medawyn Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 So I've generally been ignoring my dietician about eating, because I know if I ate the 15-17 "servings" of carbs she recommends my blood sugar would be through the roof. So far I've been happy with all my numbers except that tricky fasting blood sugar, which has been creeping up daily. But I have been trying to follow the three meals, three snacks, eat every 2-3 hours rule. Yesterday my doc prescribed insulin after looking over my numbers for the week, and so last night I said screw it and ate my nice paleo stir fry (yum) and no bedtime snack, since I figured I'll be picking up my prescription today. Lo and behold, my fasting number was perfect this morning. Looking over my records, the three times my fasting numbers - and whole day, for that matter - were best were the times I skipped my bedtime snack for one reason or another. Has anyone else experienced this? I've never been a big afternoon/evening eater. I usually have a small dinner with DH around 7:30 and breakfast between 5:30 and 6:00 am. No bedtime snack just seems to fly in the face of every recommendation I can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Their diet advice only keeps you on drugs. I'd stick to the paleo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof1 Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Reducing carbs is the most important thing in controlling blood sugar. What would you normally eat for bedtime snack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 Reducing carbs is the most important thing in controlling blood sugar. What would you normally eat for bedtime snack? While trying to eat on the prescribed schedule: celery or 1/2 apple with peanut butter, full fat cottage cheese, homemade chia pudding, 1/4 c berries with whipped cream, 1 oz cheese and almonds. All of those clocked in at or under the suggested 15 g of carbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof1 Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 How many carbs do you eat on a typical day including bedtime snack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 That would have been too many carbs for me. I needed to stay under 5 for a nighttime snack. I usually had almonds. However, I did end up on insulin for two pregnancies bc of fasting glucose levels. It was not that big of a deal. In some ways I think I shouldn't have killed myself to avoid it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 How many carbs do you eat on a typical day including bedtime snack? Usually around 90-100 net carbs. My 1 hour readings are usually under 110, often between 95-100. It was just my fasting number that was creeping up above 100. My target is under 95. I think I’m just going to keep skipping the bedtime snack as long as dinner isn’t too early and see what happens. Going on insulin overnight is probably better than stressing myself out over numbers all day if my numbers go up again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I just got diagnosed with this yesterday. :( I am trying not to freak out, but it especially sucks since the holidays are coming up. Anyway, just offering commiseration more than anything. I’m not into bedtime snacks or eating as much bread as most of the plans ive seen have required. I’m probably going to stick with low carb and see how that goes. My dr has given me a week to control it with diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I generally do better if I go against the suggestions and leave off all snacks. Just the three meals (and I am now considering leaving off the mid-day one). I wrongly thought that I actually needed the snacks. That is easier done if I make sure that I am low-carb, and also that if I do have to have a snack that it includes protein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 I just got diagnosed with this yesterday. :( I am trying not to freak out, but it especially sucks since the holidays are coming up. Anyway, just offering commiseration more than anything. I’m not into bedtime snacks or eating as much bread as most of the plans ive seen have required. I’m probably going to stick with low carb and see how that goes. My dr has given me a week to control it with diet. I’m sorry 😠The last two weeks have had me in a tailspin; I went from diagnosis to five days of company in my house and then DD’s birthday. I only feel like I’m getting my hands and mind around it now and figuring out what works for ME. My mantras for the next week are “listen to your body†and “stress won’t help anythingâ€. I still want to avoid insulin if possible, but I’d rather have a healthy baby than anything else. Best of luck to you, too. Just what we needed at the holidays- one more thing to keep track of, right? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I feel your pain. I ended up having gestational diabetes with 3 of my last pregnancies, and the first time it was diagnosed it was right around this same time period. I was so stressed about it! I ended up managing it each time with diet and exercise. I found that walking or doing some exercise after both breakfast and dinner was extremely helpful, and the bonus was that honestly, I've never felt better at the end of pregnancy than with those 3 pregnancies. I wasn't so constipated, I slept better, and I just felt better! Plus, I gained almost no weight during those last 10 weeks, even though I hadn't been eating excessively or even junkily the preceding weeks. Also, I pretty much ignored my doctor's little plan as well and ate lower carb than they suggested. I did eat almonds in between meals if I felt I needed something. I also had the problem with my fasting glucose numbers creeping up. I hit upon a weird snack that highlighted for me the fact that everyone responds so differently to all this! I would eat 1/2 cup of (good quality, high fat) chocolate ice cream with a spoonful of peanut butter. Pretty much anything else, especially "recommended" snacks, like cheese and crackers or whatever, would give me higher fasting numbers the next morning, but this never did. LOL It was my reward, and I was so happy eating it every night! Best wishes, and I pray you will be able to settle into a good groove of what to eat/what your body responds well with soon! I definitely found a distinct correlation between my stress levels and my glucose numbers, so hopefully you will be able to let go of expectations and relax these next few months, which is soooo easier said than done, I know! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I agree completely with AF wife--well except the ice cream and on wouldn't work here lol. I felt much better on my GD pregnancies and gained less weight. Stress effects my numbers, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I think gestational diabetes works differently for everyone, and you should do what makes your body work right rather than exactly what the doctors say. When I did exactly what the doctors said my fasting was 60-65, sometimes lower, and I was completely miserable. I actually started eating more carbs, more often, and had better results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Sounds like if you have a bedtime snack you don't get a full 12 hours of fasting a night. Skipping it you do. That is probably the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer&Mom Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Low carbs may be good for your numbers, but remember you do need carbs to build your baby! I was nervous about going on insulin, but in the end it made me feel great. Less worry and more stable blood sugar... Really easy and worth it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 "The IOM states that the minimum amount of CHO for pregnant women should be 175 g per day" Developing baby brains need carbs. Listen to your RD. Eat complex carbohydrates with high fibre, low glycemic index. see the 2016 review of studies & IOM guidelines wrt nutritional management of GD https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294729795_Role_of_Medical_Nutrition_Therapy_in_the_Management_of_Gestational_Diabetes_Mellitus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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