I am 31 weeks pregnant.
There is a fairly hands-off approach to pregnancy here in the Netherlands and that has at times worried me: only seeing the midwife once a month and then no urine checks and only two blood tests.
Anyway, that is how it is and I just go along with the flow; I am almost too busy with the other three to even notice that I am pregnant: although you can't fail to see that I am pregnant, as most people ask if I am due very soon and are shocked to hear I still have 9 weeks to go: and that's only if this one comes on time.
I had a routine check before Christmas and was told that as I was rhesus negative that I need to be checked for anti-bodies in my blood that would show up if baby was not rhesus negative: if baby is not negative then I need a shot of Anti-D to prevent any further complications with baby.
I rang the midwife to let them know that I had gone for the blood test just after Christmas as they had sent me another form to go and get my blood tested. That is when they told me that by 'blood sugar was on the high side' - I wasn't sure what this meant and she gave no further explanation. So I went and had the extra blood test the following morning at the hospital. After 2 hours my blood glucose was 8.0. That is on the high side. I went to the midwife to tell them the result: it needed to be under 7.8 and now I will be referred to a gynaecologist.
I was rung today after spending hours on the internet in the absence of any advice. Some say eat carbs, some say don't. There is sugar in everything! But the trouble is I am a vegetarian and already restrict my diet. I don't overeat, I don't like biscuits or chocolate. I do not eat much in the day but I always have a big dinner with plenty of carbohydrate in the evening. We eat a lot of dark green vegetables already and lentils and beans.
I immediately bought wholegrain products and took all the sugar out of my diet that I can. No more warm milk and cornflakes...
I had wholegrain bread and peanut butter for breakfast, a slice of sardines on toast for a snack and a bowl of home-made lentil and spinach soup - all low in carbs but I am now feeling knocked out, which rather unhelpfully is a sign of low or high blood sugar!
What I haven't had today is my hour walk. I had a 60 minute walk on Saturday and Sunday and I miss it today. My daughters came with me yesterday, but they were not keen again this morning..!
I looked back on my diet: although I have out on weight whilst pregnant I never really fluctuate and tend to eat sensibly -or so I thought. I eat plenty of veg, only brown bread - don't overdo it with sweet things.
Yet I am now diabetic whilst pregnant. I am seeing the specialist next week and having another echo to check the size of baby - babies with diabetic/gestational diabetic mothers can get too big for their gestation and this leads to the need to induce labour before 40 weeks or have a c-section.
Neither appeal to me so I am taking the diet seriously in the hope that my new mostly brown diet can keep my blood sugars low and I can keep intervention to a minimum...
Have just posted this onto your freinds request for help. forgive me not changing to sound as if I am speaking to you!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenShe is eating too many grains, just the one example of a daily intake was bread for breakfast and bread at lunchtime. I recently had a patient with GD. The body needs 72 grams of carbs a day and that is too easily reached with grains. Wholemeal is misleading because what wholegrains do is raise blood sugar levels over a longer period of time, often to a higher level than white flour, rice etc do. The Blood sugar stay s raised higher for longer and more insulin is released over a longer period of time than with refined grains. She needs to be eating a lot of butter (not spreadable), full fat milk, double cream, cheeses, oily fish. No fruit and absolutely no fruit juices. Green leafy veg should be served with lots of butter or coconut oil. No fat, the body cannot take up fat soluble vitamins and minerals. Start the day with eggs fried in butter, or scrambled in butter. All carbohydrates are converted to glucose, except fructose which sets up a whole host of other problems. Vegetable oils are too high in omega 6 and are inflammatory. She can eat fresh nuts. Make a simple nut loaf to eat instead of grain bread. 200 grams ground nuts, mix in 6 eggs, 1 teaspoon grain free baking powder, 1 teaspoon unrefined seasalt, pour into a greasepaper lined tin and bake middle of oven for 30-40 mins, gas mark 4, 180 degrees. Serve slathered in butter or coconut oil. I whizz my nuts (and you can try different combinations for different flavours) in a food processor. You can also substitute the nuts with desicated coconut http://theunpckitchen.wordpress.com/.../the-savioury-unloaf/
The Savoury Unloaf
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Doula Caroline Nutritionist She may also like the unprofiterol recipe. Exercise is also important, as is vitamin d3. I would not be surprised, unless she spends a lot of time in countries less than 35 degree latitude if she is deficient in Vit D, which will also contribute to her diabetes. I am really happy to email or skype directly with you.