I'm now going to the OB every week for a checkup. I can't believe how close we are getting, 5 weeks to go now!
Anyway, as usual all the vitals looked good. My weight was exactly the same as it was two weeks ago, no increase so I'm still at 17lbs gained thus far. Baby's heartbeat was 144. My belly is getting huge :) which is quite the amusement for my friends & family. Blood sugar is still looking good too thankfully (even though I've been cheating a bit).
I asked how big the baby is (they've never really told me that since early on) and he guessed about 5.5lbs. Doc said if I go to due date, he thinks we'll be looking at 7.5lb baby (though I know plenty of people who ended up with babies no where near the size the doc said, so take that with a grain of salt I guess). But I liked hearing that my gestational diabetes hasn't made him a huge baby.
Another item he mentioned while talking was that with gestational diabetes they won't let me go past my due date. This was first I'd heard of that, so I had him backup & talk more about that. He said they would normally induce at 41wks (1wk past due date) due to the deterioration of the placenta, but that with gestational diabetes they do that earlier to be sure there are no problems with the placenta or the size of the baby. If I don't deliver on my own by then, they will put me in the hospital the night before my due date (which would just happen to be Mothers Day) and start the process. Now this is lovely, so faint of heart should turn away now. That night, they would pass a catheter through my cervix and then blow up a balloon inside the uterus. The balloon would act as a baby's head, putting pressure on the cervix to trigger it to dialate (and efface too I would assume). He said by the time the balloon comes out, usually the cervix would be at 3cm dialation. (No idea how long it takes to accomplish this using this method, but I have read that it can take hours & hours to get to 3cm with natural contractions). The following morning, they would begin the pitocin. I knew pitocin was used for inducing labor, but had never heard of this balloon procedure (I looked it up & it's called a 'Foley Catheter'). Though we would prefer to skip this whole induction process I will say that I'm not scared of the catheter thanks to all my infertility treatments. I've had a catheter thru the cervix 7 times over the last 3 years. The first was for the HSG test, then for 5 IUIs, and a saline ultrasound before IVF. So I have a pretty good idea what to expect with the catheter itself. Now the balloon I'm not so sure. For each of the procedures I had, they were pushing something thru the catheter into my uterus but there was no pressure on the cervix & the procedures were all less than 30mins. So, here's hoping that Jaxon will choose to come before or by Mother's Day!!
Showing posts with label gestational diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gestational diabetes. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
31wk checkup
Thank goodness for that lovely Dr.White! He gave me a Rx on Monday to help me get over this nasty cough. I've been sick only a few days (started Saturday) but I'm feeling pretty yucky. The bad news is that he said I'm probably looking at a couple weeks to fully recover. I actually spent all day yesterday in bed. I think Jack was shocked when he came home to find that I'd not been out of bed all day. Well thats a little of an exagerration. I did get up to let the dogs out, pee, and get a little food though I didn't eat much. Though all told, I'd say I slept 35 of the last 48 hours. Hopefully the combo of a day of rest & the Rx has me well on my way to better. I couldn't take today off so I'm glad I had yesterday. Today & tomorrow I needed to be in a workshop on an important project at work. I guess I wasn't really 'in' it - I was supposed to be there in person, but I didn't think anyone wanted my germs so listened in via phone all day.
Doc also had some other good news for me. He thought my two weeks of checking my blood sugar levels looked really great. And he didn't think there was any reason for me to have to keep it up everyday. So now I've got his permission to only check it three days a week (but still 4x/day) and to 'cheat' on the weekends :) How lovely!
Doc also had some other good news for me. He thought my two weeks of checking my blood sugar levels looked really great. And he didn't think there was any reason for me to have to keep it up everyday. So now I've got his permission to only check it three days a week (but still 4x/day) and to 'cheat' on the weekends :) How lovely!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
update for this week
I've been meaning to post all week, but have been so busy. So this is either going to be a long post, or short versions of each update :)
Gestational Diabetes Update:
Monday I finally met with the dietician to get my meter & learn how I'm supposed to eat. I got a great little meter that takes a tiny amount of blood (packaging claims 'worlds smallest sample size') and they are letting me poke my arm instead of finger. I can barely even feel it. She told me I could use the lowest setting, but I ended up going up one to speed up the process. I do have to check my blood sugar 4x/day so faster is better. I have to keep a record of all the values to show my doc.
Then she taught me all about my new diet. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be, though it is still a bit restrictive on the carbs of course. No soda, no fruit juice, and no fruit in the mornings. I have a little chart that tells me each category I can eat at which meal & how much of it. For example, I'm supposed to eat 1 serving grain, 1oz protein, 1 serving dairy, and 1 serving healthy fat at breakfast. Then I have another chart that tells me a bunch of example foods for each category. So 1 cup of milk counts as a serving of dairy (it's been hard for me to limit myself to just a cup of milk - I usually would pour a big glass full). So I've been eating okay so far and haven't had any blood sugar values go too high. If they do hit certain values, I have to call the doc.
I'm also eating a lot of meals.. so I feel like my day revolves around food & testing right now. I start off with taking a 'fasting blood sugar' when I get up. Then I have breakfast & test 2 hrs later. Then snack, lunch, test 2hrs later. Then snack, dinner, test 2hrs later. Then final snack before bedtime... so total 6 meals, 4 tests. Thank goodness this is only for 67 more days :)
Shower/Nursery Update:
I already mentioned we had a nursery full of gifts to go through. My calendar has been full, so we knew we couldn't get to it Mon, Wed, or tonight. So we dug into it Tues night after work. I spent a couple hours in there myself just taking all the clothes & etc out of giftbags & boxes, throwing out the trash, & saving cards, etc. When I got to where I really didn't think I could do anymore, Jack came in to help. We put together the highchair (which was really easy, seems like a good chair to us, guess the real test will be when JP is old enough to use it), the swing, and put all the bedding on the crib. Jack hung one of the items on the wall (the only one I was 100% sure where I wanted it) and we put as much as we could into the closet. So far things have just been stored whereever they will fit, until I get the chance to start organizing & deciding how we'll use everything. I have a few storage items I need to get like baskets & shelves. There are still lots of gifts sitting out that I need to go through & put away like a lot of clothes & the bags & a few items that we didn't want to unbox yet because he won't use them for the first months. But it's really coming together. The bedding looks great! I'll get a pic of it & the rocker once I get all the other stuff out of the way.
Mama & Baby:
In between all this talk about showers & the nursery, some of you have asked how JP & I are doing. We are both good I think. For the most part I'm feeling good. I am starting to get a little tired again, and I know that's only going to get worse. I'm really sleeping pretty good I think. Of course I get up 3-4x/night for a potty break plus a few other times to adjust pillows but always fall right back asleep.
I've gotten the 'puppy' into a new habit that I'm not crazy about. He was having morning accidents by the door, so I started letting him out early in the morning. Usually it's the same time as my last 'potty break' of the morning, but if I don't wake up on my own, now he's waking me. So we're now on a pretty regular schedule with going out at 6am, it'll be interesting to see how this fits in with JP's schedule when he gets on one.
Other than that, I have a few aches & discomforts that come with all the extra weight, but doing pretty well still.
Gestational Diabetes Update:
Monday I finally met with the dietician to get my meter & learn how I'm supposed to eat. I got a great little meter that takes a tiny amount of blood (packaging claims 'worlds smallest sample size') and they are letting me poke my arm instead of finger. I can barely even feel it. She told me I could use the lowest setting, but I ended up going up one to speed up the process. I do have to check my blood sugar 4x/day so faster is better. I have to keep a record of all the values to show my doc.
Then she taught me all about my new diet. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be, though it is still a bit restrictive on the carbs of course. No soda, no fruit juice, and no fruit in the mornings. I have a little chart that tells me each category I can eat at which meal & how much of it. For example, I'm supposed to eat 1 serving grain, 1oz protein, 1 serving dairy, and 1 serving healthy fat at breakfast. Then I have another chart that tells me a bunch of example foods for each category. So 1 cup of milk counts as a serving of dairy (it's been hard for me to limit myself to just a cup of milk - I usually would pour a big glass full). So I've been eating okay so far and haven't had any blood sugar values go too high. If they do hit certain values, I have to call the doc.
I'm also eating a lot of meals.. so I feel like my day revolves around food & testing right now. I start off with taking a 'fasting blood sugar' when I get up. Then I have breakfast & test 2 hrs later. Then snack, lunch, test 2hrs later. Then snack, dinner, test 2hrs later. Then final snack before bedtime... so total 6 meals, 4 tests. Thank goodness this is only for 67 more days :)
Shower/Nursery Update:
I already mentioned we had a nursery full of gifts to go through. My calendar has been full, so we knew we couldn't get to it Mon, Wed, or tonight. So we dug into it Tues night after work. I spent a couple hours in there myself just taking all the clothes & etc out of giftbags & boxes, throwing out the trash, & saving cards, etc. When I got to where I really didn't think I could do anymore, Jack came in to help. We put together the highchair (which was really easy, seems like a good chair to us, guess the real test will be when JP is old enough to use it), the swing, and put all the bedding on the crib. Jack hung one of the items on the wall (the only one I was 100% sure where I wanted it) and we put as much as we could into the closet. So far things have just been stored whereever they will fit, until I get the chance to start organizing & deciding how we'll use everything. I have a few storage items I need to get like baskets & shelves. There are still lots of gifts sitting out that I need to go through & put away like a lot of clothes & the bags & a few items that we didn't want to unbox yet because he won't use them for the first months. But it's really coming together. The bedding looks great! I'll get a pic of it & the rocker once I get all the other stuff out of the way.
Mama & Baby:
In between all this talk about showers & the nursery, some of you have asked how JP & I are doing. We are both good I think. For the most part I'm feeling good. I am starting to get a little tired again, and I know that's only going to get worse. I'm really sleeping pretty good I think. Of course I get up 3-4x/night for a potty break plus a few other times to adjust pillows but always fall right back asleep.
I've gotten the 'puppy' into a new habit that I'm not crazy about. He was having morning accidents by the door, so I started letting him out early in the morning. Usually it's the same time as my last 'potty break' of the morning, but if I don't wake up on my own, now he's waking me. So we're now on a pretty regular schedule with going out at 6am, it'll be interesting to see how this fits in with JP's schedule when he gets on one.
Other than that, I have a few aches & discomforts that come with all the extra weight, but doing pretty well still.
Monday, February 25, 2008
now what?
Turns out I do have gestational diabetes. The doc at my checkup wasn't too helpful though. He basically just said the dietician will explain it all. What I did manage to get out of him was that they expected it to be controlled by diet (so no drugs or insulin) and that I would need to monitor my blood. I don't see the dietician until next Monday, so I have a little time before I learn all the details.
I do know from common sense, research & watching my BIL, that I'll have to watch sugars & carbs. The question is to what extent. I've got a book, Every Woman's Guide to Eating during Pregnancy, that Jack & I have been pulling some recipes from for our dinners, and it had a little info on GD. It had a simple list of foods to avoid & some to avoid in the morning specifically. I also has a few sample menus (nothing that excited me) and some high level explanation of the condition itself. I won't try to quote the book as that would be boring to read, but did learn that hormones in the placenta cause the cells to not respond properly to the insulin. That results in the glucose to back up in the blood instead of being used in the cells for energy. Thus the high blood sugar levels.
So, for someone widely known as a 'picky' eater, this is going to be an issue for me. I know everyone tells me I'll get used to it and that it's really not that big of a deal. But, this is my blog, and I can say this sucks. I like what I like, and really don't like whatever I don't like. I don't want to change. But I will. For me & my baby. And all along, I'll be glad that I only have to do this for about 11 weeks.
I do know from common sense, research & watching my BIL, that I'll have to watch sugars & carbs. The question is to what extent. I've got a book, Every Woman's Guide to Eating during Pregnancy, that Jack & I have been pulling some recipes from for our dinners, and it had a little info on GD. It had a simple list of foods to avoid & some to avoid in the morning specifically. I also has a few sample menus (nothing that excited me) and some high level explanation of the condition itself. I won't try to quote the book as that would be boring to read, but did learn that hormones in the placenta cause the cells to not respond properly to the insulin. That results in the glucose to back up in the blood instead of being used in the cells for energy. Thus the high blood sugar levels.
So, for someone widely known as a 'picky' eater, this is going to be an issue for me. I know everyone tells me I'll get used to it and that it's really not that big of a deal. But, this is my blog, and I can say this sucks. I like what I like, and really don't like whatever I don't like. I don't want to change. But I will. For me & my baby. And all along, I'll be glad that I only have to do this for about 11 weeks.
Friday, February 22, 2008
fasting while pregnant.. fun stuff
It's really not that bad to have to do the 3 hour glucose test, just kind of a hassle.
I had a lot of different labs to choose from, and the easiest for me was the WakeMed in Clayton. Because of some initial confusion over my appt (my doc apparently didn't get my message indicating which location I was using & never sent my referral over), I got started a little late.
The initial blood test was a finger-prick & was tested using what looked like a simple home diabetes monitor. Then I had my choice of an orange drink or a cola drink. I picked the orange b/c I'd had it before plus she said the cola flavored one was like a flat sugary soda, didn't sound great. They poured it in a cup of ice with a straw which helped it go down easier. Once that was done, she setup blood draws at 10:03, 11:03, and 12:03. They didn't care if I stayed there or not but I did most of the time. It was kinda gray, wet & cold out today & Wal-Mart was about the only place to go. I listened to my iPod or read my book while I waited (though I did pick up a couple of cute pink items at WalMart for my girlfriends upcoming baby shower during one of the breaks).
The blood draws were the regular draw from my arms. I hadn't really thought ahead of time about the math of 4 blood draws and only 2 arms. But as I said the first turned out to be a finger-prick, so that left 3 draws from my arms. The tech was able to take the last 2 draws from my right arm without causing me any extra pain. She was really good at it compared to some I've had before, no bruising or soreness at all today. It turned out she was a Chi Omega alum from my chapter too. (Thanks again Aunt J for my purse, I've met several XOs or XO family members since I started carrying it).
The worst part was after the test was over. The tech asked me every hour how I was feeling (hungry, but fine, thanks) but I was really doing okay. Apparently some women have a rough time, even as bad as vomiting she told me (ugh, then you have to reschedule & start over!). But I felt okay as I left Clayton & headed for Fuquay to meet Jack & his paralegal for lunch. While waiting for them, I started to get a little hot, and the hunger was getting a little more urgent. I ordered an appetizer just as they walked in .. and told the waitress to hurry b/c I was 'pregnant & fasting'. LOL, poor girl. Before it came to the table, I started getting really hot & my limbs were starting to feel tingly. I didn't get dizzy or faint, but felt kinda like that was coming. It was pointed out to me that I also get a little grouchy when I'm hungry. I guess I wasn't quite the picture of politeness. Soon as I had a little food in me, I was back to normal. So any of you ladies that are about to take this same test - don't ignore the recommendation to bring a snack. Bring it, and eat it as soon as the test is over. I had one but didn't think it was necessary & might 'ruin' my lunch. But in that restaurant I was wishing I'd just eaten it before I came in.
So anyhow, I won't know my results today. But I do have my 2 week checkup on Monday, so assume the doc will tell me the news by then at the latest. *Fingers crossed*
I had a lot of different labs to choose from, and the easiest for me was the WakeMed in Clayton. Because of some initial confusion over my appt (my doc apparently didn't get my message indicating which location I was using & never sent my referral over), I got started a little late.
The initial blood test was a finger-prick & was tested using what looked like a simple home diabetes monitor. Then I had my choice of an orange drink or a cola drink. I picked the orange b/c I'd had it before plus she said the cola flavored one was like a flat sugary soda, didn't sound great. They poured it in a cup of ice with a straw which helped it go down easier. Once that was done, she setup blood draws at 10:03, 11:03, and 12:03. They didn't care if I stayed there or not but I did most of the time. It was kinda gray, wet & cold out today & Wal-Mart was about the only place to go. I listened to my iPod or read my book while I waited (though I did pick up a couple of cute pink items at WalMart for my girlfriends upcoming baby shower during one of the breaks).
The blood draws were the regular draw from my arms. I hadn't really thought ahead of time about the math of 4 blood draws and only 2 arms. But as I said the first turned out to be a finger-prick, so that left 3 draws from my arms. The tech was able to take the last 2 draws from my right arm without causing me any extra pain. She was really good at it compared to some I've had before, no bruising or soreness at all today. It turned out she was a Chi Omega alum from my chapter too. (Thanks again Aunt J for my purse, I've met several XOs or XO family members since I started carrying it).
The worst part was after the test was over. The tech asked me every hour how I was feeling (hungry, but fine, thanks) but I was really doing okay. Apparently some women have a rough time, even as bad as vomiting she told me (ugh, then you have to reschedule & start over!). But I felt okay as I left Clayton & headed for Fuquay to meet Jack & his paralegal for lunch. While waiting for them, I started to get a little hot, and the hunger was getting a little more urgent. I ordered an appetizer just as they walked in .. and told the waitress to hurry b/c I was 'pregnant & fasting'. LOL, poor girl. Before it came to the table, I started getting really hot & my limbs were starting to feel tingly. I didn't get dizzy or faint, but felt kinda like that was coming. It was pointed out to me that I also get a little grouchy when I'm hungry. I guess I wasn't quite the picture of politeness. Soon as I had a little food in me, I was back to normal. So any of you ladies that are about to take this same test - don't ignore the recommendation to bring a snack. Bring it, and eat it as soon as the test is over. I had one but didn't think it was necessary & might 'ruin' my lunch. But in that restaurant I was wishing I'd just eaten it before I came in.
So anyhow, I won't know my results today. But I do have my 2 week checkup on Monday, so assume the doc will tell me the news by then at the latest. *Fingers crossed*
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