I had gestational diabetes, two times. If you’re reading this you probably failed your one hour test and are looking for some reassurance like I was after I failed mine. Yes, you have to take it seriously but it won’t be as bad as you think.
When I failed my first one hour glucose test, I scoured the world wide web to find out what was going to happen to my baby and if it was possible to have a false negative. After reading TONS of blog posts it actually is possible to fail your one hour and pass the dreadful 3 hour glucose test but that wasn’t what happened to me. I failed both, there was no mistake. I had gestational diabetes and I honestly was scared shitless. The unknown in pregnancy can be terrifying.
After you fail, you will get an appointment with a specialist and a nutritionist. The nutritionist will go over diet and the specialist will check your logs every week (or as often as they say) to make sure the baby is doing fine. This also usually means extra ultrasounds! Who doesn’t want to see their baby more?! Silver lining. After my first couple visits the specialist told me not to worry as much as I was worrying but I couldn’t help myself. I was only borderline the first time, I could still eat cake and have some carbs as long as I paired it with protein. Which they will go over with you the balance of how to eat properly. Again, I promise it’s not as bad as you think it will be.
My anxieties as a new mom had only just begun. Usually you’re supposed to eat and test your sugar 2 hours later in hopes it is below 120 and record your numbers for each doctors visit. The finger prick is also not a big deal. Use the sides of your fingers, they are less sensitive. There’s some apps you can download to make it simple for on the go tracking because carrying around that piece of paper the doctor gives you is so 1900’s. It sounds so simple now, but it was really hard for me to relax. Almost every time I had a meal I was so nervous to test because if you do get a higher number theres nothing you can do besides not eat that food again. I would emotionally beat myself up if my numbers were high and when I say high, I mean like 140-ish. Which is still high but it most definitely could have been worse. I had an above average number maybe once or twice a week. I tortured myself with stress and constantly researching food and what not to eat. I delivered a healthy baby boy at 8 pounds and some change, his sugars stabilized he did not have hypoglycemia either. Everything was fine.
When my second pregnancy rolled around (figuratively and literally) I knew the chances of being diagnosed with gestational diabetes again was also very likely. I failed my one hour test (again) and I brought my own glucose machine so I could test right away instead of waiting a couple days for the results. Given my history I begged the doctor not to make me do the 3 hour test, because I felt so terrible after the one hour I didn’t want to go through that again but worse and thankfully, they agreed.
The second time was a little different than my first, the older you get the more likely to develop gestational diabetes so with subsequent pregnancies it’s also likely to get a little worse. Which mine did. The way I handled it the second time, I wish I would have could have handled it the same with the first round. The second time I just cut out basic carbs, like rice, pastas, etc. I know this sounds terrible and I’m not going to lie, I missed rice. Thankfully though, and I had to remind myself of this on the daily, it’s temporary. I don’t know why the first time I would torture myself and eat the things that would possibly run my sugar high. I wish I could have told myself these things the first go:
- It’s going to be ok. Your baby will be ok. Even if you have to use insulin it is not the end of the world. My doctor told me how so many women would try so hard to control their diabetes with diet only and felt so much relief after starting insulin, emotionally.
- Gestation diabetes is temporary. If you’re lucky, just 3 months. You can do anything for 3 months!
- Just cut the shit out and by shit I mean carbs, your heart will thank you. Don’t torture yourself like I did. Having gestational diabetes in this day and age is great because there are so many low carb or keto options in the supermarkets. Also, Pinterest as so many delicious recipes. I’ll add a couple at the bottom I loved.
- Try not to overthink it. Oh pregnancy hormones, they can be so cruel. Try not to over complicate these things in your head.
- You CAN and will do this.
In the scheme of things that can go wrong during your pregnancy, gestational diabetes is definitely not the worst thing that could have to you or your baby. Think of it has a really healthy diet regime that you only need to do for a couple of months and both you and the baby will be healthier for doing so. Once that baby pops out go ahead and eat cake for breakfast though because I sure did. If anything, gestational diabetes helped me curve my weight gain.
I didn’t have anyone to talk about this to and it was all I wanted to talk about with my first pregnancy, so please if you have any questions leave me a comment and I will get back to you.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/810014682964159031/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567242515567814383/
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