Pregnant and Diabetic

Hello! I'm about 8 weeks pregnant with #2, my dd is 2 1/2. I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes about 6 months ago...came as a BIG SHOCK since I'm very slim, a trained athlete, and generally eat a well balanced-healthy diet. I'm wondering if the diabetes came on at the end of my pregnancy, since I remember my dr. telling me my sugar was high in the last urine sample, a week before my dd was born. She was born with no problems.

My fasting glucose is 92, a1c 5.1%.....but if I don't watch my carbs my blood sugar can be as high as 180 two hours after a meal...we discovered my problem after I had blood work but hadn't fasted. I try to limit my carbs, but it's such a huge change from how I ate before....I'm 5'5'' and only 122lbs....so I never worried about having an occasional sweet or big carb meal before.

I met with a nutritionist months ago, before I was pregnant and have been following a lower carb diet...not easy since I use to eat lots of potatoes, pasta, etc. Not easy since I'm very slim and have no excess weight to lose. I have lost a few lbs the last few months and I hate how thin I feel. I feel better when my weight is closer to 130.

Now that I'm pregnant with pre-diabetes/insulin resistance I was wondering if I need to be doing anything different? I meet with my dr today and will ask her about this. Do I have to be even stricter now with the food choices I make?

I'm also wondering what comfort foods you are all eating. With my last pregnancy I had bad nausea and carbs really helped with that. I'm experiencing nausea again this time around but frustrated not being able to eat the foods that make me feel better. I'm also concerned I may lose weight...I want to gain, not lose.

What are you all eating when you feel nauseous? That's my question...just wanted to introduce myself too...Thanks for any suggestions! Cath

i only  have GD, and haven't had problems with nausea, but i thought i'd write down some carb/comfort food items i've discovered i can have without tweeking my blood sugar too much. i know each woman is different, but maybe some of these will help.

i have found that if i eat whole-wheat pasta with white sauce and cheese, just in a moderate amount, i usually do alright two hours later. i have tried this with red sauce and that doesn't work for me! so i've been making a lot of white sauce whole-wheat pasta casseroles with plenty of cheese. this has also worked when i go out to eat at the Olive Garden, for example. as long as i get their whole wheat pasta with white sauce, i'm okay. i've also found that if i eat a salad with it, it helps me fill up better and thus keeps my sugars down. i was like you and didn't have to worry about sugars or portion size before this, so limiting the size of my meals has been a big challenge.

other comfort foods i've turned to are sugar-free pudding, sugar-free cool whip, and sugar-free ice cream. i've had to really read labels though because with ice cream especially, there's a great variation on the number of carbs that they contain, even the ones labeled sugar-free. same thing with cereal. i found that honey nut cheerios has way less carbs than granola.

as for gaining weight, i try and eat a lot of eggs (whole eggs, not just the whites). this helps with the protein too, but might not help if you're nauseous! avocados are a good, healthy source of calories. a woman in my expecting board also told us that greek yogurt has much fewer carbs and higher protein than regular yogurt, and she's right--even the flavored greek yogurt has far fewer carbs than "light" Yoplait. you can probably find some full-fat greek yogurt, which will help maintain your weight.

the other thing that might maintain your weight and help with the sugars is meat. this isn't an option for me since i'm vegetarian, but the few times i've cheated i've found i can eat a bigger meal if it has meat in it, and my sugars turn out beautifully.

hope you find some stuff that works for you! best wishes.

Mommy to Ian Taiwai (born 4/26/07).  

 

Thanks for your reply. Your ideas really helped me...it's nice to "speak" to someone that understands. With my last pregnancy I lived on baked potatoes and ice cream....the only thing I could eat with the nausea....this time around it's so much more difficult with the diabetes and having to watch my sugar levels...

Went out shopping yesterday after my dr appointment and loaded the refrig with things I can eat....thanks for all your suggestions! I was diagnosed with prediabetes in April, so I've been on a lower carb diet for about six months now...and have lost a few lbs because of it. Not good, since I'm already very slim....My doctor wants me to have gained at least a few lbs before my next appointment in 4 weeks. She said to EAT...and eat often.

I noticed yesterday after I ate a meal or snack and went for a short walk around the block my sugar #'s were fine...so I think this is what I'm going to have to do....just plan to walk more often so I can at least get more calories into me. This sure is challenging....restricting carbs........I'm only 120 now at almost 5'5"....and should be my normal 128.........

I lost a few lbs with my dd who is 2 1/2 and never gained that back and then have lost a few lbs after the diabetes diagnosis....I just need to make a conscious effort to eat often and eat the right things....being too thin isn't as fun as people think!

Thank you for taking the time to reply!
Best wishes to you!!! Your baby will be here soon!
Cath xx

oh yes, exercise helps me out a lot too, especially in the mornings.

i forgot to mention another good high calorie source of protein is nuts. i keep cashews and almonds at my office all the time as a default snack.

i've also been eating the high-protein special K bars. they're easy to stick in my purse so i always have a snack. and if you use them as snacks instead of the meal replacements they're suposed to be, they might help keep the weight up too.

i can't imagine how you're doing this with the nausea. i tried to eat french fries once and my sugars went through the roof. same thing with rice, even brown rice sometimes. it's hard for me because i really like chinese food, and it's just not the same without rice!  maybe if you ate a lot of fat and protein with your baked potato it will turn out okay.

Mommy to Ian Taiwai (born 4/26/07).  

 

I've been eating nuts too...not exactly what I want when I feel like throwing up....but the calories are good in them and healthy. Will pick up some Special K bars next time and give them a try. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Last night I had a steak, salad and small red potato with sour cream....lots of sour cream (potatoes/sour cream are my #1 favorite food!) then yogurt and a handful of trail mix...I'm really trying to eat more, as my body needs it and so does the growing baby. Trying to drink more water too.

We went out for a 30 minute walk, nothing strenuous, just walking....came home and two hours post meal my sugar was 84....so I'm going to keep trying to walk as much as I can after I eat more than I normally would. It seems to be helping.

A few days ago I was at Target and picked up and ate a snickers bar....continued shopping, walking...and my post meal # was in the 80's again...so maybe walking for me is the trick?...I'll do anything at this point so I can eat more. I'm determined to have gained a few lbs before my next dr appointment in a month.

My body can't afford to lose one more lb...I'm way too thin for my liking...as soon as I'm up to it and can start exercising again, after this baby is born...I'm going to get back into the weight training I did in my 20's...I know the loss of muscle mass isn't helping my sugar problem!

Thank you for all your suggestions and most of all for taking the time to reply to my posts. It sure helps to know there is someone out there craving carbs!!!

Best wishes to you and your new baby...soon to be here!!
Cath xx