There’s nothing quite like the breakdown after the phone call of a gestational diabetes diagnosis, especially for a first time mother.
So many things that had to be done, specialists to see, decisions to be made. After that phone call resulting from failing the three hour glucose tolerance test, even where I would have my baby was up in the air. The need for insulin would automatically result in a “transfer of care”, and the birthing center birth I’d dreamed of would be non-existent.
What Happened?
After the diagnosis, I had to see an OB-GYN specializing in gestational diabetes, for starters. There was a consult, an ultrasound (to make sure the baby hadn’t grown too large to be delivered naturally), and many, many blood sugar tests.
As of this writing, I am required to self-test my blood sugar four times per day until my son is born. Coming from a background of NO blood sugar testing, and a fear of needles, this was a huge obstacle for me.
Although I have not required insulin to manage my diagnosis, and my son was in the 48th percentile for his size as of the last ultrasound, this diagnosis has still hung around my neck as the proverbial millstone – and has certainly transformed my pregnancy.
Gestational Diabetes Transformed my Pregnancy
Aside from the obvious – regular blood sugar testing, extra doctors appointments, and all of the “fun” *read in a very sarcastic tone* extras that come with a gestational diabetes diagnosis, there were less visible transformations that occurred when I was diagnosed.
- I became more aware of how what I ate impacted my blood sugar. Even as someone who has been a Trim Healthy Mama for years, I had never seen the actual numbers and had no actual clue what my blood sugar was doing.
- An intense fear my blood sugar number developed. If my number was “high” (my highest ever reading to date was 148 two hours after a meal, and I’ve only ever had one other number even close to that level after nearly a hundred and fifty readings) I wouldn’t want to eat for fear of making the number rise further. If my number was low (lowest number to date has been 77) I wouldn’t want to eat for fear of bringing the number up too much. The number on the meter started to define me.
- I started eating more “junk”, otherwise known as off plan foods. With my blood sugar numbers often within fasting ranges, even after heavy, carb-laden meals, I started resorting to quick, easy fixes to bring my blood sugar up to an appropriate number, but not too high. *Disclaimer* I am NOT recommending this approach. Listen to your doctor, and follow their advice for you and your pregnancy.
- The number on the meter became my excuse to eat what I want, instead of what my body (and baby) need.
What I’ve Learned So Far
Gestational diabetes is no joke, and should definitely be carefully managed. With that being said, I’ve learned quite a bit throughout this process.
The OB-GYN specializing in gestation diabetes came in for our appointment, and one of the first questions he asked me was, “are you eating ANY carbs?”
I about fell over.
I’d been eating carbs day in and day out, healthy and unhealthy, with and without fat (E or XO meals for the Trim Healthy Mamas). Apparently, I still wasn’t eating enough carbs. There were even ketones in my urine. The specialist told me that when you are pregnant, the fetus consumes carbs – and that’s essentially all (from what you eat).
After having been told previously to “basically eat keto” to manage my gestational diabetes diagnosis, this was a shock. (Fortunately, I had not followed this advice).
Pssst! Are you Preparing for Motherhood as someone who suffers with a mental illness too? You might want to read the linked article to discover some of the ways I’ve been preparing.
Although there were other lessons learned, other things discovered along the way, this article is getting exceptionally long.
Please let me know in the comments below if you have/have had gestational diabetes (especially as a Trim Healthy Mama) and how you have managed it. From mama to this mama-to-be, I’d be thrilled to learn more about coping with this diagnosis.
Christian, wife, “hybrid” mama, I run the site All Behind A Smile to help others like me.
[…] course, there are reasons on both sides – to wait, and to get back on plan (see How Gestation Diabetes Transformed my Pregnancy to hear more about the “wait” side) – but whatever I decide, I am still a Trim […]