Gestational Diabetes-Dawn Phenomenon help?

[Jpoy85]

OP- I dont know about GD, i havent had it. I DO have PCOS though, so I share that journey. :(

 

How did you manage your PCOS btw?

[Shellers]

You don't have to give up the pizza! I've made this low carb pizza crust many times and it turns out great! Everyone loves it!

 

It's the top recipe. I double it and make two big pizzas.

 

http://lighterwithlowcarb.blogspot.com/2010/01/low-carb-pizza-crust-pizza-2-recipes.html

 

I spread the cheese on the pizza pan and melt it in the oven for a few minutes and then top with the egg/cream cheese mixture. YUM!

 

I also made this pizza recipe. It's a fast and easy crust less pizza. I haven't tried the chocolate chunk cookie but it sure looks good.

 

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lowcarb-recipe-help-suggestions/576481-loaded-pizza-1-lots-pics-just-283-calories.html

[YellowPrimrose]

I am not a dietician but reading your meal plan you mentioned a lot of high fat foods. I have done a lot of research into diet/ diabetes/ candida, etc. What I have found is that more important than carbs is dietary fat. If your dietary fat is too high then the body can't metabolize the glucose because the insulin can't get to the cells. Anything you eat whether fat, carb, or protein will be converted to glucose by the body. We run on glucose. If we are forcing too much fat to glucose conversion or too much protein to glucose conversion it can be pretty tough on the body. You might consider reading some of Dr. Fuhrman's works. He has successfully gotten his patients off insulin regularly. Dr. Furhman tends to be lower carb and low fat but HIGH on the veggies. They are SO important.

 

I think you were directing your message at me since I posted a typical day's meals, so I thought I'd reply. I have read Dr Fuhrman's books Eat to Live and Eat for Health. Dr Furman has helped a lot of people, and I don't want to discount his work. It just isn't for me. I tried following his advice for a while. What ultimately challenged me was that to eat the way he recommends one has to avoid salt. I had great difficulty with that. I absolutely agree about vegetables being important to health, and I eat lots of them. I do believe now, though, that a lower-carb, higher-fat diet makes a lot of sense. And, my body & brain feel good when I eat this way!

[Momtoamayalilal2]

I made this and it expanded way more than I thought/remembered, next time- I'll do

2 c half and half

1 c strawberries

1/4 c honey

 

It needed more strawberries and I added some more honey too as it expanded when mixing so I ended up with 2 batches worth.

 

I vaguely measured and it was about 4 c total for the half of the batch made from the first recipe, so anyway, 30g total carbs (not subtracting for strawberry fiber) per cup.

 

Definitely going to try ths, thanks!! :D

[Momtoamayalilal2]

OP- I dont know about GD, i havent had it. I DO have PCOS though, so I share that journey. :(

 

How did you manage your PCOS btw?

 

Diet and exercise mostly. I eat low carb for the most part but havent been as consistent as I would like to when not pregnant....but this whole GD has really given me a lot to reflect on and know that I need to be doing what's best for my body from now on. I have done some research on supplements etc..but decided to go on metformin once I have the baby to get some of the belly weight off. I have about 30-40 lbs to lose pre-baby, and once I lose weight a lot of my PCOS symptoms go away. I have had it since I was very young and struggled with infertility for most of my twenties....but thankfully have been blessed with the last 3 babies very easily...so I am thankful!

[Momtoamayalilal2]

You don't have to give up the pizza! I've made this low carb pizza crust many times and it turns out great! Everyone loves it!

 

It's the top recipe. I double it and make two big pizzas.

 

http://lighterwithlowcarb.blogspot.com/2010/01/low-carb-pizza-crust-pizza-2-recipes.html

 

I spread the cheese on the pizza pan and melt it in the oven for a few minutes and then top with the egg/cream cheese mixture. YUM!

 

I also made this pizza recipe. It's a fast and easy crust less pizza. I haven't tried the chocolate chunk cookie but it sure looks good.

 

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lowcarb-recipe-help-suggestions/576481-loaded-pizza-1-lots-pics-just-283-calories.html

 

:party:

 

Thanks! Going to add it to next weeks menu :D

[Soror]

YellowPrimrose- I was trying to loosely follow your diet yesterday and carb counts but I'm confused on your am meal- about how many carbs did you eat for breakfast? About how many total did you have a day?

 

I cannot seem to get breakfast quite right it seems I eat too many or not enough. I'm hoping if I tweak things that it will mean more energy for me but I still felt pretty icky mid morning yesterday.

[YellowPrimrose]

YellowPrimrose- I was trying to loosely follow your diet yesterday and carb counts but I'm confused on your am meal- about how many carbs did you eat for breakfast? About how many total did you have a day?

 

I cannot seem to get breakfast quite right it seems I eat too many or not enough. I'm hoping if I tweak things that it will mean more energy for me but I still felt pretty icky mid morning yesterday.

 

Breakfast was on the lower side of carbs. 2-3 scrambled eggs in coconut oil. About a cup of berries with canned coconut milk (or heavy cream!). I had very low energy mid-pregnancy onward regardless of how I was eating. My OB had me add a higher dose of iron, B6 and B12. I added magnesium citrate to that to help keep my body moving with the iron (TMI!). Those supplements REALLY helped my energy. I wasn't bouncing off the walls, but I could at least function at a normal level.

 

Average total daily carbs: 15+15+30+30+30+30=150 Some days higher, some days lower.

 

I think one just has to try different meals and snacks and be sure to measure that 1-hr post-prandial blood sugar (and 2-hr if needed, and fasting of course), and then tweak what's eaten as needed. Pregnancy does strange things to the body. Diet may or may not control the blood sugar. If it doesn't, praise God we have drugs that can help!

[Soror]

Thanks for the info. I'm not GD but I try to eat lower carb because it generally makes me feel better. I just have a hard time figuring out a good level in pregnancy as I find I need more than otherwise. I'm not sure if food will help w/ the fatigue or not but I figure it doesn't hurt to tweak and see if it does. I've been trying to make sure I'm getting in supplements as well as that does seem to help as well.

[Momtoamayalilal2]

Just wanted to update that the ice cream worked!!!! I bought the Breyers Natural Vanilla (with 14 grms of carbs per 1/2 cup) and had 1 cup (actually measuredit out on my scale and everything :lol:) along with 2 T of sliced almonds. My fasting was 98 this morning...under a 100 so I am thrilled!! Your numbers really helped me as well yellow rose....thinking that my brain just works better seeing those numbers the way you wrote them out. I ordered some keto stix also to show I am not in ketosis, so thinking that they will finally let me do what I need to do without giving me any hassle f I over all my basis :)

 

Thanks for everyone's help!:D

[kokotg]

Just wanted to update that the ice cream worked!!!! I bought the Breyers Natural Vanilla (with 14 grms of carbs per 1/2 cup) and had 1 cup (actually measuredit out on my scale and everything :lol:) along with 2 T of sliced almonds. My fasting was 98 this morning...under a 100 so I am thrilled!! Your numbers really helped me as well yellow rose....thinking that my brain just works better seeing those numbers the way you wrote them out. I ordered some keto stix also to show I am not in ketosis, so thinking that they will finally let me do what I need to do without giving me any hassle f I over all my basis :)

 

Thanks for everyone's help!:D

 

yay! If only ice cream were the solution to all of life's problems! :D

[Momtoamayalilal2]

yay! If only ice cream were the solution to all of life's problems! :D

 

:D

[Soror]

Just wanted to update that the ice cream worked!!!! I bought the Breyers Natural Vanilla (with 14 grms of carbs per 1/2 cup) and had 1 cup (actually measuredit out on my scale and everything :lol:) along with 2 T of sliced almonds. My fasting was 98 this morning...under a 100 so I am thrilled!! Your numbers really helped me as well yellow rose....thinking that my brain just works better seeing those numbers the way you wrote them out. I ordered some keto stix also to show I am not in ketosis, so thinking that they will finally let me do what I need to do without giving me any hassle f I over all my basis :)

 

Thanks for everyone's help!:D

Great news!

[Momtoamayalilal2]

Great news!

 

Yes, it is! The only bad news is that I am pretty severely lactose intolerant.....but you take the good with the bad :lol:

[Greta]

Thank you for the encouragement! I actually tried to do their diet this morning and had an awful number at 1 hour! I just almost would rather eat what I feel is healthy fir my body, and then go on the stinkin insulin for my fasting numbers if that will make them happy and not hurt the baby.....but these numbers post meal along with the high fasting is just out of control to me!

 

I'm so sorry. This whole situation must be very discouraging and confusing. It's bad enough when we struggle with issues regarding our own health, but it's especially hard when you have a baby to worry about too. :grouphug: If their diet raises your post-prandial numbers (and of course it does!) then I would really encourage you to stick with the diet you have found that keeps those post-prandial numbers under control. Admitting that I'm no expert, I would think that after-meal blood sugar spikes are a lot more dangerous to your baby than a slightly elevated fasting number. How high are your fasting numbers? Are they high enough to justify the insulin?

 

I don't know if this is any help, but I did run across this: http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2009/10/gestational-diabetes.html

 

And this one is interesting too: http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2010/02/brand-new-gestational-diabetes-cutoffs.html She mentions here that

the fasting number in our targets is higher, largely because so many people with diabetes will find the fasting number the hardest to lower. Most research, however, points to the post-meal numbers as being those that produce the complications.

Edited August 18, 2012 by GretaLynne

[Momtoamayalilal2]

I'm so sorry. This whole situation must be very discouraging and confusing. It's bad enough when we struggle with issues regarding our own health, but it's especially hard when you have a baby to worry about too. :grouphug: If their diet raises your post-prandial numbers (and of course it does!) then I would really encourage you to stick with the diet you have found that keeps those post-prandial numbers under control. Admitting that I'm no expert, I would think that after-meal blood sugar spikes are a lot more dangerous to your baby than a slightly elevated fasting number. How high are your fasting numbers? And do they really think that insulin is less harmful to the baby than those numbers? I would ask them for some proof. You deserve information upon which to base a decision, you should not just have to take their word for it.

 

I updated just this morning that I got my fasting number down finally! I switched back to eating lowe-er carb and have had great post meal numbers (90's mostly , but never over 120 if I have carbs like beans, corn tortillas etc) as long as I half the amounts they want me to have. I cut out wheat again...that just spikes me like no ones business and I will not budge on that.

 

So my fasting this morning was 98 after the ice cream last night. The days before it was at 107, 102 and yesterday 118!! My after meal numbers are definitely being controlled eating low carb, so I bought some ketostix to check myself for ketosis...that way they cant say I am too low carb ;)

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Just wanted to update that the ice cream worked!!!! I bought the Breyers Natural Vanilla (with 14 grms of carbs per 1/2 cup) and had 1 cup (actually measuredit out on my scale and everything :lol:) along with 2 T of sliced almonds. My fasting was 98 this morning...under a 100 so I am thrilled!! Your numbers really helped me as well yellow rose....thinking that my brain just works better seeing those numbers the way you wrote them out. I ordered some keto stix also to show I am not in ketosis, so thinking that they will finally let me do what I need to do without giving me any hassle f I over all my basis :)

 

Thanks for everyone's help!:D

 

Great! I think I'm going to try some high end ice cream tonight. My morning fasting was 108. I was doing great for weeks, and now they're climbing again!

 

I'm worried about what my dr. will say on Mon, because my home scale says I've lost another pound.

[countrygal]

I started reading this thinking "If they only knew I ate ice cream every night! I can't tell them...." But I'm glad someone mentioned it! I ate chocolate ice cream from Aldi's with walnuts or peanuts all the time! I didn't have problems with my fasting sugars though (always 60s and 70s) so I could eat anything. The dietician liked my choice of ice cream and nuts though! I've learned from having GD how to properly portion my foods and concentrate on protein and good fats so I eat much better even now (I feel better too!)

[YellowPrimrose]

I updated just this morning that I got my fasting number down finally! I switched back to eating lowe-er carb and have had great post meal numbers (90's mostly , but never over 120 if I have carbs like beans, corn tortillas etc) as long as I half the amounts they want me to have. I cut out wheat again...that just spikes me like no ones business and I will not budge on that.

 

So my fasting this morning was 98 after the ice cream last night. The days before it was at 107, 102 and yesterday 118!! My after meal numbers are definitely being controlled eating low carb, so I bought some ketostix to check myself for ketosis...that way they cant say I am too low carb ;)

 

I'm so glad to hear the ice cream is helping your numbers! Kind of crazy, huh?!

 

Now if only I could be as controlled with my eating now... The hunger of breastfeeding has totally thrown me off. That and having 4 young kids and homeschooling. Hee-hee. I'll save all that for another post. :)

[Momtoamayalilal2]

I'm so glad to hear the ice cream is helping your numbers! Kind of crazy, huh?!

 

Now if only I could be as controlled with my eating now... The hunger of breastfeeding has totally thrown me off. That and having 4 young kids and homeschooling. Hee-hee. I'll save all that for another post. :)

 

Yes, it is crazy! I sure hope it helps for tomorrow's numbers too and wasnt just a fluke though! Staying optimistic ;)

 

When this baby gets here I will have 4 under 7! I also have an 8th grader who will be in highschool, and that is a whole nother ball game for me with homeschooling! So I totally understand!

 

I actually am hoping this experience is going to help me make better choices since I am worried now that my risk is much higher to get type 2. i do NOT want to be dealing with that at all...so I am looking forward to losing weight after the baby and getting healthy! Try upping your fats for the hunger..seems to work for me when I am nursing some.