Gestational Diabetes

Looking at this blank page and have no idea where to start...

About three weeks ago I was sent to do a glucose tolerance test, basically I had to get my blood drawn, then drink a bottle of lucazade in five minutes, come back in an hour to get blood drawn again, and then an hour after get blood taken again.

This was to test if my body had developed Gestational Diabetes.

About a week later, I got a phone call from a nurse saying that the Diabetic Doctor would like to see me due to my sugar levels being a tad high...

I was in shock! I honestly didn't feel any different or have any symptoms what-so-ever!!

So I went to Mullingar Hospital, Due to some amount of confusion and me getting very emotional, i finally got to see the nurse. 

(They didn't even get my blood results and had no idea why i was there....)

So I sat down with the nurse and she continued to tell me what Gestational Diabetes is..

Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that pregnant women can develop in their second or third trimester, basically your body is working 5 times as hard being pregnant and giving the baby what it needs that the pancreas isn't able to secrete insulin as fast as its needed.. in result you develop pregnancy diabetes.

This generally goes away as soon as the baby is born.

The nurse then explained that Pregnant woman with diabetes tend to have bigger babies and can have babies with health risks. But if its controlled, baby and mother are as healthy as can be.

She then went on to tell me i'l have to test my bloods seven times a day, with a little diabetic machine thing (Have no idea what its called LOL)

By this stage I was getting so overwhelmed that all what she was saying was going in one ear and out the other. I was about to burst out crying really.

I didn't think that I could be a diabetic that I starting to doubt the results and believed that it was all a misunderstanding! 

The dietician then came in to talk to me about the diet I will be on, basically its near enough what I would eat, but just no sugar and fatty foods. 

And to do some daily exercise.

I was then put on a 'test' week to see how my body would react to just diet and exercise, and to see if I needed insulin.

I didn't tell anyone at this point because I was still trying to get my head around it.

I wasn't in any type of mood for people given none effective advise or even telling me what I can or can't eat while I was eating around them. So I kept it to myself until I was comfortable.

(Pietro ovbiously knew because he was there the whole time...)

During this week, It was like I was scared to eat. I was over-thinking everything which ended up putting me off food.. (Which wasn't the best thing)

Scared incase what I was eating was hurting the baby and doing damage.

I eventually went to do a 'diabetic' shopping trip LOL.

Spend about two hours in the store, reading and figuring out what was good, and what was bad.

Didn't cost as much as I was expecting THANK GOD!

So knowing that I had food to eat in the house, I became less stressed and more comfortable with the idea of change.

I then started to tell people, close friends, family...

The week flew by, And it was time to go in to meet the doctor. Pietro was working so my sister came along for support! I was nervous as hell, I didn't know what to expect, what he was going to say.. And I didn't know if I had to take insulin or not.

I saw the nurse first.. blood pressure, weight etc was checked. everything was perfect.

And then went to see the doctor.

And to my surprise he agreed that I didn't need to take insulin, that diet and exercise was going great for me :D

To my relief! 

So right now, I still have to test my blood sugars seven times a day.

Before a meal, and an hour after. and then before bedtime.

The diet isn't at all bad, it was limits you to grabbing what in the fridge or eating out.

College food isn't that great so I'm trying to bring in my own lunch which is hard... since I can't even remember my head some mornings ;)

So I thought id share this pregnancy symptom since it was a big deal to me, and anyone can go through it really. 

I didn't expect this to happen when I became pregnant but I guess you can't predict everything.

Its still over-whelming at times but I think I'm handling it good.

Thanks so much for reading :)

Aisling xo