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This week has been a week of milestones and life changes for me.  I am now 30 WEEKS PREGNANT!  10 more weeks to go!  Let the countdown begin.  Also, I am now diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes.

Remember in my previous post, I mentioned that I had to go to the hospital to take a 3-hour glucose test.   In the beginning of the test, before you even drink the Glucola, they test your fasting glucose level.  This tells them how much sugar is in your blood after 8 hours of fasting – no food, only water.  The normal number should be under 90 … mine was 134.  Because it was so high… I couldn’t even continue with the test.  They sent me home.

A few long and agonizing days later, the doctor finally called to say I have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and I have to go to a Diabetes Education class to learn how to use a Glucometer (a device that pricks your finger to test for blood sugar) and learn how to change my diet.  The doctor doesn’t want to put me on medication right away.  They always want to try to lower my blood sugar levels with diet first.

I’ve been logging all my meals and I’ve been following sample gestational diabetes meal plans. I have to test my fasting glucose first thing in the morning, and test again  2 hours after every meal. So, I’m testing my blood 4 times a day. The nurse said that my morning fasting blood glucose should be 95 or below.  2 hours after each meal it should be below 120.  My glucose levels have been within the normal range usually after every meal… the only issue I’m having is higher than normal fasting blood glucose in the morning. Every morning.  I am suppose to be below 95… and it has consistently been in the low 100’s (between 101-116.)  I have adjusted my meals before bed and have done everything I’m told to do but I can’t control my fasting glucose number.

The nurse said that if I have continuous high fasting glucose levels, they would most likely have to prescribe medication for that because fasting glucose numbers are the only numbers that you can’t really control by diet.  I’ve also read that pregnant women that have high fasting glucose numbers will most likely still be diabetic after pregnancy.  Usually the diabetes goes away for most women after pregnancy because your body’s demand for extra insulin for you and the baby is not necessary after birth… so the body’s blood sugar levels drop back down to normal and you’re not diabetic anymore.  But for me, I don’t think this will be the case.

Extra sugar in my blood crosses the placenta and gives baby girl more sugar than needed.  That extra sugar is converted to fat.  This leads to bigger babies when moms have gestational diabetes.  There is a higher risk of complications during delivery for baby and mom if the baby is too big. I asked the nurse if I’ll need an ultrasound to determine the weight of the baby. She said that it is not necessary right now. In fact, all they need to do is measure my belly at every baby check-up. If my belly is too big, then they will schedule an ultrasound to better determine baby’s weight.  She also said right now is way too early to even know if I would need a c-section or not (if the baby is too big.) Hopefully I will be able to deliver on my own now that I am closely monitoring my glucose levels, have changed my diet and will start medication quickly if needed.

The baby may have low blood glucose after she’s born. This is because she would be used to the extra sugar in the womb and her body is trying to produce the extra insulin needed to control her own blood sugar in the womb. Once out of the womb, she will no longer be getting that steady stream of sugar and her blood sugar may drop too low than what she’s used to. She will need to be closely monitored after delivery to make sure her blood sugar levels aren’t too low.  If it is, they can fix it by giving her some sugar water.  I too will have my blood sugar checked right after delivery… then again at about 12 weeks post delivery to see if the diabetes is gone. I have a feeling I may still be diabetic after I deliver. I will keep logging my blood sugar and meals after delivery so the doctor will already have a clear picture of what’s going on with me once I’m tested again in 12 weeks.

This adjustment has been lots of work and takes so much time.  I have to measure out my food and log every meal. I have to count the carbs for everything I eat.  I always have to remember to eat at the right times.  After meals I can’t continue nibbling on something because I have to wait 2 hours to test my blood sugar.  Every fingertip is sore and bruised now from all of the finger sticks when testing.  I have been having a hard time getting the small beads of blood to enter the test strip and I have to keep sticking myself until I finally succeed.  It has become so frustrating and mentally draining.

I’ve lost weight.  Before diagnosis I had finally reached a weight of 160.  I am now 154.  I weigh less than my pre-pregnancy weight. Doctors don’t want you to lose weight in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.  No doubt the low-carb diet has affected my weight, but I wonder if the stress hasn’t also made me lose weight.

Last night I had a dream that I was trying to test my blood sugar but no blood would come out of my fingers.  I had to keep poking myself and I was crying from the pain.  I started poking myself everywhere trying to get blood to come out and I just kept crying and crying.   The stress is definitely getting to me.  This is a physically and emotionally hard adjustment to make.  Please keep me in your prayers.

I just have to remember that God is in control.  “We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him.”  Romans 8:28

 

30 weeks belly pic…

 

What baby looks like at 30 weeks…

Your baby’s about 15.7 inches long now and weighs almost 3 pounds (about the size of a large cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will shrink as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it’s not very keen; even after she’s born, she’ll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she’ll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

 

We did a little shopping for baby over the weekend.  Faith had fun :)

After going through another week of gestational diabetes, I’ve learned that I just can’t control my morning fasting glucose levels.  They are suppose to be under 95 but they have consistently been between 101-116.  So the doctor put me on medication.  I’m on Glyburide 2.5 mg to be taken at night just before I go to bed.  It has helped lower my blood glucose levels in the range they want it to be (below 95).   My morning levels have been in the 70’s.

I still have to severely limit my carbs during my meals so my blood sugar doesn’t spike above 120 – 2 hours after a meal.   I am always hungry for carbs, and I have minimal energy.  What I wouldn’t give for a nice hot cup of coffee with cream and sugar.  That will give me energy.  But I’m sticking to this diet… even after baby is born.

The good news is that my belly is measuring exactly at 31 weeks so the weight of the baby is perfectly normal for 31 weeks.  So far so good.  Hopefully I can deliver on my due date (April 28th)  but I don’t believe they will let me go any later than that because of my gestational diabetes.  So, no overdue baby for me.

The problem I’m going to have is the class I’m taking this semester…  One of my oral presentations is on April 28th (my due date) … and then my final oral presentation is a week after that.  I might still be in the hospital at that time, or the baby might still be in the hospital so I won’t go to class if that’s the case.  I will have to talk to the teacher and see if she will allow me to make a video presentation instead.  This is my very last class before I graduate and I will be furious if they don’t let me pass this class.  I’m doing the best I can.

Baby is moving all over the place right now :)  I’m so grateful that she is doing well and her heartbeat is still strong.  Praying she will stay in my tummy for as long as she safely can.

 

What baby looks like at 31 weeks…

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3 1/3 pounds (about the size of a coconut) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She’s probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby’s kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

 

I am now going to see the baby doctor twice a week for non-stress tests.  This is when they strap a couple monitors to your belly to measure the frequency of the baby’s movements and the strength of her heartbeat to make sure that she is still healthy and active.  Non-stress tests and check-ups twice a week for the rest of my pregnancy.  It’s getting serious now.

 

 

They want to keep me closely monitored because with gestational diabetes (especially if you have to take medication like I do) there is a higher risk of still birth during delivery and a higher risk of the baby dying during the night when I’m sleeping.  This is very stressful.  When I get up in the middle of the night to go pee, I can’t fall back asleep until I know she is still moving around in my belly.

The doctor said they would probably want to induce me at 39 weeks.  So now my due date may very well be April 21st.  With gestational diabetes, the placenta can deteriorate quicker which means that the baby may lack in the nutrients she needs when I’m closer to 40 weeks.  This, and the fact that still birth is a concern… is why they suggest being induced at 39 weeks if I don’t go into labor on my own.  So…. another long a strenuous labor and delivery for me if I’m induced :(  I was induced with Faith at 42 weeks and it took me 31 hours of labor to finally get her out.  Induction always makes labor longer and harder.   If there are any complications during labor… most likely I will have to have a c-section.  I could refuse to be induced at 39 weeks and just wait the full 40, especially if my blood sugars are stable, and blood pressure stable, etc.  But, I would be afraid to tell them no.  If anything bad happens during my 40th week, I would never forgive myself.

I have so much to think about and can’t help but worry.  A high risk pregnancy, and the fact that I will probably have to deliver her 2 or 3 weeks before the semester is finished is just making me feel so much pressure to try and be prepared for everything in time.  My teacher and some students say,  “Just bring her in to class!”   I’m not going to bring a 1-week old to school, full of germs.  Sorry, no.  And I will be recovering from birth (Hey, I’m 40 years old) and may be recovering from a possible c-section… so I know I don’t want to continue going to class after I deliver.  Accommodations should be made for me to finish the rest of the semester online so I can still get credit for my remaining assignments.  There’s just a lot to think about.

I’ve lost more weight.  I’m now 151 lbs.  I was 155 before pregnancy.  The baby is strong and healthy though, so I trust my body is doing what it needs to do for the health of the baby and myself.

The low-carb, high protein diet is a lot of work.  Measuring out food, counting carbs, making sure to take in adequate protein, etc.  This is an example of what I do with each meal everyday…

For breakfast:

Strawberries – 30 grams – 2 carbs

Cream cheese – 31 grams – 2 carbs

Half English muffin (whole wheat) – 11 carbs

Total carbs – 15

I am suppose to have about 45 grams of carbs per meal but I’ve learned that I can’t usually go over 20-25 carbs per meal without going above the 120 blood glucose limit.  So my diet is even more strict than it should be, but it’s better than upping the medication.

Blood pressure and pulse are still very low and they are happy with that.  Maybe it’s from all the strawberries I’ve been eating.  I read that strawberries actually lower blood pressure! Strawberries, Blueberries May Ward Off High Blood PressureIt doesn’t spike my blood sugar.   I eat a couple with each meal, or sometimes for a snack.

My belly is still measuring exactly where it should be at 32 weeks so that’s a good sign that the baby is not yet overweight.  Also, if I’m induced early, the baby’s weight may be even less than what Faith weighed when born; 8 pounds.

32 weeks belly pic…

 

What baby looks like at 32 weeks…

By now, your baby weighs 3 3/4 pounds (about the size of a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You’re gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. She’ll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.