[gabkat7272]

I am 5.5 months pregnant and found out at 3 months that I had gestational diabetes again. Last pregnancy I had twins and found out at 30 weeks that I had it - started on the diet and after a week they put me on insulin as it couldn't be controlled with diet alone.
This time around I have been doing so so on the diet (haven't gained any weight since being on it ) but ..... readings are steadily going up. My reading last night was 8.6 after dinner. One day 5 hours after eating and before dinner it was 7.4. arghhhh - I know I am not exercising enough but with a toddler and carrying a baby I am exhausted - doesn't help that I also have underactive thyroid and a sleep disorder which means I am having micro wakes every minute.

Can anyone advise me if I have had a high reading should I avoid having any snacks until the next meal to try to bring the levels down????

Also does drinking water help to bring it down????:?

[mom22]

Hi, I'm on my third GD pregnancy, and one thing I've been told and have noticed is that symptoms start earlier with each consecutive one and the sugar levels are getting harder to control. With my first they found it at the normal GD testing time, can't remember anymore, isn't it around 28 weeks? I was able to keep the numbers in check with diet alone. With my second I discovered the GD on my own at about 18 weeks. I had a Wendy's meal with sweet tea (disclaimer: not typically on my diet), and felt so strange I tested with my husband's meter (he has Type 2), and sure enough. That time I needed Insulin during the day and after week 32 or so also slow release insulin at night. This time I'm being proactive and went in to get checked out at 9 weeks, and I was at the upper of normal for protein in urine. Doing the 24 hour collection on Monday and testing at home. My point in all this that once you have GD, you'll typically have it again and it will get progressively worse with each subsequent pregnancy. BTW, my diabetes caretaker prescribed 4 mg of Folic Acid per day this time around, supposedly necessary with GD or pregnancy with Type 1 or 2. Good luck to you. Good luck to all of us .

[lizpf]

My first post here ...

When I was pregnant with my daughter (15 years ago), I was borderline G.D. With my son (10 years ago), I was definitely gestationally diabetic. I was determined to manage with diet and exercise only, and did.

For me, the keys were:

1) severely restrict carbs ... especially at breakfast. And keep the carbs you eat complex;

2) exercise. I didn't do anything special, just walk a lot. However, by my 7th month, the sugars were creeping up ... but my daughter began Kindergarten then, and I began walking an extra 1.5 miles a day to her school. The blood sugar took a nosedive, just from that extra walking, half of which was at a 5 year old's pace! If not for the walks, I would have been on insulin for sure!

If you can, put the toddler in a stroller and walk, at any pace, at least 30 minutes a day.

[c123anderson]

I am not sure if exercise will help, depending on your symptoms. It didn't help me.
You bg and insulin needs increase throughout your preg. It's very possible that what you're experiencing is normal, and you should talk to your doc. My 1st I got very discouraged (more insulin injections needed each week). This, my doc said, was normal throughput the course of the preg. Talk with your doc, but it sounds like you're progressing through the preg in a typical fashion. Good luck!