Gestational Diabetes Group - Us vs. the Carbs

[oneway]

Pink and Eventerjj,

You both are doing great! Take it from one who had imperfect numbers, it's the whole picture that counts, not a few high numbers. I remember thinking my baby would be huge every time I had a high number and then guilt about starving my baby every time I had a low number. But it worked out fine in the end. Babies are resilient creatures. You are already doing your best by eating healthy and monitoring your blood sugar. If I could go back in the past and give myself any advice it would be to not worry so much.

That's why I am still active here even though I don't have GD anymore. To help reassure those of you who are still midway through this journey.

 

[northern_me]

Well, I've gained 4lbs since Friday. I'm assuming it is water retention but since I had pre-eclampsia last time, I am slightly terrified. That is what happened right before they admitted me for 4 days to wait for a c-section. I have to go in on OBS to see the doctor at 11, if she sticks me in that hospital to wait to be induced I am going to be pissed!

 

[oneway]

Good luck Northern! Hope they prioritize your case. I think they will since you have GD this time. This could be it! Maybe you will see your baby soon!

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Pink - I definitely have some down days, where it feels really hard and unpredictable and I am filled with guilt.

I do try and be positive, that is the main thing I have focussed on in this pregnancy because last time I was a nervous, guilty, sad wreck and there was no need to be. I grew a perfectly healthy, happy little girl.

This time I trust myself that I'm keeping my baby safe, though I think as a Mum it is only natural to have lapses of maternal guilt and frustration.

I have spent a lot of time in GD clinic the past 4+ years and trust me I have seen many many women saying things like 'I dont take my insulin because I dont want to get fat' and 'I think it is a good thing as it means I automatically get a csection' 'Who cares about the size of the baby if I dont have to push it out?'.

Those women scare me. You really dont sound like that sort of person

 

[northern_me]

Getting induced Friday morning if the sweep she just did doesn't work!

 

[Pink1981]

Thank you all so much! I've done this twice before, I'm not sure what's different this time!
I think having a big bleed at 10 weeks has terrified me and I can't handle the thought that something I do wrong can cause a problem. Plus I have group b strep this time too!
I also wasn't so restricted last time, I can't seem to handle much at all this time and am experiencing a lot more lows. Plus metformin wasn't common practise alongside insulin so everything's knocking me sideways

 

[Pink1981]

Not long now northern xx

 

[AmeliePoulain]

So exciting Northern! I hope the sweep kicks things off naturally.

Each time for me has been different. I am fortunate that likely my lack of other risk factors means I have scraped through medication free - but with DD1 I couldn't eat any fruit, this time and DD2 I can have some. This time I've struggled with my morning fasting number whereas I never had before. Also in this pregnancy I had to ditch lactose completely - but maybe I can handle more bread than last time?

Ok this time is the worst (they say 3rd time around it peaks) but it is just so different.

I felt really down about it from 17-20 weeks when I was trying to get a grip on it this time. I am sure it is with the same with a lot of gestational complications but with having my daughters already I feel like I know the baby, and my love for her is the same as it is for my older kids and in some ways that makes the fear of harm coming to her seem so very real.

 

[Pink1981]

That makes so much sense x

I want this baby so much and we tried so hard to fall pregnant. I guess i wanted to enjoy every second and I'm not. I can't wait for some proper kicks and movement, hopefully that will settle my anxieties a little

On a happier note I just had a chicken roast dinner with 5!!! roast potatoes (ok they were quite small) and got a good reading! This makes me happy!

 

[eventerjj]

Good luck Northern! I hope all goes well. We will be anxiously awaiting news

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Hba1c of 5% or 5.4. I'm normal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Amythyst]

Wouldn't someone with GD have a high A1C? How can you have GD with an A1C of a person who doesn't have diabetes?

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I definitely have GD - it has just been really tightly controlled for a very long time.

If I'd eaten anything like close to normal it would have been through the roof.

Because I recognised the GD had kicked in immediately (I was monitoring since 12 weeks) and I guess I know how to control it properly at the third attempt it has really paid off

 

[eventerjj]

Amelie, I don't know about being normal... But you hba1c looks good! Congratulations on great control!

I'm such an engineer... Every week or so I graph my numbers from my excel sheet to see which way the trend is going and if I need to correct.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

In my last pregnancy my moniotor had bluetooth and connected to an app on my phone which transmitted all the data to the hospital. The consultant had amazing graphs that they would analyse.

Unfortunately I don't get that this time though as I don't meet the criteria for the trial.

How are your numbers at the moment Eventerjj

 

[eventerjj]

Recently they have been trending downward a little bit, so I hope that is good. I've gone 2 weeks with only one random high number that I'm really not sure why it was high. My fasting numbers have come back down to 4.7/4.8 consistently as long as I eat something right before bed. Doctor says keep doing what I am doing, so I guess everything is good right now.

We'll see how much I have gained and what they think about baby on Tuesday. I don't think they are planning a scan right now though, so that will make it at least 5 weeks between scans. Does that seem like a lot of time for diet controlled GD or is it pretty normal if things are controlled well?

 

[RubysMommy]

My midwives won't give me any extra scans unless I go on some type of medication or go to 41 weeks. Which I'm okay with. I'm guessing it depends on your ob/midwife as to how often they will send you for scans.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I wouldn't be having extra scans as a diet controlled gd lady unless I hadn't of asked for them - the reason I asked is with DD1 I had one late scan (due to measuring ahead on fundal height - mainly due to fluid) and they were quite a way out with her weight as it was a very late scan.

DD2 I wanted regular reassurance and it was better for me. But I'm only scanned every 4 weeks from 28 weeks x

 

[eventerjj]

Thanks ladies, that makes me feel better. With how laid back my OB is, I was afraid he was just being super relaxed. Because we are the only western hospital in the area, the 'send for ultrasound' is two doors from his office/exam room.

I do finally get a tour of L&D on Tuesday when I go in for my appointment, so hopefully that will make me feel more comfortable/confident too.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I guess your fundal height always measures accurate to your weeks?

I'm short and nearly always measure ahead. I think that combined with GD would probably get me growth scans anyway. My issue has always been fluid not the size of the baby.

What did you think of the hospital tour?