Living with GD

Last week, I went to the high-risk OB's office to see the nutritionist about my GD. She gave me a very strict low-carb diet that I am to follow and I have to test my blood sugar 4 times a day. I asked whether I needed insulin, she said the doctor will re-asses after she sees the results of my blood sugar tests in a couple of weeks. She kept reassuring me that the testing won't hurt much and it's just a small needle until she looked at my file and saw that I had done IVF at which point she admitted that this should be a walk in the park for me.

I also had a growth scan which showed that the little one is on schedule with her size in the 55 percentile. The doctor said that if I manage to keep my blood sugar in check, my pregnancy should progress as though I don't have GD at all. That was a relief!

It all went well, until I actually tried to follow the diet. The first few days were brutal! I was hungry all the time and had no energy whatsoever. I couldn't even think straight. My job performance suffered, I almost got into car accidents, it was horrible! Not wanting to be a nag I was determined to hold off until my next appointment which was today. Fortunately by Tuesday, I had started to feel better, I think my body was relearning how to make use of protein for energy instead of easily accessible sugars and carbs.

Anyway, at my appointment today, the nutritionist said since my sugar levels seem to be well under control, I can start experimenting with modification to my diet and add carbs back in to see how my body does. That's such a relief! Although I am still slave to the needle (gulcose testing needle) that is, I seem to have regained some control over the situation.

I Failed Again!

It's official. I have Gestational Diabetes. I failed my 3 hours glucose tolerance test. I'm trying not to be overly distraught about it, but I'm not sure I'm doing such a good job of that.

I'm scheduled to meet with a dietitian this Thursday to discuss next steps. However, I've been researching GD diets online and they're really not all that different from what I'm eating right now, so I fail to see how sticking to my diet (with some minor adjustments) is going to help any. Of course, as always, my mind wonders to all worst case scenarios (insulin shots, large baby, C-section, etc.). In a way this is not that different from all the other emotions that go with IF. The "why me?" factor is there as strong as ever. You know, I try to eat right, I take walks and I have only put on 17 lbs for this pregnancy (I'm in week 29). So I really didn't expect to be diagnosed with GD. But here I am. Yet another label I'm in denial about.

On the bright side, I only have 11 weeks to go (if I actually make it to 40).

I Failed My Test!

I failed my glucose screening test. I took the test a couple of weeks ago and didn't hear back from my OB's office, so I thought that I had passed, cause they usually only call you if it's bad news. Today, I got a call from their office saying that I have failed the test and need to come in for the 3 hours glucose tolerance test.

For some reason this news has upset me a lot. I know failing the glucose screening test doesn't necessarily mean that I have Gestational Diabetes. Even if I did have GD, it can be controlled, managed, etc. But I'm still almost in tears. Maybe I'm overly emotional!

In addition, to my failure in the testing department, I had a flare up in a meeting at work earlier today that is bothering me. Usually, I'm level-headed at work and don't get too worked up about much, but today in a meeting, I got very upset when one of the other managers said something less than complementary about a member of my team. I could feel my face getting flushed as I was responding to him. I did my best to keep my words and tone level-headed, but my red face betrayed my true feelings. Afterward, my boss talked to me about it to see what had upset me and then the other manager came and talked to me and I tried to downplay it. I guess he was surprised that I got so upset, and now I feel bad that I will be written off as another hormone driven pregnant woman. I know I'm rambling, but you all know what I'm talking about, don't you?

I'm back

I have been away from blogging for almost a month! Series of events have kept me from writing. I had to travel for work and found out how uncomfortable it is to fly to the opposite coast in a crowded airplane while pregnant. Luckily, I had an aisle seat and could make my mandatory bathroom trip about every 30 minutes, but it was very tiring. Also, even though the time difference was only 3 hours, it seemed to make me very tired.

Well all that is behind me. I'm back at home, 27 weeks pregnant. I can hardly believe it! I still have done little to prepare for the baby. It's like I'm in denial. When does the nesting instinct kick in? Isn't it about time? I haven't bought a single baby related item and the nursery, well it's still a guest room, with all the guest room furniture still in it. I did finally put together a baby registry after being pestered about it by my friends and family. So at least that's something.

Maybe this weekend I'll be inspired to do more.

Oh Baby!

I thought pregnancy was about having a baby not turning into one. But I find that more and more my body (and me by extension) is acting like a baby. Here are a few examples:

• I cannot sleep through the night and wake up multiple times.
  
• I need to eat every 3-4 hours.
• I need to be burped after every feeding
  
• I get cranky when bored or overstimulated
• People who haven't seen me for a couple of weeks comment on how "they can't believe how much bigger I've gotten"
• Oh and let me not forget, I insist on being the center of the universe in my household and everything must revolve around me and my schedule!
  

Happy Happy! Joy Joy!

I had the anatomy scan this morning and the results were fabulously normal. The little one is right on track and all major organs have developed normally so far. I am ecstatic. I feel like the weight of the world was lifted off of my shoulders. I can finally breath! I had no idea how much tension I was actually carrying with me until I got the good news and tears just started rolling down my face. I was almost embarrassingly hysterical.

I guess now I have to actually plan for the little one's arrival. Something I have just been unable to do so far.

Thanks you for all of your comments and kind words this whole time. I'm off to surf the net for baby furniture!

Isn't it lovely?

Last night, while I was driving I felt my baby move for the first time! The experience brought tears to my eyes. It was like nothing I have known before. It's a pulsating feeling inside your lower belly and it is wonderful!

I know I have been quiet for a while and haven't posted. Honestly I haven't had much to say. I've been going through life one day at a time hoping for the best. The anatomy scan is scheduled for the first week of January. At that point we will have a clue if the Single Umbilical Artery has caused any birth defects for our baby. I'm wishing and hoping that everything will be OK, but alas like everything else it is out of my hands (I hate that!). I think after I get the results of that scan I can either breath a sigh of relief or prepare myself for what it means to care for a baby with potential birth defects.

On the bright side, now that I can feel the baby move, the ever consuming question of "Is she still alive in there?" gets answered frequently. Oh what a blessing!