a few words on gestational diabetes

shot yesterday on my walk ~ canon digital rebel xt

i mentioned briefly in a previous post that in my last trimester of pregnancy, i have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. since then, i have had quite a few people ask me questions as they didn't know much about it. i have also had people assume that i was sitting around eating buckets of brownies and snickers bars. so i thought i would talk a bit about my situation and what i have learned from the little i know about gestational diabetes.

gestational diabetes happens during the later weeks of pregnancy and is a temporary form of diabetes, hence the name. it doesn't mean i am diabetic, it simply means that the hormones that the placenta is producing are directing everything to the baby and blocking my ability to produce enough insulin to break down the glucose in my body and rather then convert it to energy, the glucose stays in my blood.

because of this, exercise is key to keeping blood sugar levels stable as it helps to burn the glucose that my body can't convert to energy right now. it is not fully known why some pregnant women develop gd while others can eat in-n-out burgers all the live long day, but if you are one of those who can indulge in all of your ice cream and pickle cravings without a care in the world, consider yourself lucky... and have a slice of pizza for me.

i do admit that i was shocked when i learned that i had gd, because those who know me know that i eat pretty healthy. sure, i indulge in a bite of dessert now and again (i'm only human) but for the most part i am a savory food girly and not so much a sweet tooth and eat tons of salads dressed with only olive oil and fresh lemon juice, yummy soups, organic veggies, seasonal fruits etc. i don't eat fast foods or junk foods because i don't like how they make me feel, physically or emotionally. i try to stay away from all things processed (although my weakness is cereal) and believe it or not i have only gained 16 lbs with this pregnancy so i really am all baby. any extra juicy goodness on me was there prior to my getting pregnant, thank you pasta. so i learned that even though i don't eat snicker's bars or drink soda, the fact that i do eat fruits, yogurt, honey, grains, brown rice pasta and sweet potatoes all contain sugar that converts to glucose.

it's been an interesting journey just since being diagnosed. for one, i have learned that eating for two with gd is completely counter-intuitive to what all the books say.

now that i am testing my blood sugar four times a day, foods like whole grains, fresh juices, fruits, milk, yogurt and my beloved whole-grain cereal with blueberries all cause my blood sugar levels to skyrocket. just this morning i made my now usual two-egg veggie omelet but was craving fruit so bad that i had ONE SLICE of a small apple with it. i have eaten omelette's each day for breakfast since seeing the nutritionist and my blood sugar stays low but this morning that additional ONE SLICE of apple had my levels soaring to the moon, even with exercise.

prior to my diagnosis i would think nothing of guzzling three glasses of milk a day, a tall glass of fresh orange juice and blueberries and strawberries on my multi-grain cereal thinking this was perfectly acceptable, healthy even. plus it is what i craved so i thought i was listening to my body. when i spoke to a nutritionist last friday, i realized that all these things were not conducive to gd and were in fact hurting me and possibly our little one.

she gave me a diet to follow but i learned pretty quickly based on my blood levels that part of the diet doesn't work for me ~ the part that states i can still eat starches. one slice of Ezekiel bread with protein, one cup of milk, or one tiny slice of an apple with protein will cause my glucose level to skyrocket, even with exercise. i notice if i eat only a portion-controlled amount of protein and veggies, 5-6 times a day, plus exercise, i am able to keep my levels stable and right where they should be. if i were to stay on their prescribed, one-size-fits-all diet, i would probably have to start taking insulin, which is something i would rather not do if i can help it. this prescribed diet is also part of the food pyramid, which i don't agree with, and makes me have delusions about becoming a holistic nutritionist, but i digress.

it's an adjustment to be sure. i CRAVE fruit, milk and grains like quinoa and starches like sweet potatoes. but i am finding that the only things i can eat are veggie omelette's, natural nut butters, hummus, cheese, tofu, whole raw nuts, lean meats and salads galore. very french, no? well, minus the baguette, madeleine's and croissant anyway. i have been roasting chickens like a madwoman so i can have the skinless leftovers for a couple days for a shot of protein. the only carbs i am getting currently are from veggies.

i have never been one to diet. although i tend to make healthy choices with foods, i just don't have the discipline to measure portions, plus i love food too much. however, with something so precious at  stake, it's a small sacrifice to make and now just seems like something i have to do, like brushing my teeth or wearing sunscreen. i find myself borderline obsessive about what goes into my body and how much, now knowing i have to answer to my blood monitor two hours after whatever goes into my mouth. i have learned it is all about portion control and eating small meals frequently. i feel her kick and missing fruit no longer becomes an issue.

walking helps tremendously. i dance after each meal for about 15 minutes (which is pretty funny to watch me do this in my living room to 80's music) and have very recently just started walking about an hour outside which is how this project is getting started, as well as engaging in some prenatal yoga stretches.

this is all very new to me ~ i still have books to read, information to soak in, and understanding what works for my particular situation. i know each person's situation is different. i have had a couple amazing women that have experienced gd reach out to me with loving support and wonderful advice about what worked for them. if this is something you have been through, i would love to hear from you too.

the good news is that if i can keep my blood levels stable, the baby will be born without any complications from gd. this is the goal. the other good news is that once she is here my gd will literally disappear within a few hours of delivery, or so i am told, even though i will still be monitored in the hospital.

because of gd however, my doctor will be inducing labor about ten days before my due date which means i should know the baby's birthday in about three weeks when i go in for my next ultrasound.

with some of the obstacles i have faced during my pregnancy, i can still honestly say that being pregnant has been nothing but a blessing and i continue to enjoy the wild ride. our little one is such a gift and i realize that i will do anything to protect her, even before she makes her grand entrance into the world.

Comments

[daisies]

you have explained this all so well honey, i have been to a few diabetes chronic disease conferences through work and its such a complex disease and there are so many varieties of diabetes ... it sounds like you are doing exactly what is right for you and for your baby ... and all your yummy healthy food talk has made me hungry for the vegan rice noodle lasagna i made up yesterday ;-) love you! xox

[daisies]

p.s. that photo is incredibly beautiful, makes me sigh dreamily ... :)

[Kirsten Michelle]

i love that you've shared your knowledge and experience here and that you're adapting and learning to find out what works best for your body and how you've noted that it might not be the same for everyone. i think you look amazing, sweetie...so whatever it is you're doing...keep it up ;-)

i'm so excited about the new flickr project!!! it's such an inspired idea, my lovely.
xoxoxoxo

[Tina]

I'm so glad that you have been able to find a way in your eating and exercise to keep your numbers under control. That is a wonderful thing! :) And I'd love to see you dancing to 80's music

And kudos to only gaining 16 pounds so far!! I only gained 22 with my youngest when I had GD (different story with the older one, had lots of water retention on that one). Your doing a fabulous job!!!

[reddawn]

I'm thinking of you two, even though I haven't been around much lately!

Question - I haven't read this entire post so you may have written it, but does gd make you *feel* different, or is it only because of the tests that you know you have it?

[schmoops]

dawn ~

i have had no symptoms at all, which is common. the only way i knew is when i had to take the routine one hour glucose test (which i failed) and then the three hour glucose test.

xoxo

[Helene Byrne]

Hang in there. The GD diet is really tough for those of us that love healthy eating, like whole grains, fruits, and low fat dairy. It can seem as if everything that was once really good is now really bad! But it's only temporary, and after your baby is born, you'll be able to go back to your great eating habits.
Thanks for the detailed post! GD is something that all pregnant women need to be alert about.

[sueberry]

Wow....I learned a lot1 Thank you & stay healthy!! (Although I know you will!)

Thanks to "The Zone" book I read a long time ago, I knew about SOME of this, but it's cool to learn something new from a different perspective, although I wish you did not have to deal with it at all. :(
I will eat all the pizza & In-n-Out burgers for you that you want! Happy to take one for the team! ha ha!

Enjoy your 80's dances & your veggies! You look great!!! XOXO

[Megan]

WOW! You really are a rock star!
I have been in the Natural Health Industry for 18 years. In our store, it seems like every week, we have women come in with GD and just will not listen when we tell them the "normally" healthy foods they are eating just wont do now. Of course then there are the ones eating at McD's every day and wondering what went wrong, then look at us like we're insane when we suggest that the grilled chicken on white bun may not be as good a choice as they think. LOL!

See? This is why we love you. You are strong, intelligent and intuitive. And you make choices for your little one that may leave you uncomfortable, but strengthen that little one. You have one lucky bambino in there!

Oh, and don't even think of my little box of goodies till this is over! What a nightmare to have to make yummies you can't eat!

[Thea]

That photo is shimmering in golden yumminess.

This was very insightful and informative.

It sounds so healthy -the way you are following what is right for you and the baby.

Such a good mama you are.
XOXO

[tangledwings]

how exciting that you are oh so close to knowing when you're little one's birthday will be...yeah!...

[Meg]

Just celebrating that you are doing such fine work w/ managing your GD, figuring out what's best for you despite the info you've gotten from specialists. Just a voice of encouragement to continue doing this re: the possible induction. Perhaps you'll be irritated what may seem like my offering totally unsolicited ass-vice... but hopefully you'll be able to see that I offer this *without judgement* and just as resources that you may/may not find helpful but are, IMO, at least worth checking out. OK... here goes, some resources:
* Mothering.com pregnancy forums - read and post there about gd and induction, where I think you'll get a good cross-section of replies and good things to think about... here's just one thread, as an example:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/archive/index.php/t-146648.html

* Sarah Buckley's article (I *love* this woman/doc/mother!) http://www.mothering.com/sections/experts/buckley-archive1.html#gdm

* Henci Goer's article http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/gdhgoer.html

Whew. A little fearful of hitting the "post" button because I know how supercharged all things pregnancy/birth/parenting can be. I repeat: no judgements, just wanting to help widen the field of perspective w/ some lesser well-known but valid and potentially helpful options. :)

[boho girl]

rather than balloons and flowers, i think your loved ones need to bring you fruit, pasta and bread baskets after the birth!

hee hee.

so proud of you for honoring this whole process the way you are.

love the image of you breaking down to 80's muzak.

xoxo

[Eileen Weigand]

Hi Schmoopy,
I floated in here from Dancing Mermaid's blogsite and I hope you don't mind my commenting...
I am a diabetic, my mom was one, my dad is one and my sister had gd with both of her pregnancies. So, I have a bit of experience with this thing.
You sound like you are doing marvelously well with your diet and with tailoring it to fit your body which is critical. Thank you for explaining here gd was for people who don't know- that was so brave.
By now you may be getting ready to give birth to your little angel- my blessings to you!
((hugs)) Eileen

[kentuckyann]

Hey, i only just found your site, and I love it!
I was wondering if you had any ideas about whether or not to eat ice cream in the 2nd trimester? I know we have to be careful about sugar intake all the time but do you think eating sweets occasionally sometimes CAUSES GD? The doctors seem to think it's not a big deal but the midwives disagree...

(I am 39 next month, pregnant for the 1st time, due early-mid July, and am in the middle of a yearlong 50 state roadtrip documenting sustainability in America...)

[agupta]

Thanks so much for this posting. I just found out that I have GD and your post is clear and logical. I have a family history of DM and feel I have been very careful about what I eat even though everyone says, "Go ahead, you're eating for two, you can eat whatever you want now, etc." Your post has given me hope that I can manage this and keep my baby healthy. Thanks again!

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When I was pregnant I has the same feelings about that, so be patient.

[Phentermine 37.5]

That's a fine fine article. Really thoughtfully put together and presented perfectly.

[coach purses]

Health is the best treasure (which) a man can possess. Money can do many things, but it cannot buy happiness. However, so long as man has good health, he can enjoy the pleasures of human life.

[Keranamu Gula]

My wife was diagnosed with gestational diabetes every time she got pregnant but thank god it was all temporary.

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Hello the diabetes is not a nice disease cause you have to be award all the time of this condition .
so to all the women pregnant that have this problem be award and get help .

[Jo]

Very informative article indeed. Thanks a lot!

[Shannon]

Hello! I've been reading your blog off nad on since before you became pregnant with Bella and I remember you posting about your experiences with GD. I'm currently 17 weeks pregnant with my first and because I'm already high risk due to age (37) and weight, as well as having a history of diabetes in the family, my doctor had me go early for a 2 hour GD test. I went on Monday and received the results today, I'm positive for GD. I just wanted to let you know that your post is very re-assuring and I'll also be researching the heck out of this thing. :)

[Stacy]

Hi Shannon, Congratulations on your pregnancy! Research will be your best tool. Cinnamon, chia seeds and a gluten free diet will help stabilize your blood sugars tremendously. Best to you and your little one!

Stacy

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