Gestional diabetes?

Question

I had my doc appt. on tuesdaddy I received one of the worst news and that is that I have gestional diabetes. My mom has diabetes and I seen her stuggle plus I am aware of all the complications that can occur to me and the baby. What really scared me was that he said if I cant manage my sugar level my baby will keep on growing so they will have to induce because they cant let me deliver a 11lb baby. Does anybody dealt w gestional diabetes? any foods,recipes ideas? I take my sugar 4 times a day usually a hr after each meal and its still high and I dont know what to eat anymore.

Additional Details

I am supposed to meet w diabetes specialist tom. and yes they say my baby its alreay quiete large. I have to have a detailed ultrasound to see exactly how big he really is. I look like I am about to deliver to twins. No joke. the thing is I feel fine just a bit tired but i taught that is a bit normal at this stage. I guess no cake for my 21st bday. first no vegas now no cake. it sucks lol

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

yeah thats why your baby is as big as he is.
One thing that will help keep your blood sugar down is exercise. Try taking walks as often as you can so you are using extra blood sugar. Try to avoid juices and sodas, etc and just drink water or low sugar drinks if you have to. Lower your carb intake. Like try eating a hamburger without the bun, etc. Avoid snacks because they are usually high carb, instead try baby carrots, or fruit or other veggies. But dont over consume fruit either because that can make a lot of sugar.
Son't worry you are almost to the end and on the bright side the diabetes will go away when your baby is born. One thing though they say if you develop gestational diabetes the chances of getting it later in life are greatly increased and it seems to run in your family too, so now is the time to start watching your diet and makes it really important to lose any baby weight gained.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

thanks.yeah I def. changed my diet alot since the news. I mean,it has been pretty hard but I am still having my lil splurges here and there. My mom has diabetes so she been preparing all my meals. lots of veggies& my dog is happy that she gets walked more. next wed its my 21st bday &Iam havin cake

Answer 2

First, they are wrong to tell you that you can't deliver an 11lb baby. I was diagnosed with this but my doctors happened to be wrong and my son was born (induction) at 38 weeks 6lbs 11oz. I'm not saying they are wrong in your case at all. Because they said you have it, you have to trust that and eat balanced meals low on the carb side.
Cinnamon supplements are great to keep blood sugar stable. It, of course, is safe but you should mention it to your doctor. I, unfortunately, don't have any recipes for you. I had a very demanding job while pregnant and I was always eating on the go. I just stayed away from carbs mostly(all the foods I love) took cinnamon supplement and drank lots of water and herbal tea. It is not that bad and if you take care of yourself and the baby, you will be fine. The bad part is all the cravings and you can't have the food you want!

Answer 3

Some women can't control it with diet alone and you might need insulin, it isn't your fault, it's just what happens sometimes. You should be keeping a log of all your blood sugars to take to the doctor and they should decide if it's consistently high enough (usually over 140 or more is their threshhold) that you need to take insulin. Once you're on insulin it is rather easy to control your blood sugars and risks to your child and yourself are cut dramatically.

You should also meet with a diabetes educator, ask your clinic or the hospital where you will deliver for a referal. They can assist with meal planning. The key is not just limiting carbs, but timing protein and carb intake carefully (more protein in the morning, spacing carbs throughout the day, etc.).

Good luck, don't worry about the risks, the vast majority of women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes end up getting it under control if they follow doctor's advice, and they don't end up delivering 11lb babies! They would choose to induce you at 38-39 weeks if baby started looking large.

Source(s):

RN, high risk OB, L&D

Answer 4

Here are some sites with good information:

http://www.diabeticmommy.com/34-gestatio…

http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Sample_D…

http://diabetes.emedtv.com/diabetic-diet…

http://www3.fertilethoughts.com/forums/s…

Also check out BabyCenter.com's forums. There is always good info on there :)

Good Luck and be thankful that you only have to deal with it during your pregnancy!!

Answer 5

My sister had g.diabetes with both pregnancies, 1st pregnancy she managed by diet alone and the second pregnancy she had to have the needles after each meal. She was induced...baby didn't want to come so she had a c-section. Opted for c-section for 2nd-1st born 10p 1 and 2nd 9p 3. No issue in the 2 pregnancies and they are healthy children!
I suggest seeing a dietian-ask to be refered by your hospital. Good luck!