nothing! I'd way rather eat than drink. The only bummer is all you can really drink is milk and water. I found some crystal light type things to put in your water with no sugar or carbs but it's not the greatest... and altho illegal for a pg woman, i've had a diet coke or 2 because you know what? I'm sick of water with my lunch!!!! Ok i've gone on long enough! Hope some of this helps!

PS, do you have an appt set up to meet wiht someone to show you how to do this?

[Celry]

I was on meds to stop contractions that gave me GD. As soon as I went off the meds, my blood sugars regulated.

You have to be more careful with your carbs in the morning than any other time of the day. You can look up the glycemic index of foods to know what fruits and veggies will spike your sugars more than others. Peaches and cherries are low, where bananas are high. So, you can't go by how sweet a fruit is.

Sprouted grain breads won't spike your blood sugars the same way that other breads will. I could eat 2 slices of sprouted grain bread as french toast in the morning (without syrup) and still be in the 90s when I checked my blood. I would also scramble an egg or two, mix in cinnamon and uncooked rolled oats. Then I'd cook that like a pancake. It was really good.

If you're reading labels and something has at least 5 grams of fiber, you can subtract the amount of fiber from the carbs to get a better idea of how it's going to affect you. Does that make sense?

I tried to stay away from lots of dairy products, like yogurt and milk because those did a number on my blood sugars. I could do some cheese though. I ate loads of spinach salads for lunch loaded with veggies (especially avocado), some beans and a little cheese.

I tried to avoid pasta. I did eat a little whole wheat pasta. I ate a lot of green beans and/or spaghetti squash instead.

Your biggest thing will be to find your own personal balance between carbs and protein. You can't avoid all carbs, but you'll want to make sure that the carbs you do eat are really worth your while.

[JustLiz]

Jess - I just found out tonight. I have to make an appointment with the nurse tomorrow. The midwife seemed to think I'd get in to see her by next week. We can muddle through our diets together once I start checking sugars.

Thanks for the tips. I didn't know that milk would be bad. Also that's interesting about the fruit. I eat a lot of apples. I guess I'll see if those are affecting it a lot. I eat hot oatmeal (made myself - not the instant kind that's loaded with sugar) for breakfast. Do you think I should switch to eating eggs instead?

I hope I don't need meds because our insurance won't cover it. I wonder if it will cover the testing kit and supplies. Do either of you know how much that costs?

[MarinaAndCharlie'sMommy]

Everyone gave great suggestions. It's all about balancing carbs and protein. I highly suggest meeting with a dietician. They are a wealth of knowledge. Also for me milk (which I craved during pregnancy) made my sugars sky rocket. Having GD is so hard, but it is manageable. Wishing you GD ladies the best of luck

[JessMitch]

You know i'm really not sure about the testing kit... they asked me for my insurance and stuff which i gave them and they just gave me the kit. Not sure if i return it afterwards or what? As far as MY diet goes, i have one cup of milk in the morning and one or two at night... i love milk and i find out today if i have to add more calories to my diet and if so, i'm adding milk I think your oatmeal is fine as long as it's no more than a cup at breakfast probably? And regarding the apples, i now eat 3 servings of fruit a day, one at my morning snack, one at lunch, and one at my afternoon snack. So i'm sure once you meet with your person you'll find out that you can continue eating apples. Hope you hear from the nurse soon so you can get all your own answers and know what to do!

[Lyz]

let me just say this: what works for one person doesn't ALWAYS work for another. Case in point: my sister and I both had GD and what she could eat, I couldn't! (I am skinny and stay fit too)

lots of protein things.....my staples for snacks were cheese sticks and peanut butter. It's typically a low carb/low sugar diet. The key is to always incorporate a protein with your snack. Example: an apple with peanut butter. The peanut butter helps level your sugars so you don't spike with the apple.

You can make freshed brewed iced tea at home (decaf if you prefer) and add splenda. But, be careful because splenda messed with my numbers a bit.

I struggled the most with my fasting numbers. Also, what you can eat one week may not work the next (that was the most frustrating for me)...your body hormones change weekly (obviously) so it messes with your numbers.

The best thing to do is google "gestational diabetes menus" and that should help. Good luck girlie! It's not as bad as some may think. I felt SO much better once I was eating right!!!

oh and you get to keep your meter

[Hoosier Kitty]

My mom had GD during her #2 pregnancy with my sister. I dont have much advice but I want to say.. Hang in there, you can do it!

[Celry]

Originally Posted by Lyz

let me just say this: what works for one person doesn't ALWAYS work for another. Case in point: my sister and I both had GD and what she could eat, I couldn't! (I am skinny and stay fit too)

Totally true!

Originally Posted by Lyz

You can make freshed brewed iced tea at home (decaf if you prefer) and add splenda. But, be careful because splenda messed with my numbers a bit.

Fake sugars mess with most people's blood sugars. The sweetness makes your body think it's getting sugar, so it releases insulin, which then has no sugar to attach to. Your blood sugars go way up and then you crash. It's best to stay away from most artificial sweeteners if you can.

Originally Posted by Lyz

oh and you get to keep your meter

I still periodically check my blood sugars. I just borrow a strip from my neighbor who is a diabetic. Once you've had GD, you're at a much higher risk of developing diabetes in the next 5 years. You'll want to make sure either you check or have your doctor check once per year.

[Lyz]

I too still check my sugar from time to time. I did a 2 hr test 8 weeks post partum and was fine but from time to time I can really tell if I"m neglecting my body because my sugars feel out of whack.

Each pregnancy you are at a 25% more risk to getting Type II diabetes. Scary #s!!

[JustLiz]

Thanks girls.
I'm feeling a little better. I talked to my aunt who had gd in 3 of her 4 pregnancies. She still has normal blood sugar now - 17 years after her last pregnancy. Her kids are beautiful too.
Good to know that things are different for everyone. I guess it will be trial and error to figure out what works for me. My appointment is next wednesday, so I can start figuring it out after that.