So far this third pregnancy has been going along just swimmingly. I’m 21 weeks today and I’ve had no morning sickness, no real complications, nothing too terrible at all. (Don’t hate me.)
Unfortunately, there has been one major problem: I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 14 weeks pregnant. I didn’t have gestational diabetes with either of my other pregnancies and it really wasn’t even on my radar this time. But my doctor chose to have me tested early in my pregnancy because I had a few risk factors. (I’m 35 and considered overweight). And it turns out early testing was a good call in my case!
Over the past few weeks I have quickly learned a lot about gestational diabetes as well as the testing process. And I’ve realized that the little I thought I already knew was mostly wrong! These are the things that have been the biggest surprises along the way:
1. A lower score on the one hour glucose test doesn’t guarantee you will pass the three hour test.
I know that different doctors do testing differently, but most doctors in the United States have women do a one hour glucose tolerance test. If they don’t pass that test, they go on to take a three hour test.
In the one hour test, you drink a glucose drink and then the doctor checks your blood sugar an hour later. At my OB-GYN, the cut off for the one hour test is 135. I got a 136; I missed it by one lousy point. Some doctors consider anything under 140 passing, so if I had been in a different practice, I might not have failed at all. Because of all this, I was pretty convinced I would pass the 3 hour test with no problem.
I didn’t.
2. The Glucose tolerance tests don’t always go the way you imagined.
For the three hour test, you fast overnight. When you arrive at the lab or doctor’s office, they check your fasting blood sugar. And then you drink a big glucose drink and they test your blood sugar three more times over the next three hours. Well, when they took my fasting blood sugar, it was way too high. So they told me the test was over and I have gestational diabetes. What?!? To be honest, I felt a little robbed. How could I fail if I didn’t even get to finish the test?
At first I was pretty sure I was misdiagnosed. My score on the first test was low and I only failed one part of the second test – how does that lead to a diagnosis? But after a bit of reading, I realized that most people initially think their results were a mistake. It’s the whole denial thing.
3. You don’t have to go on a low carb diet.
When I found out I had gestational diabetes, I knew nothing about what I was supposed to eat. I had an appointment to meet with a dietician but I wasn’t able to see her for several days. In the meantime, all my nurse had said was not to eat sweets and to watch my carb intake. I took that to mean I needed to cut out most carbs Totally incorrect.
If you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will give you your own guidelines to follow, but it is certainly not a low carb diet. I am a mega carb lover, and while I am eating much less chocolate, my total amount of carbohydrates is probably close to what it was before. The eating plan is more about spreading your carbs out throughout the day between three meals and three snacks and making sure to balance the carbs you eat with plenty of protein.
4. Checking your blood sugar isn’t that big of a deal.
One of the things I was dreading the most was having to check my blood sugar four times a day. Nobody wants to have to stick a needle in their body every day, no matter how tiny it is. But honestly, it hasn’t been that big a deal. It stings for a microsecond and then it’s over. The biggest pain has actually been just remembering to check it at the right times.
5. Gestational diabetes is different for each person.
I’ve been following my eating plan and checking my blood sugar for six weeks now. I’ve found that my blood sugar almost never goes up too high after eating. There have even been a few times when I have cheated and eaten things that are definitely not approved and my blood sugar has been absolutely fine. Many people with gestational diabetes have to be very strict about what they eat, but thankfully that hasn’t been the case for me so far.
What has been a problem is my fasting blood sugar. I have to check my blood sugar every morning when I first wake up and that is when it is always high. It makes sense why I failed the fasting test now! I have an appointment with my doctor to discuss this later this week and I am expecting to be put on some sort of medication to help with this.
. . . . .
Any other gestational diabetes mamas out there? What surprised you the most? And if you have any wisdom to help me make it through the next 4-5 months, I’m all ears!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I never had to get the 3 hr test bc 1 hr was enough I guess! I had it with both and I freaked out the first time, and then the 2nd time I barely had time to manage it well, so I’m thankful that both my girls are healthy!
It’s so true that it’s just so different for everyone. You really have to try and see what carbs trigger your body more and what what times, etc. I can get away with eating some carbs but not others; I had to make sure I always have a good pre-bed snack or my # in the morning is bad, etc…
guest
I failed the 1 hour by 5 points and was sure I’d pass too, but no such luck. I was very depressed about it at first. This is going to be my last pregnancy (especially after this diagnosis) and I was looking forward to enjoying my last 2 months of pregnancy. I haven’t had any high numbers yet though, have been testing for almost 2 weeks now and my fasting numbers are always really low, which I’ve read is the hardest to control. I’m hoping to have to test less after I meet with my doctor. Hopefully the medicine will help keep your fasting numbers low! I was surprised by how many carbs you’re supposed to eat too, I never ate that many even before I was diagnosed!
guest
I had GD with both of my pregnancies. Here’s the thing. I am 5′, 100 lbs and a serious runner so I had no reason to think I would get it. I had a lot of trouble maintaining my numbers and had to find the right balance throughout the day to keep my numbers in check. I also really struggled with my fasting number and had to find the right bedtime snack combination to keep it reasonable. I have never been on a diet in my life except when I was pregnant! Both babies turned out healthy and normal sized though so in my case it wasn’t that big of a deal other than having to be careful about what I ate.
Also, after being pregnant I would check my numbers after terrible meals (think Maggiano’s or Olive Garden) and they would be just fine. Pregnancy is crazy!
grapefruit / 4291 posts
For me, GD was all about figuring what foods would spike my numbers and what foods wouldn’t! For example, I could eat a Nuggets Happy Meal with small fries and a Diet Coke and have ok numbers, I could eat dessert at a restaurant if I went easy on the carbs in my main and walked after the meal.
As it was , I was diet controlled with pretty good numbers but my wee guy was still almost ten pounds and a textbook GD baby with the fat shoulders and face!
The last point I want to leave is that GD does NOT mean that you will definitely need to be induced early or need an automatic c-section, providing you’re in good health and your numbers aren’t crazy then you should be ok to go full term!
cherry / 209 posts
When I was pregnant with my first over three years ago the process was to do the 1 hour test first and if you fail that then the 3 hour. Now that I’m pregnant again the process has changed and you do the 3 hour test straight away.
guest
I had GD with my second daughter (not my first), and was able to completely diet control. I felt like there was a big learning curve for the first two weeks or so with the diet and pin pricks. Re the fasting numbers, I found it was critical that I ate dinner on the early side. If I ate late, my numbers were always higher. I also found that, I could, as a treat, eat high fat ice cream without any added sweets (no caramel or candy topping)-i.e. Haagen daz vanilla, with a topping of nuts and my numbers would be fine. Obviously everyone is different. My doctors let me go 5 days post my due date because my GD was so well controlled and my daughter was 8 lbs even , so not too big.
blogger / cherry / 222 posts
@snowjewelz: Yes! So far most carbs have been ok for me. But I definitely have to be more careful at night! So glad both of your gd pregnancies turned out well!
blogger / cherry / 222 posts
@Kemma: Thanks for the encouragement! I have found I can ‘cheat’ a little now and then too as long as I walk after I eat. That really came in handy when we were on a mini vacation. And I am glad you pointed out, it doesn’t have to mean a c section or bad birth experience. That was my biggest worry until I did more research!
blogger / cherry / 222 posts
@Mrs Music: Interesting! I’ve never heard of going straight to the 3 hour test, although I am sure it gives more accurate results!
coffee bean / 39 posts
I also was diagnosed early with GD – I asked for the test because I had PCOS and was overweight and I knew those were risk factors. It seems like the hardest thing about it for many people is keeping a positive attitude about the diet, finger pricks, and possibly medication, and you are already doing that! I was able to control mine with diet and walks after eating, and yes, could do the occasional “cheat” meal. Toward the end of my pregnancy, I had to stick to the diet way more rigidly, but the good news is that I didn’t gain much at the end and am already below my pre-pregnancy weight at 6 weeks PP. I was able to go to my due date and had a perfect 6 pound 14 ounce baby! It’s tough, especially when you are diagnosed early, but you are doing a great thing for you and your baby’s health. Hang in there!