No one ever thinks they're going to develop gestational diabetes, but sometimes it's out of our control. Here's how the past month has gone after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes + meal and snack ideas.
↑ What I’ve been eating a lot of over the past month. GREEN STUFF.
Well, the post headline pretty much sums it up – I have gestational diabetes. Apparently the third pregnancy was not the charm for this ol’ gal!
Sooo, YEAH. I have several reasons for writing this post. One, it felt like I was hiding something by not sharing.
Two, my post on Living with Celiac Disease has been one of my most popular posts here on IGE because it’s real and, most importantly, helped people, which I hope to accomplish with this post. Not only by sharing some of the meals and foods I’ve been eating over the past month, but simply to give anyone struggling with gestational diabetes a virtual pat on the shoulder and say you’re not alone. We’ll get through this!
Three, the word “diabetes” is a loaded word and I hope to spread some knowledge about what gestational diabetes is and who can develop it.
What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes affects only pregnant women – 7-9% of woman are said to develop it during pregnancy – and it goes away after delivery of the baby. Hormones from the placenta interfere with the mother’s ability to use insulin, which your body needs to turn glucose (sugar) into energy. Glucose builds up causing high blood sugar, which can have negative effects on both mom and baby. Baby can be born overly large and with low blood sugar, have breathing problems, and face potential issues with obesity and Type 2 diabetes down the road. Mom can develop preeclampsia and has a strong risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future.
If you’ve ever been pregnant, you most likely dreaded the gestational diabetes screening test as much as I did. Generally occurring around the 24-26 week mark of pregnancy, in 5 minutes or less you must chug a drink that’s basically corn syrup, artificial flavor, and food dye (read: highly disgusting and extremely unpleasant) then your blood sugar is tested an hour later to see if your body is using the sugar properly. If it’s not then at a later date you drink an even more concentrated sugary beverage and your blood sugar is re-tested at the one, two, and three hour mark after drinking. If you fail any of those tests then you’ve earned yourself a pregnancy complication:
Gestational diabetes.
Risk factors for gestational diabetes include being older then 25, having a family or personal history of Type 2 or pre-diabetes, a BMI of 30 or higher, or if you are black, Hispanic, American Indian, or Asian (source). As I read in a book on the subject, unless you’re 25 or younger, white, and have no family or personal history of diabetes – there’s a chance you could develop gestational diabetes. I think there’s a stigma surrounding gestational diabetes and I’m here to tell you that it can happen to anyone. The dietitian I’ve met with through this process told me she’s seen marathoners in her office with gestational diabetes!
The risk factor I met was age. As I always tell the whipper snappers who will listen to this crotchety old bag – don’t grow up! Truthfully, the age thing was a tough pill to swallow and it hasn’t been as simple as telling myself, the only reason you got this is because you’re an old(er) mom.
Various thoughts ran through my mind when I got the call – why did I drink so many Chick-fil-A lemonades (to be fair, I didn’t drink that many!)? Why haven’t I been more active? HOW COULD I LET THIS HAPPEN?!
If getting Celiac Disease has taught me anything though, it’s that $@!& happens. Some things in life can’t be prevented, helped, or predicted. This didn’t happen because of the foods I was or wasn’t eating, hormones are to blame. Thankfully in many cases, and so far in my case, gestational diabetes can be managed through diet, which is something I have a ton of experience with.
The “prescription” for gestational diabetes is not only to focus on eating healthy fats, proteins, and vegetables (so many vegetables,) but more importantly watch your total carb intake and spread them out throughout the day. The way I made sense of this for myself is that I need a slow and steady burn of the right amount and type of carbohydrate all day long. I check my blood sugar 4 times a day (finger prick) and log everything I eat in a spreadsheet for my doctor to keep tabs on. Fun!
What’s been hard:
- Eating ZERO added/processed sugar and limited fruit and berries. I have a raging sweet tooth when I’m pregnant so going cold turkey has been slightly torturous. Fruit and berries are also my summertime jam and I’ve missed them a lot.
- No more pretzels, tortilla chips, crackers – aka empty carbs I used to eat when I needed a little something to crunch on during the day. Not so mad about this as I needed a reason to ditch the junk.
- Mega meal planning. Normally I plan 3-4 dinners a week. Now I need to plan a breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks every single day x 7 days a week. There is no winging it when you’re eating to manage gestational diabetes.
- Eating for fuel vs fun.
- Measuring and tracking everything I eat. It’s as annoying as time tracking at work.
- No food-related spontaneity. Celiac Disease pretty much killed this for me already (no “ooo there’s a new restaurant in town – we should go!“) but it’s even harder now that I have to make sure a restaurant has low-carb options in addition to gluten-free ones, and the timing has to be right for a meal or snack. Heck, I can’t even eat an apple past 6pm without it effecting the next day’s blood sugar.
- Getting bored of eating a lot of the same foods over and over each day.
- Knowing my chances of developing Type 2 diabetes down the road is high.
- Playing poor me. I know – it’s childish – but when all I want is to sit down and watch trashy television at night with a glass of wine, pizza and giant brownie (dreaming big here,) the fact that I have gestational diabetes and Celiac Disease can be a bummer.
What’s been good:
- Knowing that I’m doing all I can to make sure we have a healthy baby and pregnancy.
- I get to eat A LOT. 3 meals + 2 snacks a day. Not mad about that!
- Learning about portion control. Let’s just say the amount of sweet potato fries that equals one carb choice is much smaller then I thought.
- Slower weight gain. I’ve never been one to care much about weight gain during pregnancy as long as I was in the healthy range and baby was growing at a healthy rate, but this has been a welcomed side effect.
- I’ve learned how my body processes carbs – at least during this pregnancy. Through trial, error, and testing, I’ve found my blood sugar hates white sugar, fruit in the morning and at night, super starchy vegetables, and even too many whole grain carbs. Totally changed my outlook on the (fun) foods I’ll be fueling my body with post-baby.
- I’ve never eaten healthier. My meals and snacks are filled with tons of vegetables, lean protein, nuts, and dairy – which thankfully my body handles well.
- I feel great! I was shocked to find out I had gestational diabetes in the first place because I’d felt the best this pregnancy out of all three prior to being diagnosed. Since changing my diet though, I’ve had more energy and feel better overall.
- This is temporary. Gestational diabetes ends when the gestation period ends. Yes, Type 2 diabetes is a very real risk for the future, but gestational diabetes specifically will end in a few weeks.
What I’ve Been Eating
It was a bummer to find out I had to start logging all my meals and snacks to share with my doctors and dietitian at every appointment, but it’s worked out well because now I can share some ideas with you!
NOTE: I am NOT a doctor nor dietitian so please discuss your meal plan with your care team, as I have, to identify what will work for you and your gestational diabetes care plan!
Breakfast:
- 1-2 slices peanut butter toast (I’ve been eating Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free 7-Grain Bread vs their Mountain White)
- 1 slice buttered toast + 2 scrambled eggs + 2 slices bacon (I like Applegate Naturals No Sugar Bacon)
- Grain-free granola + almond milk, 1 slice peanut butter toast
- Handful raw almonds or pecans, small square Maple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars
- Greek yogurt + sliced almonds or grain-free granola
- 2 scrambled eggs with shredded cheese, 1 slice toast
- 2 fried eggs, 2 slices bacon or sausage, big handful sauteed spinach
- 1 slice avocado toast + goat cheese, fried egg
- Small bowl oatmeal – 1/4 cup gluten-free oats cooked with 1/4 banana in 1/4 cup each almond milk and water. Add chia seeds, toasted unsweetened coconut chips, chopped nuts, tiiiiny drizzle maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Lunch:
- Big salads with a mix of protein (turkey, chicken, nuts, seeds, cheese, hard-boiled egg, smoked salmon,) vegetables, and carbs like blueberries, diced apples, or dried cranberries + dressing
- Peanut butter sandwich, cheese stick, baby carrots
- Cheese quesadilla (2 small corn tortillas) with guacamole + salsa, 1/2 cup fruit
- Cheese stick, a few whole grain crackers, baby carrots, 1/2 an apple
- Burger (no bun) + pickles and ketchup. Salad with lots of vegetables + sliced almonds
- Meatballs + few Tablespoons marinara sauce + shredded cheese, baby carrots, 1/2 cup fruit
- Tuna salad + a few whole grain crackers and vegetable dippers, 1/2 cup berries
- 2 hard boiled eggs, salami, cheese, a few whole grain crackers, 1/2 cup fruit
- 2 hot dogs (local brand) sliced down the center and stuffed with cheddar cheese + ketchup, baby carrots
- Chicken salad + vegetable dippers and/or a few whole grain crackers
- Egg Salad Jars
Dinner:
- Zucchini Noodle Caprese Lasagna
- Crunchy Pesto Potato Chip Salmon
- Burgers (no bun), large vegetable-based salad, 1/2 cup berries
- Vegetable Stir Fry: 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice (max) cooked then stir fried with an egg + any/all vegetables and drizzled with gluten-free Tamari
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili + shredded cheese
- 1/2 baked spaghetti squash + 3/4 cup marinara/meat sauce + parmesan or mozzarella cheese
- Skinny Shrimp (or Scallop) Piccata with Zoodles
- Crustless quiche, 1 cup fruit
- Buffalo Chicken Salad, 1/2 cup sweet potato fries
- Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs, cauliflower rice, 1/2 cup sweet potato fries
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- BBQ, Bacon, Avocado and Cheddar Chicken, roasted vegetables
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin, grilled vegetables
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin, roasted vegetables
- Perfect Roast Chicken, roasted vegetables or side salad
- Homemade Egg Drop Soup
- Grilled or seared steak, roasted or sauteed green beans, sauteed garlic butter mushrooms
Snacks:
- Beef jerky (Nick Sticks or Duke’s – buy at Costco)
- Enjoy Life Chewy Bars (in a pinch)
- Plantain chips (OBSESSED with these BBQ ones)
- Cottage cheese + 1/2 cup fruit
- Olives + cheese cubes + a pickle
- Raw nuts + 2 Tablespoons dried fruit
- Greek yogurt + grain-free granola or nuts
- Popcorn + raw nuts or seeds
- Salami + cheese stick + plantain chips
- Raw vegetables + guacamole
- 1/2 apple + cheese cubes + prosciutto
- 1/2 apple + 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
- Homemade Egg Drop Soup
- Raw vegetables
- Raw vegetables
- Raw vegetables
#notatypo. ;) Click here for all my low-carb recipes >
Moving forward
“You have gestational diabetes” are four words that no mother on earth wants to hear, and this has made a time when I already feel out of control of my body (ie pregnancy) much more difficult. To be crystal clear, I cannot wait for this to go away. That said, I am grateful for this experience. As of 2017, it is said that 29 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes and 8 million of them are undiagnosed. I can say with 100% certainty that had I not been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the thought of getting Type 2 diabetes would have never crossed my mind. I eat a balanced diet – no fast food and limited junk food – exercise moderately, and have no family history of diabetes, so it’s never been on my radar until now.
This experience has been a HUGE eye opener in terms of how I can make small, healthy improvements to my lifestyle moving forward though. Instead of white bread, I’ll choose whole grain. Instead of white rice, I’ll choose brown. Instead of brownies I’ll make a smoothie (ok maybe not every time!) Sit less. Move more.
I can’t pretend I don’t know I’m now at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes down the road but I’m super grateful to know how I can reduce my risk. Also grateful that I have just 5 more weeks of this “diet” left before meeting the sweet little lady who is worth every bite of carrot over cake!
Have you ever been diagnosed with gestational diabetes? What was your experience like?
I had it with boy of my boys. I was surprised, too, as I eat a pretty healthy vegetarian diet and I’m a very petite person. Like you, it never crossed my mind. After baby one was born I did have awful sugar cravings while breastfeeding, but my appetite waned once I weaned. With baby 2, I also had it, but it didn’t seem to be as bad. I could get away with eating more and still keep my BS under 120 at the 2-hr mark, although I had more higher fasting numbers (not enough to warrant medication per my doctors discretion, though). Unfortunately, postpartum, despite being at my lowest weight ever, I still register high numbers. My A1c is normal as of the last check, though (I’ve had it checked 3 times). Honestly, it stresses me out quite a bit so I no longer test my sugar, as I have enough to deal with. I just try to eat as healthy as I can, exercise, and enjoy life. Life is not fair, is it? You sound like you are doing an awesome job of managing it, and really that’s all you can do!
Ahhh just had our third baby and was diagnosed with GD for the first time. Initially I was super frustrated and annoyed but like you ended up loving how good I felt and eating super clean. My doctor was super laid back about it and even cut my finger pricks down to 2 times a day of my choice when my numbers were able to be controlled by diet. GD is so weird! I was still able to eat a whole banana in the morning but def no other fruit all day.
Hang in there mama! Mine went away immediately after having our baby :)
I’m so sorry, but I have every confidence that YOU will tackle this and get through it. I appreciate all your posts about eating gluten-free and I appreciate YOU!
Maybe this is the insensitive side of me, but big deal. Just like Type 2 diabetics, you will be cured as soon as you pop Kid #3 just like Type 2’s can help themselves out by working out and putting the fork down.
I have been a Type 1 diabetic since age 2 and I will NEVER be cured of this disease. I will forever be taking shots and checking my blood 4-10 times per day. Gestational and Type 2 are not diabetics. You don’t have to take shots, you don’t have to worry about DKA, seizures, or any of the other major events that I have had to deal with in the 35+ years of dealing with this. So what, pop the kid and you are cured!
I think when you start a comment with “maybe this is insensitive” whatever follows is pretty much bound to be insensitive ?. The issue with this comment is that it supports some concepts that aren’t correct. Contrary to popular belief, not all people with type II Diabetes are overweight or have unhealthy eating habits. Some people for genetic and environmental reasons have a predisposition toward insulin resistance and over time some lose enough pancreatic function that they require insulin. As a Kristin points out in her post, even though GD resolves with delivery, there can be lifelong implications related to the diagnosis. Life isn’t a zero sum game. Just because other people’s craply and unfortunate circumstances are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re not crappy and unfortunate.
Wow. What an unfortunate attitude to have. JC, I would venture a guess that if you could find a cure for your type 1, and alleviate yourself of all the stresses and concerns as you note above, you would.
Why then not have compassion or understanding for someone who, even if temporarily, is facing challenges related to diabetes. And, in fact, GD comes with serious concerns–the placenta can deteriorate and put baby at risk. Baby can have their own blood sugar issues after birth and are in fact checked multiple times following delivery. Delivery can be complicated by shoulder dystocia and other issues. Some women with GD have to take insulin or other medications to regulate their blood sugar in order to keep baby and mom healthy.
Your comment is sadly calloused and insensitive to the world of challenges that gestational diabetes creates for moms and babies.
JC, they don’t understand. I was diagnosed with GD at 28 weeks. I was misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes after the delivery of my son. Very few people seem to understand the difference between the two. Type 1 diabetes IS a VERY different disease, and Type 2 should have been called something else. A large majority of doctors don’t seem to be able to get it right either. I’m sorry that you have had to deal with it so long. I am burnt out after 20 years- 35 sounds overwhelming. *BUT* I am still kicking and it sounds like you are too. They have no idea how bad it is, and they should be thankful they don’t know. Keep calm, and test on. Best wishes.
Thank you sooo much for this post! I am due in late August and my doc is having me do a 2nd round of testing (I have PCOS so they tested me early) and I have failed my first one again and have another 3 hour test on Monday. This is a welcomed post and will be referencing daily if I get the diagnosis.
Thank you for sharing this! I had GD with my first, now 3 months old. I had been eating healthy and working out 3 times a week. My doctor even promised me before the test that I would pass bc I was in good shape! I spent probably a week crying and felt like a failure and was convinced my baby would be early and large (he wasn’t). I hid the diagnosis from most people. In reality, it wasn’t awful. I found what I could eat and even though my meal plans had little variety, I remained diet controlled. Shockingly enough, pasta was a no no but a small amount of ice cream every night was fine – my ob said the fat often slows the sugar absorption down, so don’t be afraid to try new things. One ‘bad’ number here and there isn’t going to harm you or baby. My baby had high fluid levels but weekly non stress tests showed he was always fine. He stayed put 9 days past my due date and was not super huge like everyone kept warning me. The worst part for me were the comments from people who knew (“but you’re so healthy”). The diagnosis made me even healthier and helped me establish better eating habits, although I still ate cookies and brownies on repeat immediately after he was born and loved every bite. I was retested postpartum and passed with flying colors. Good luck with the last few weeks- you’ll enjoy those treats once baby girl is here :)
I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes around 2009. My doc wanted me to take metformin. I said I would change my diet, as I’d read a great deal about the complete elimination of grains from the diet in relationship to diabetes. I am not giving medical advice, but I suggest your readers look into this. For the most part, this is what I have done. Just had my A1c etc. tested, and “no diabetes.” Any kind of bread, potatoes, rice, corn, pasta, contribute nothing essential to our diets that cannot be found elsewhere, in other foods such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds. If you just “must” have some, be sure to combine with protein and healthy fat to lower the impact of the grains.
Sorry to hear this has happened. I had GD with my first of four children 32 years ago. While it was mild my doctor put me on a very strict diet not anything like what you are eating. I was allowed one carb serving for the entire day, two servings of dairy, 6 ounces of protein and very little fat. I was surprised to be told to eat five servings of fruit a day and I ate everything allowed as I was hungry for 22 hours of every day. I lost weight for the last three months of the pregnancy which upset my doctor but I doubt I ate more than 1200 calories a day. To this day I hate eating raw vegetables (love them cooked or in a salad). This is on my medical record and I will hear about it until the day I die. Just today I had blood work done for a visit and my A1c is being checked yet again. Last time it was 5.0 and the doctor was amazed but this is like the former smoker who hears it talked about at almost every doctor’s visit. When I got pregnant with my second child my doctor told me to expect it to happen again and I thought you had better think again. Three more children without GD and no type 2, 32 years and counting. This taught me to be extra careful with my health as the risk for diabetes is there but I am not happy how they overreacted and starved me for three months while pregnant.
I had GDM with both pregnancies and what you wrote describes the experience — the emotions, the food, the EVERYTHING — so very perfectly. I wrote about it on my blog four years ago after my oldest was born. It truly was a blessing for me, like you said. Great education, great awareness of risks, and a perfect way to make the pregnancy a healthier one. At the end of my second pregnancy my husband and I went on a babymoon to Minneapolis and ate at a fantastic Thai restaurant. Tons of meat and veggies later, I checked my sugar and it was skyrocketing! Off to the hotel weight room I went for a workout (at 10:30 pm). I was surprised to hear later that Thai food actually has a bunch of sugar hiding in it?! What the heck. Thank you for sharing this. Best of luck to you. The time will fly and soon you’ll have that lil sweetheart right there with you (and a lemonade and a brownie and some chips). :)
I too had gestational diabetes with my third pregnancy. It was quite frustrating, but I was able to manage well and have been able to continue healthier practices post pregnancy, keeping my weight down. One thing I used to curb my sweet craving was sugar free pudding. It really helped when I was struggling. I could also sneak in some graham crackers with them which made me feel like I was cheating when I really was not! Exercise also helped fairly dramatically with my sugar control. Wishing you well as you continue through your pregnancy!
Another thank you from a long time reader! I had GD in both of my pregnancies (over 25, family history of Type 2, Hashimotos which is also linked to insulin resistance).
One GD-friendly sweet treat idea for you – Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars! They are delicious for a summer snack and worked well for my numbers.
Best of luck to you! ❤️
I’m not pregnant and have never had gestational diabetes, but I am gf and don’t want to eat the gf processed foods and my hubby is trying to reduce his blood sugar by watching his carbs. So we eat A LOT of vegetables. Thank goodness we love veggies and salads, we limit meats. We even have veggies with breakfast, some sliced tomato or roasted zucchini. We have even had spinach salad with an fried egg on top for breakfast.
Such a bummer! I had it twice, so I feel you. The mental aspect was really rough for me – I was an active Crossfitter right up to delivery! Glad you have so many good recipes to help keep things interesting menu-wise. The end is in sight and not only will you have a sweet baby girl to snuggle, you can spend some time dreaming of your first carb-ful meal!! ?