Diabetes Diet and Pregnancy

Yeah i feel ya. Same thing happened to me last pregnancy. I'm pregnant right now but havent been tested yet. I had to not eat sugar and eat low carbs. Also i walked everyday for 30 minutes. I was kind of thankful for it, because i only gained 20 lbs.

Hi Y.,

Google "glycemic index" and "glycemic index diets." This is the way to eat not only to control diabetes but to prevent it as well. Once you understand it, it's quite simple. My Dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over 40 years ago and we controlled it with diet everyday. We're even able to control it with "feeding tube" food as he's now in a nursing home at age 92.

All greens are low glycemic. Proteins, like meats, nuts, cheese are low glycemic. White pastas are very high but whole grain pasta (and Barilla Plus brand) are low. If you want to eat something that is high glycemic, eat a little and balance it with something that is very low. If my Dad wanted to cheat and have a glass of wine occasionally, my Mom would always make him a plate of selections of cheese....

This is a great lifestyle diet. I ate like this most of my life and it will make you feel great! Congratulations on your little one!

M.

Hi Y.,
Ally's post has good info in it - I was GD for my first child and then it kept on and now I am considered Type 2 (but low on the spectrum - more on the insulin resistant side) now.
It was very difficult to deal with and ended up in both pregnancies having to take insulin shots during many times a day (terrified of needles so this was like a nightmare!) - but I got thru it. It isn't just about low carbs, it is also about fiber and protien too. As mentioned in a few posts, one of the key's is to pair carbs with protien and fiber. The things to steer clear of are items with high carbohydrates and no protien (any juice - orange, apple, etc as they raise your blood sugar levels almost immediately), unless you are feeling low and then just a sip.
Ally mentioned that you should limit your carbohydrate intake to 15 for snack and 45 per meal - great advice! That is what I did and it did help. now days, there are so many things out there that fit in with that range, you should be content. I found that everynight before bed or when i just needed a snack, a container of yogurt was one of the best things I could do for my blood sugar levels. It has the right amount of protien and carbs that it was a wonder food for me (plus, there are alot of flavors out there - my fav was Boston Cream pie). You could also pair up some high fiber crackers with some cheese slices. Everything in moderation is also a key. You should be able to eat some of the things you want but make sure you eat basically to the 15/45 rule. If you can read up on the glycemic index, do so, it will help.
Lots of green veggies, apples are good, yogurt, cheese, high fiber crackers/breads, etc. Oranges, bananas, grapes, carrots, potatoes, etc. - eat in moderation if you must. I did not miss those and even now, being diabetic, they aren't what I want when I think of snack. If you love chocolate, go easy, or if you must, go for dark and only eat a little bit to get the craving out. Oh, yeah, stay away from ice cream - sorry but it provides little actual nutrition and will raise your sugar levels too much - if you must have some for the craving, only eat a couple of tablespooons to quench the need.
To get me thru what I called the "depravation", I just reminded myself that it was for my little one and it is only temporary. Good luck and remember that the joy of pregnancy is not about the food, it is about the journey and excitement that comes with it!
L.

I had gestational diabetes with my second, but was in the borderline area and controlled it with diet.

Basically, when you eat a carb., make sure you also eat a protein with it. I was able to keep my sugar levels at an even keel if I did this. If I had a piece of fruit, I ate a piece of cheese or dipped apple slices in peanut butter. The key is to keep the foods that turn to sugar quicker (or have sugar) balanced with something that takes longer to turn to sugar, like proteins. This way your body doesn't get a sugar spike.

As long as I did this, no problems and my sugar levels stayed normal. I also counted calories and kept a food diary. I was supposed to get a certain number of calories per day, but found thier amount to be awfully high for me. I averaged about 1200, usually a little under. I ate smaller meals and had snacks throughout the day. I basically ate like a toddler.

Ally J had some good ideas. I pretty much followed the same method she used. I think the best thing that happened for me was attending a meeting with the hospital's nutritionist. Through this resource, I was able to avoid all meds during my gestational diabetes.

My husband was diagnosed as a diabetic about 10 years ago. He is now following the diet I was given during my pregnancy! It works....& is easy to follow.

To jumpstart eliminating simple carbs, avoid the following: fruit juice, regular soda, all processed sugar sweets & candies, etc. Even milk is counted as a carb....so be careful not to overindulge! Once you get your #s under control, then you can add an occasional treat back into your diet - or you can rely on "no sugar added" products.

Pasta & other carbs should be used only when high in fiber. Look for whole-wheat alternatives. & be very careful with condiments: ketchup & BBQ sauce are high in sugar, too! I also found that I had to double the recommended protein ...to avoid dropping too low ....once I got my #s down. Buy a good meter & really watch your highs & lows.....good luck!

Hey there, I ended up getting GD. I missed it by one number. They put me on pills to help manage it, but they kept messing with the dosage. Started off with a whole pill then a half a pill. Then it was once a day then once every other day. I had been to a diabetes class with my mom when she was diagnosed. I learned quite a bit of information, so I had that knowledge to rely on. I did have a monitor and I had to keep track of what I was eating. For myself, I notice that if I ate something with red sauce it spiked my numbers up. Pizza, spaghetti....now granted, I did have a bunch of protein with those meals so that could have contributed. So let me tell you a story. I went out to dinner with friends. I had a steak, salad and then my hubby and I shared a piece for chocolate pie, my numbers were fine. The next week we went to dinner again with friends, I had a salad and shared another piece of chocolate pie with my hubby. My number were through the roof. I went back and look at what I had ate and that was then when I realized that I need to definitely eat protein, especially if I plan to have some dessert. After that, I had no problem, except for my occasional pizza or spaghetti issue. Red sauce was one of the things I craved while I was preggers. I never had an issue with milk like one of the other girls mentioned. Thanks goodness, I was literally drinking 1/2 gallon during the middle of the night. I was crazy. My oldest son would get up for breakfast and ask were all the milk went too. lol. I also ate a cheeseburger every day and that didn't affect my numbers. My doctor was afraid that I wasn't gaining enough weight. I was pregnant with twins and I gained only 40lbs. I gained the 1st trimester and then my last 3 weeks I finally started to gain. I was like gain 2lbs on week, then lose 3 lbs the next, gain 2lbs then lose 1lb. My doctor thought I wasn't eating, I told her I am eating cheeseburgers, what else to you want me to do. geesh. Anyway, I guess if you have a monitor to help with you numbers then that will really help. If you don't then just eat small protein at every meal. I know this probably didn't help much, but I just wanted to let you know how foods affected me, because every one is different. Good luck!!

I had gestational diabetes that didn't test positive until week 30 and fruit...oh how I craved it...was a no no. Once a week i'd rebel and have 2 banana's! Basically just read labels to see what the carb count is in grams. You don't have gestational diabetes (yaaaayyyy!) but here's what I had to limit.

I could have 30 grams of carbs for breakfast, 15 for am/pm snacks, and 45 grams for lunch and then dinner. The key was fiber. If I got a whole grain bread that was 19 grams carb and 2 grams fiber, I was allowed to consider it 17 carbs...believe me I looked for fiber just to be allowed 2 slices of bread! Rice...well, 1/2 cup is nearly 45 grams in carbs so I had to stay away from that, as well as any kind of pasta.

They said I could have as much protein as I wanted but fruits, beans, and some veggies (like corn and carrots) were not so good unless in small quantities. Milk was practically off limits and juice was forbidden! Geesh I was so glad my diabetes went away after I had my son!

The diabetes specialist I consulted with said vegitarians had a really difficult time with the diabetes diet because there are lots of carbs in thing you'd think are super healthy...they are healthy, just not if blood sugar levels are a problem.

You probably don't have to be as rigid as I had to be, but as the third trimester progresses blood sugar regulation becomes especially difficult. Just make sure you eat something every 2 hours and think protein and fat (yup, fat...butter is your friend for like the first time ever!) And you should be fine.

Again, I know you don't have to be as strict as I was but thought this general information might be helpful. Also, google 'carb counts and food' and you'll find everything you need to know what has carbs and how much.

There are tons of recipes on-line too.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and don't worry too much if possible...I was insulin dependent 4 times per day and my son was born super healthy:)

Ask for a referral to a nutritionalist or dietician. They're super helpful!!

I had very mild gestational diabetes - high end of normal/low end of actual. It was completely managed by diet and I only gained 15lbs during my pregnancy (I was probably 15lbs overweight, so it was perfect). If your insurance company will cover it (which may depend on your results), you may be able to take the gestational diabetes management class which was VERY informative and helpful re. meal planning. You can hit your library to check out the diabetes cook books - that way you can "try before you buy" I didn't cook things differently, I just ate differently.

Portion control, many small meals throughout the day, and carb management were the key. Fruits are carbs, so yes, you'll have to either cut back on them or eat them WITH proteins or fats to slow down the absorbtion of the carbs, which manages your insulin. I felt like I was eating ALL THE TIME, cause there were the normal 3 meals, plus 3 snacks.

If you have an ob as well as a midwife, see if you can get the class. Otherwise, perhaps you can find some meal planning help by googling. Good luck! Feel free to click on my name and e-mail me directly.