Diabetes mummies

I also have Gestational Diabetes since 1st trimester, now 29+ weeks. I’m 44 years old with 1st pregnancy, strong family history of diabetes because my twin also had GDM during her pregnancies at 35 and 40 years old. My 50-gram glucose challenge test was 10 mmol/l (180 mg/dL). 100-gram OGTT was 82(fasting), 240 (1-hr), 180+(2-hr), 137(3-hr) mg/dL. I was diagnosed as Overt DM. I’m on low carb, high protein diet, but no insulin injection. I rarely eat rice, noodles, bread, fruits, or drinks with sugar/sweetener. I mostly eat meat, milk, nuts, vegies. Drink a lot of water. You can say Ketogenic diet (prefer protein). Snacks must be protein snacks, not fruits, breads, or other carb diet. Buy glucose fingerstick to check fasting blood sugar, 1-hr after meal, 2-hr after meal. Goal of 1-hr after meal blood sugar is 120 mg/dL or 6.5 mmol/L. If it’s more than this, see how much Carbohydrate you were taking during last meal. Eat lesser Carb next meal. You can also buy a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to put it on your upper arm for 2 weeks to the the trend of your sugar level continuously on your mobile phone. I use the brand “Yuwell”. So, you can learn what food will increase your sugar level. I am 160 cm tall, 55 kg before pregnancy. Now I feel slimmer with good weight of my baby. I have no swelling, normal blood pressure, so lesser chance of pre-eclampsia, more safe pregnancy. Now at 29+ week pregnancy, I weigh 61.5 kg that is 6.5 kg increasing from my pre-pregnancy. I feel healthy and no insulin injection. Don’t believe in the treatment strategy that allow you to eat Carb, then your blood sugar increase and inject insulin into your body to reduce the blood sugar. Just don’t eat carb, or eat very less carb, then your blood sugar is in acceptable level, and you don’t have to inject insulin, this depends on how diet restriction you can do. However, if you keep eating carb, then just use insulin to prevent your high blood sugar to harm your baby. But it comes with you’re a lot fatter, feet swelling, difficult and painful walking, high blood pressure, high risk of pre-eclampsia. The key is eating low carb and high protein diet. For your nausea, you can take anti-nausea drugs, like metoclopramide, dramamine. I ate a lot of protein until very full, no hungry, occasional very mild nausea until it’s gone at GA 12 weeks.

I will suggest looking for dietician to plan your meals so you can get a balanced and filling diet. However, some foods that doesn't raise blood sugar that much are: 1) leafy vegetables 2) Nuts 3) Chia Seeds 4) Eggs 5) Avocados 6) Unsweetened Yoghurt 7) Berries (eg. strawberries/raspberries/blueberries/blackberries) 8) Fish (esp. Salmon, Trout, mackerel, halibut)