Gestational Diabetes???? how did this happen??

Replies:

• 
• by
  • MommySteph06
  on May. 7, 2009 at 10:25 PM

• I'm sorry. I was lucky enough not to have to deal with that, but here's bump for you. Hopefully you get the answers you're looking for. Best of luck!
  

  

  

          

           
  

• 
• by
  • mom.of.twins
  on May. 7, 2009 at 10:30 PM

• Why would having GD make you have to have a c-section? I've never heard that.

  I had GD when I was pregnant with my twins and I was able to control it with diet. Just record everything that you eat and make sure that you make modifications to keep your numbers where they need to be at. Talk to your nutritionist to be sure that you completely understand your food options and how to maximize your choices. You and your baby will be fine.

  And if for some reason you do have to have a c-section, just try not to stress. Go into it calm and take your time afterwards. Don't try to do too much, but you do need to force yourself to stand up and walk around when they tell you to. I didn't need pain pills after the first day and I was able to move around and take care of my girls just fine. Mind over matter, that's what I always tell myself.

  Listen to your husband and you will be FINE! Just breathe and try to relax. :)
  

  

• 
• by
  • Madrepor2ndavez
  on May. 7, 2009 at 10:36 PM
• Hi:
  
  First of all, calm down, it is not the end of the world. Yes I know the finger pricking hurts, but you get used to it, and they have some that don't hurt as much, adjust the pricking thingy to 1, or 2 the most. But it is necessary to do it, that way you can eat accordingly your doctor tells you. All is not bad, once it is under control, life just goes on.
  
  It doesn't mean you will have a caesarean, and it goes away after birth, and unless after the birth you don't take care of yourself and put on weight eating the wrong foods, it won't be a problem forever,
  
  I don't think they know why it happens, perhaps we are propense to it before pregnancy, or is hereditary, but is great they caught it now, that they can monitor it, so every thing would be okey for both of you. The reason they monitor you, is so that you don't have a big baby.
  
  It happened to my daughter, and the baby is fine, and no caesarean!
  
  PLEASE READ THIS INFO IT WILL MAKE YOU LEARN ABOUT WHAT THE DRS. SAY.
  
  Gestational Diabetes:
  
  What it Means for Me and My Baby
  What is gestational diabetes?
  Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy. If you have diabetes, your body isn't able to use the sugar (glucose) in your blood as well as it should, so the level of sugar in your blood becomes higher than normal.
  
  Gestational diabetes affects between 1% to 3% of all pregnant women. It usually develops in the second trimester (sometimes as early as the 20th week of pregnancy). Most often, gestational diabetes goes away after the baby is born.
  
  How can gestational diabetes affect me and my baby?
  High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If the diabetes isn't treated, your baby may be more likely to have problems at birth. For example, your baby may have a low blood sugar level, jaundice, or your baby may weigh much more than normal. Gestational diabetes can also affect your health. For instance, if your baby is very large, you may have a more difficult delivery or you may need a cesarean section. Gestational diabetes also increases your risk of developing preeclampsia, which is a condition that can be serious if left untreated.
  
  What can I do if I have gestational diabetes?
  You will need to follow a diet suggested by your doctor, exercise regularly and have frequent blood tests to check your blood sugar level. You may also need to take medicine to control your blood sugar level.
  
  What changes should I make in my diet?
  Your doctor may ask you to change some of the foods you eat. You may be asked to see a registered dietitian to help you plan your meals. You should avoid eating foods that contain a lot of simple sugar, such as cake, cookies, candy or ice cream. Instead, eat foods that contain natural sugars, such as fruits.
  
  If you get hungry between meals, eat foods that are healthy for you, such as raisins, carrot sticks or a piece of fruit. Whole-grain pasta, whole-grain breads and rice are also good for both you and your baby.
  
  It's important to eat well-balanced meals. You may need to eat less at each meal, depending on how much weight you gain during your pregnancy. Your doctor or dietitian will talk to you about this.
  
  Why is exercise important?
  Your doctor will suggest that you exercise regularly at a level that is safe for you and the baby. Exercise will help keep your blood sugar level normal, and it can also make you feel better. Walking is usually the easiest type of exercise when you are pregnant, but swimming or other exercises you enjoy are also beneficial. Ask your doctor to recommend some activities that would be safe for you.
  
  If you're not used to exercising, begin by exercising for 5 or 10 minutes every day. As you get stronger, you can increase your exercise time to 30 minutes or more per session. The longer you exercise and the more often you exercise, the more in control your will be of your blood sugar.
  
  You do need to be careful about how you exercise. Don't exercise too hard or get too hot while exercising. Ask your doctor what activities are safe for you. Depending on your age, your pulse shouldn't go higher than 140 to 160 beats per minute during exercise. If you become dizzy or have back pain or other pain while exercising, stop exercising immediately and call your doctor. If you have uterine contractions (labor pains), vaginal bleeding or your water breaks, call your doctor right away.
  
  What tests will I need to have during my pregnancy?
  Your doctor will ask you to have regular blood tests to check your blood sugar level. These tests will let your doctor know if your diet and exercise are keeping your blood sugar level normal. A normal blood sugar level is less than 105 mg per dL when you haven't eaten for a number of hours before the test (fasting) and less than 120 mg per dL 2 hours after a meal. If your blood sugar level is regularly higher than these levels, your doctor may prescribe a medicine called insulin to help lower it.
  
  You may be asked to see a specialist if you have to start taking insulin.
  
  What happens after my baby is born?
  You may not need to have blood tests to check your blood sugar while you're in the hospital after your baby is born. However, it may be several weeks after your baby's birth before your gestational diabetes goes away. To make sure it has gone away, your doctor will ask you to have a special blood test one or two months after you have your baby.
  
  Even if the gestational diabetes goes away after the baby's birth, it increases your risk for diabetes in your next pregnancy and also later in life. That is why it is important that you continue to exercise, watch your weight and eat a healthy diet after pregnancy. If you do these things, you may avoid diabetes when you're older.
  
  gOOD LUCK
  
  XIOMA
  

• 
• by
  • 2girlsMom.MN
  on May. 7, 2009 at 10:51 PM

• I had 2 pregnancies both with gestational diabetes, each time I was put on insulin and had to inject it in my stomach before each meal.

  DD#1 wasn't effected by it I kept my sugars under control

  DD#2 came out BIG, swollen and had fluid retention from diabetes I didn't control it quite as well

  Both my kids were premature but that's also due to severe preeclampsia and having gest.diabetes puts you at risk preeclampsia. I hated the diabetes, I was in denial, I had a horrible time sticking to the diet, I was depressed from it , it was not fun. But I had to deal with it to get my babies.

  You will learn Meat and Veggies are your best friends and anything that tastes good is a no no. Milk , Juice, Soda Pop are pretty much out of the question, Diet Soda and Water or Sugar Free drinks are your other best friend. Gotta really really watch it with carbs/fruits, you can still have these things but you have to watch it. If your on insulin like I was you can have more of these things so I didn't mind being on insulin.

  I donot have diabetes now but I am prediabetic like I'm really at highrisk and my sugars are still elevated but not enough to consider me diabetic at this time I need to lose weight and exercise but that's another post for another day. My Aunt had gest. diabetes too and is skinny as a rail so it doesn't matter how big or small you are. Gest. Diabetes runs in families and if you have it, your mom probaly had it too they didn't test for Gest.Diabetes til the late 90's so obivously my mom wasn't tested when I was born so I will never know if she had it or not.

  If you have any questions message me. Been there done that!

  I had 2 c-sections too! Had no problem taking care of the baby or my older child. The first 5 days after a c-section is the hardest after that it's a piece of cake. I stopped at Babies R Us on the way home from the hospital to shop and grab a few things we needed.

                          

• 
• by
  • KimG1028
  on May. 7, 2009 at 10:59 PM

• I had it with my first ... he was 8 lbs 12 oz ... and was a week early due to being induced .... it was a vaginal birth ... the words c-section never came out of my doctor's mouth.

  I have it again with this pregnancy .. I'm 24 weeks pregnant ... due in August.  I'm on a small amount of insulin at bedtime ... that's about it...  I think it's harder to control the second time ... but we are managing.

  It's important for you to know that it's not your fault ... just take care of yourself ... count your carbs ... and measure your sugars....things will be fine.

• 
• by
  • jsi
  on May. 7, 2009 at 11:10 PM

• Thanks ladies.... its all very reassuring. i have a feeling this baby is smaller than baby #1 (she was 8lb 10oz) but you never know. to the PP, im so sorry you had it so tough. i have read alot on this & thats why im so scared. i kinda feel like you do, im not in denial yet, but im mad. i dont know why, but im mad that i got it. i was fine with baby #1. so i cant understand how i got it with baby #2. but, you know the other PP was right. my mom had it with my brother. he was 10 lbs 2 oz. but she didnt have it with me ( i was first, brother was second born)  Its also very reassuring that not every one has a cesarean. maybe i can do this without one. but if i have one, i pray everything will be ok. like other PP said, "mind over matter". i say that too ;)

• 
• by
  • mom.of.twins
  on May. 7, 2009 at 11:17 PM

• Good for you! And I didn't say this in my reply, but I had a c-section because my twins were both facedown, so it was safer for the three of us. But it was never mentioned as an option because I had GD.
  

  Quoting jsi:
  
  

  Thanks ladies.... its all very reassuring. i have a feeling this baby is smaller than baby #1 (she was 8lb 10oz) but you never know. to the PP, im so sorry you had it so tough. i have read alot on this & thats why im so scared. i kinda feel like you do, im not in denial yet, but im mad. i dont know why, but im mad that i got it. i was fine with baby #1. so i cant understand how i got it with baby #2. but, you know the other PP was right. my mom had it with my brother. he was 10 lbs 2 oz. but she didnt have it with me ( i was first, brother was second born)  Its also very reassuring that not every one has a cesarean. maybe i can do this without one. but if i have one, i pray everything will be ok. like other PP said, "mind over matter". i say that too ;)

  
  

  

• 
• by
  • Aamy
  on May. 7, 2009 at 11:21 PM

• Hun take a DEEP breath. Its nothing to get so worked up over. I had GD while pregnant with DD. Its fine. Yes you have to test your blood sugar , and thats not even bad. A tiny pin prick. I thought it was going to hurt, it doesn't. You just have to watch what you eat. Not hard at all. It does take some getting used to but ...... you learn. I only gained 5 lbs my whole pregnancy cause it made me eat better. You wont automatically need a Csection ..... so take a breather on that. They wont induce you early unless the baby starts to measure big. I was induced at 39 weeks, 1 week to be exact from my due date, and DD was born 7 lbs 9 oz. So really, deep breaths, its going to be fine. Oh and stay away from the artificial sweeteners, they can affect your BS lvls even when ppl say its fine to use.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• 
• by
  • Aamy
  on May. 7, 2009 at 11:23 PM

• 
  

  Quoting mom.of.twins:
  
  

  Why would having GD make you have to have a c-section? I've never heard that.

  I had GD when I was pregnant with my twins and I was able to control it with diet. Just record everything that you eat and make sure that you make modifications to keep your numbers where they need to be at. Talk to your nutritionist to be sure that you completely understand your food options and how to maximize your choices. You and your baby will be fine.

  And if for some reason you do have to have a c-section, just try not to stress. Go into it calm and take your time afterwards. Don't try to do too much, but you do need to force yourself to stand up and walk around when they tell you to. I didn't need pain pills after the first day and I was able to move around and take care of my girls just fine. Mind over matter, that's what I always tell myself.

  Listen to your husband and you will be FINE! Just breathe and try to relax. :)

  Having GD can make women have bigger babies, thats sometimes the need for a Csection, but not always.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• 
• by
  • Julie522
  on May. 7, 2009 at 11:44 PM

• My sister had Gestational Diabetes and she had a c-section.  The incisions are very small nowadays and you can barely see it on her, it is right on her pubic line so not noticable.

  It takes longer to heal but don't worry it will heal.  Just make sure you round up some extra help, or have your hubby take a couple weeks off work.  My sis also had two kids to take care of but grandma stayed at their house for a bit to distract the other kids lol.
  

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