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Newly diagnosed GD causing too much fluid round baby-help!

R

RaeDawn

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Gestational
Hiya- am having a bit of a panic...
Out the blue I got diagnosed with GD- I have no risk factors, am a healthy eater and am quite petite, they only caught it as I had an extra scan to check baby for an inheritable condition at 28 weeks and I had polyhydraminos (too much amniotic fluid) which in 20% of cases can be caused by GD.

I've been eating very sensibly and checking bloods for 2 weeks now and not on medication. All my readings are good and below threshold values but I feel like I'm losing weight on arms and legs- while bump gets bigger and bigger! So sick of people saying how huge bump is, it just reminds me my body can't look after the baby properly and is making too much fluid.

Has anyone else had fluids go down one they get the glucose under control- have a scan the day after tomorrow and am so worried that I'll have done everything right and the fluid will be worse as it just looks so bad. If anyone has experience of this Id welcome some input - I lost a pregancy in 2nd tri last year and it broke my heart and has made me double panic about everything this time round so this was a real blow.

Thanks ladies! Rae x
 
@RaeDawn I had polyhydramnios in one of my pregnancies. It was spotted at a similar time to yours. I have Type 1.

If your blood sugar levels are in range then you're doing everything you can to help The only advice I'd give is to test after meals (if you're not already) as that was the likely reason I got the extra fluid. I wasn't given good advice so was only testing before I ate. Sometimes you can go high after a meal butnthen come back down gradually, so if you only test pre-meal you'd miss the high. I tested 2 hrs after the start of my meal - eg eat lunch at 12.30pm, test at 2.30pm.

One thing I would say though is do speak to,your consultant if you continue to lose weight off your arms. This isn't for a bad or scary reason - just so they can make sure that it is GD rather than another form of diabetes. Could the weight loss be bcause you've adjusted your diet maybe?

I'm so sorry for,your previous loss. You're doing everything ok for this pregnancy and now this has been spotted, you'll be monitored carefully so although that might be worrying in one way, I hope it's also reassuring.

Good luck with your scan
 
Try not to worry. I am type 1 and had excess amniotic fluid in my pregnancy too. I'm not sure if it goes down with better control , but I can assure you my daughter was absolutely fine and she's now 11! I would suggest maybe keeping carbs down to a minimum while your body is struggling, filling up on more protein and foods with 'good' fats as these keep you full for longer. Good luck, I'm sure it'll all be fine.
 
Thank you both for the quick responses. I think the weight loss is due to the diet change - I've found it hard to get enough calories while reducing carbs and sugars- only so much avocado a girl can eat (though I did make a good avocado soup)

Do you think best to test 1h or 2h after eating? I've been doing 1h but may start doing both as I did it both earlier and the 1h reading and it was 4.1, then 2h it was 5.9 but the nurse told me it was meant to spike at 1h rather than 2h!

Fingers crossed the fluids will reduce- will post back to update but am just so nervous in case they haven't. Am still only 30 weeks and desperately want to get to 37 but I know the more fluid there is the less likely I'll reach full term, and more risk they'll be birth complications.

I'm sure this baby is just being a princess and growing her own swimming pool!

Thank you again both- it's very kind of you to advise-x
 
@RaeDawn Have you seen a dietician? If not, ask to see one. The dietary advice is slightly different for GD, especially if you're not on meds, but it's still important to get a balance of macro nutrients. It may just be a case of balancing them over the day, or testing to see which carbs suit you best.

For after meal testing, I tended to test around 1 and 1/2 hrs after meals, but would test again at 2hrs for the 'official' result. If I felt I'd eaten something that might make me higher than I wanted, I'd test at 1hr so I could catch the high. People respond differently so I don't think there's any exact time everybody spikes, just a time range. If you can keep your sugars tightly in range the fluid shouldn't increase (I'm not sure if it can reduce, but it may get closer to normal as you and baby grow, if you see what I mean).

Edited to add that if you're not overweight and you're struggling to get enough calories in and control your blood sugar, it may be worth explaining that. Some people with GD needs meds as the pregnancy progresses, and that isn't a failure or a bad thing. It just means the person can eat well and still control their blood sugar. I'm a bit of a fanatic about proper nutrition in pregnancy : D
 
Thanks Azure- I'll try both a man hour and 2h post food for a few days &discuss with doc.

I did see the dietician but wasn't overly convinced with what she said! My normal diet is so healthy anyway and she was suggesting more carbs and desserts in moderation, but that's what I had been doing anyway & it'd led to diabetes so I feel like I have to change to keep sugars steady for baby. I kept asking if the grams of carbs she were suggesting were the same for everyone or if it was height / weight adjusted & she didn't seem to know but I'd reason a tall broad lady may need more food than a short slight one!

So far by eating well all the readings have been ok- though if I eat breakfast at 7am I get better readings than if I eat at 8.30, even with identical meals- i think I just need to eat more nuts and good fats to keep the calorie levels high enough for baby. You mentioned macronurtients- any advice on what carbs are best would be ace- am trying lentils, sweet potatoes, wholemeal granary breads, brown rice, shredded wheat and beans/chickpeas mainly and avoiding white potato, white bread/rice, pasta, and now porridge (as porridge seems to give me a glucose spike which is a shame!)

I'll update about the fluids after my scan tomorrow- am a bit anxious still but I guess there is only so much I can do.

Thank you again so much - Rae x
 
The early breakfast success could be because of what's called a liver dump - your body dumps glucose into your blood ready for the day. I too find that if I leave breakfast my blood sugar goes up, and this is quite a common phenonomen. Some people also find that a supper time snack can help their blood sugars remain more stable, as can eating smaller more frequent meals.

Please don't think anything you did led to the GD. Some women just get it as it can be related to the pregnancy hormones and their effect on insulin resistance.

In the Pregnancy section here, I did post a brief list of what I ate during pregnancy, but I'm a Type 1 on insulin so im not sure if it would suit you. I think that limiting your carbs - that is, not having an excess of them - is sensible. I ate approximately 180-200g of carbs per day in pregnancy. I read a study that suggested 100g per day was the minimum that someone should have during pregnancy, and I would never drastically reduce my carbs to low levels during pregnancy.

'Good' carbs vary from person to,person, depending on their response. As you say, you can use fat to slow down the absorption of glucose eg by adding nuts to your cereal. I ate a 'fatty' low sugar granola mixed with All Bran and seeds for breakfast with full fat milk. Pulses are usually good - lentils, chickpeas, butter beans, etc. Also, you may find the kind of rice you choose can help. Basmati rice has a lower GI so is generally absorbed more slowly. Some fruit will push your blood sugar up quickly, but things like berries are usually ok, especially if you have them with fat eg Greek yoghurt or similar.

If you keep testing, hopefully you'll find a selection of 'safe' meals that you can rotate. But don't panic if your blood sugar gradually rises. Insulin resistance increases as pregnancy progresses and not because you did anything wrong. If you can count carbs, you can perhaps choose/find a good level for,you and baby
 
Scan went well and doc happy with my sugar levels- fluid has reduced round baby to upper levels of normal and she has grown well (measuring a week ahead than her gestation but not too big to be a worry) despite me struggling to get enough calories so they said to keep going as I am and allow myself the occasional treat. Huge relief.

Thanks you all for the advice and support. It was a great comfort, xxx
 
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