Let me start out with a disclaimer stating I am, by no means, a professional health expert. You obviously want to talk to a doctor (or other healthcare professional) if you have questions or concerns.
That being said, I am going to share my experience (through two pregnancies) with a little-discussed topic called Gestational Diabetes.
I found out I was pregnant with my first in the spring of 2011. The pregnancy was unexpected, welcomed, exciting, nerve-wracking, and everything in between. Somewhere between my 24th and 28th week, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. I had no clue what it was…. I had no idea what it meant for my health or that of my unborn child. My OB/GYN sat down with Elliott and I, and gave us as much information as she could….but for me, I needed more. I started researching like crazy, only to find that there really wasn’t much available to women with GD. I took the diagnosis head-on, starting with learning about the carbohydrate vs. protein balance to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. I checked my blood sugar levels obsessively. I did daily yoga, and tried to get as much exercising in as I could (at the time, I was working a “desk job.”). My doctor said I was excelling at managing it all, and soon asked me to provide her with recipes I had created or altered to help other women in the clinic that were diagnosed. I still gained quite a bit of weight due to the GD, but as far as the diabetes affecting my blood sugar and keeping the baby healthy, I did it without insulin, which was my goal. If you are faced with this diagnosis, I encourage you to meet with a nutritionist to talk about diet-controlled options.
After my son was born, an even bigger challenge awaited me. LOSING the baby weight. While I don’t want to share these numbers with you, I feel like I have to in order to provide prospective. Not only had I gained a lot due to GD, I was suffering from PPD. As you may (or may not) know, depression adversely affects your ability to lose weight, so this was an uphill battle for me. When I got pregnant, I weighed 112 pounds. My whole life, I had struggled to gain weight. But once my body was pregnant, and suffering from GD, my metabolism was thrown completely out of whack. My struggle with weight did an absolute 180. At the time my oldest was born, I weighed 172. Over the next 2 years, I did my best to combat the depression and after-effects of GD. I can’t stress enough that if you are going through a tough time after the birth – or even during your pregnancy – talk to someone! As alone as you feel, you are in fact, not. It’s really important to find support. You’re not a nuisance; what you are going through is very real and very tough.
The second time around, I was bound and determined to do a better job. I was tested early on for GD, and low & behold, I had it again. I knew how to eat this time around, and I was religious about checking my blood sugars. Sure, I gained weight – but not as much – and I had a plan for post-pregnancy. A major key to successful weight loss, besides getting exercise, is getting adequate protein and keeping positive. I’m going to share a few recommendations for food and supplements below.
I am now 4 months post-partum and just a little over halfway back to my pre-pregnancy weight. It’s so important to keep track of and manage your blood sugars. It’ll make eventually losing baby weight through tracking and planning so much easier. It’s not an easy thing to do….it can sometimes be a huge pain, but it will pay off and keep both you and baby healthy!
I’d love to hear from you if you have had an experience with GD or are going through it presently.
Here are a few of my “tried and true” recommendations!
Cottage cheese with sliced tomatoes or a few pieces of fruit
Vega Protein & Greens (one of the only protein supplements safe for breastfeeding mamas)
Salads (a really easy way to get your greens and protein, and be able to switch it up daily) These 2 are favorites:
– Spinach, chicken, assorted peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a Greek vinaigrette
– Spinach, lettuce, chicken, strawberries, almonds, avocadoes, cucumber, walnuts with a low-sugar dressing
Spaghetti & Meatballs – homemade meatballs with a homemade tomato sauce (all you need is olive oil, onions, garlic, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes!), and a spaghetti squash in place of the carb-filled pasta.
Black bean & Corn Chili (high in protein!) 1 lb ground turkey 1 yellow/sweet onion, chopped. Brown together and add to the following in a slow cooker: 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can green chiles, 2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 bag frozen corn, 1 bag taco seasoning. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Top with cottage cheese and chopped avocado.
8 comments
I had GD when I was pregnant with my son, and my biggest worries were if I would end up with a super big baby, him coming too soon, having to have a C-section etc. But none of those things happened and his birth went well. Its been 3 years and I still struggle with trying to lose that baby weight but who doesn’t? I think my body just doesn’t do well with sugar and we try to stick with a low carb diet anyway and we feel much better (my husband and I- my son still gets plenty of mac & cheese). I worry that down the road I will end up with diabetes when I’m much older, as maybe women with GD in pregnancy are pre-disposed for it? IDK. The recipes you listed are great- we use cauliflower and spaghetti squash for many substitutes. I think Quest bars are THE best low carb bar out there- much better than Atkins. Most are about 3 total net carbs. Get the chocolate chip cookie dough or cookies & cream and microwave it for about 10 sec, Mmmmmmm
Spaghetti squash is my absolute favorite!! Thank you for the recommendation of Quest bars, too – I’ll definitely check those out.
And you’re right! Women who develop GD are at a higher risk for developing diabetes in later adulthood. But – it sounds like you’re doing all the right things to prevent that from happening. Thank you for reading TCMB!
Great information Emily. It’s so important for women with GD to be informed and to take action as soon as they’re diagnosed. I some additional resources on the GD page on my website for anyone looking for more info. http://www.thetookeragency.com/gestational-diabetes.html
BTW – The chili recipe sounds delicious!
Caree – Your suspicion is correct. Women with GD are at a greater risk for type 2 diabetes in the future.
Thank you so much, Marcy! You have some great info on your site.
Really outstanding article, I’ve bookmarked it and will come back again, thanks alot for sharing ^^
Diabetes is a chronic disease, but also a preventable and controllable disease, For most persons, diabetes can be well controlled by losing weight, following a healthy diet, doing plenty of exercise, The diet should consist mainly of vegetables, fiber rich foods and fruits, Junk food should be strictly avoided, Instead of three large meals, eat four to six small meals or snacks per day every two to three hours, and Exercise for at least one hour each day.
i resent the implication that lack of diet control leads to insulin dependence… sometimes diet is enough, despite controlling it. some compassion on that end would have been nice.
Hi Marimar. I am so saddened to read that is what you took away from my post. In fact, I was actually stating throughout the article that diet control CAN be enough when it comes to GD. Every person is different, and I was able to manage my GD through strict dietary guidelines, but I’m well aware that doesn’t work for every person. I have complete compassion for women who have gone through this, given that I myself have gone through it twice, and still work today to help others through this. Thank you for your response! – Emily
Thank you for all the helpful information. It gives me and a lot of others a better understanding of what can happen during your pregnancy.