Gestational Diabetes

I had my glucose tolerance test (GTT) on Thursday, the day didn't get off to a good start I woke up late, my car wouldn't start (I had managed not shut my boot properly so the warning light drained the battery) so I had to use Jonathan's car which I had never driven before, but despite the best efforts of people to cause a crash I got there half an hour late.

The midwife took my blood, it's took three attempts but it was a student midwife. I then drank a sugary solution and had to sit for two hours before a final blood test. I rang later that afternoon to be told that my levels were slightly raised and they wanted me to go back in on the Friday to discuss this.

My fasting levels were 6.3 and normal is up to 5.5 and after my test my levels were 8.5 and normal is 8 two hours after a meal. The normal ranges have been taken from Diabetes UK. I now have to test my glucose levels one hour after each meal and I need to aim for a figure of 7.8 or below. I also have to take a fasting level twice a week and need this to be 5.9 or below.

I wasn't as devastated as I thought I would be I think because I knew in the back of my mind I was going to get it and the nurse who spoke with me about my levels and diet treated me like a normal, intelligent human being. She has recommended that I try and reduce my carb intake, eat no chocolate, swap large bananas for small ones and only have handful of grapes or strawberries at a time. For me, reducing my carb intake is going to be the most difficult of all.

I have now been referred to another consultant which I see on Wednesday where I will also meet the diabetes nurse and a dietician. I have of course read all the bad side effects of having gestational diabetes like still births, abnormalities, big babies, premature birth and placental abruption, however, the rational side of me knows that all these things can happen in 'normal' pregnancies and I haven't been able to find any statistics of how much more likely it is that I will get these things.

They will keep an eye on the baby by doing regular growth scans, at my 24 week scan the baby was measuring fine, some measurements were just below what is classed as normal. I am more likely to give birth between 38-40 weeks meaning I could have as little as 12 1/2 weeks left.

I have been testing since yesterday and I have already found it beyond tedious.I did my fasting level which was 6.8 so above what is recommended. After my meals most results have been 7.2 which is not bad considering I have to test one hour after a meal and Diabetes UK say it should be below 8 after two hours. However, this morning one hour after breakfast I had a reading on 12.1, I was informed by the nurse that fat free yoghurt is fine, however, after being shocked at the result I checked the sugars on my muller light to find out that the sugars in it are 6.8g per 100g and the yoghurt is 175g tubs which means the sugars are 11.9g!!

This week I am going to play around with my food to see what gives me the best levels to ensure my baby doesn't have to work too hard to counteract the fact that me and my body are bobbins (rubbish) So far eggs, veggies, brown bread, salmon and salad are good. Muller lights are not.