This is a difficult post to write. In the grand schemes of things, it’s not catastrophic, and I recognize this. Many other women, new mothers and moms-to-be, have it much worse than I do. But I’ve spent the last three weeks feeling sorry for myself, since I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes.

Huh? That was my reaction. My husband and I questioned the test, questioned the competency of the lab personnel, questioned the validity of the results. If the four-hour fasting glucose test wasn’t such an awful ordeal for me, I would have demanded they re-do it.

I don’t want to scare anyone going through the test. As reported in this post, if you don’t have Gestational Diabetes, the test is no big deal. The syrupy glucose doesn’t taste all that bad (although the carbonation can make you a bit gassy) and the time really does pass quickly.

But if you have GD, the sugar shock (not a medical term!) can make you dizzy, nauseated, hot? some people have even passed out. I was permitted to lie in my car with the AC going between blood tests. (If they brought the climate in the waiting room down to a temperature I would have preferred, everyone else there would have frozen!) My husband said I did pass out, but I think I was just lying there silently? I don’t think I lost consciousness. Anyway, that was my first clue, and only indication–that maybe the test was not wrong. Other than that awful four-hour ordeal, I have not had any symptoms throughout my pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes affects only 2 to 8 percent of all pregnant women. Risk factors include:

• Obesity
• Previously giving birth to a large baby (9 lbs. or more)
• Family history of Type-2 Diabetes
• Rapid weight gain during pregnancy

I am not in any of these groups. My family doesn’t have a stellar medical history, but about the only thing missing from our collective health woes is Type 2 Diabetes. I’m probably the healthiest person in my family, without any afflictions or diseases. I work out regularly, keep my weight in check and, overall, have had an uneventful, uncomplicated (even enjoyable) pregnancy.

After nearly a week of ‘dealing’ with this diagnosis, I’ve gotten used to lancing my finger for blood sugar readings four times a day. The diet is not challenging; I’ve put myself on stricter regimes for far less important reasons (such as looking good in a bikini!)

But I still can’t get that nagging voice out of my mind: Why me? I’m not in any of the risk groups; I take good care of myself and, in fact, I have never eaten healthier than I have during my pregnancy. The odds of my getting GD were, give or take, 8 percent. I also can’t shake my (obviously mistaken) belief that Diabetes is a ‘fat person’s disease’ or that something I did (too many milkshakes?) caused the situation.

Very little of the research or articles written have shown me otherwise, but my midwife’s reassurances have made me feel better. Gestational diabetes occurs when the hormones that, in pregnancy, are designed to block the usual action of insulin, in order to insure the baby gets enough glucose to grow, are not doing their job properly. It’s hormonal, not behavioral. I didn’t really exhibit any of the other hormonal symptoms of pregnancy (such as mood swings), and my morning sickness was mild… so I guess GD is my hormonal burden to bear through this pregnancy.

Because so little of the research and articles out there address the guilt or self-blame associated with the disease, I want to say it now: If you are in that ‘lucky’ 2 to 8 percent diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it’s not your fault. Really.

Yes, it’s up to you now, to control it through diet and exercise, but you didn’t ‘give yourself’ the disease. Releasing that guilt, for me, was the first step toward making sure my pregnancy remains complication-free.

]]> http://blogs.babiesonline.com/health/facts-and-realizations-about-gestational-diabetes/feed/ 3 http://blogs.babiesonline.com/pregnancy/third-trimester-here-i-come/ http://blogs.babiesonline.com/pregnancy/third-trimester-here-i-come/#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:04:14 +0000 Dawn Allcot http://blogs.babiesonline.com/?p=3270

I officially enter my third trimester tomorrow. Last night, the baby kicked me in the ribs for the first time. While I’m still not huge by my perceptions of what a woman who is seven months pregnant should look like, the baby has shifted further up, is very active, and, in spite of my previous post about loving pregnancy, everyday tasks are getting to be a challenge.

When someone asks me if I can do them a favor, I frequently respond with, “As long as it doesn’t require bending down.” I found myself winded after washing the floor yesterday. And I’m still hungry all the time!

All in all, I shouldn’t complain. This has been a stress-free, relatively easy pregnancy so far, and I still feel pretty good. I can still imagine doing this again. Ideally, so that I’m pregnant through the winter, and not the hottest months of the summer!

The worst part is finding myself gasping for air for no reason at all. Sitting up straight helps; I will probably buy an exercise ball this evening to keep my back straight while I work. (And strengthen my abs while I’m at it, something that will certainly help during labor and delivery).

I also get tired more quickly, once again. I have a feeling that is from the shortness of breath, however. I do wish this baby would move!

I’m trying to maintain my healthy eating, get plenty of calcium and iron, and continue with at least 30 minutes of cardio a day (even if it’s just walking around the mall shopping for baby gear!)

I’ve also noticed another emotional (hormonal?) side effect of pregnancy that’s a bit disconcerting–I feel as if the world should revolve around myself and this baby I’m growing. I don’t like this trait in myself. I’ve seen it in other pregnant women, and faulted them for it.

But I feel like I am doing this important task, and I deserve special consideration for it. I want the closest parking spots. People should get out of *my* way in stores (and traffic). Men should give up their seats on the subway for me. After all, I’m a mother-to-be.

I want to talk about myself, my pregnancy and the baby constantly. Everything else pales in significance to growing a life. It doesn’t help that being pregnant does afford a woman some added attention from friends, families and acquaintances; that only fuels the fire. I want more. I want it all. We’ve all heard of bride-zilla. Is there such a thing as mom-zilla?

How do I keep this in check, while also getting through some of the physical challenges ahead of me in the next three months? I remind myself that billions of women have done this before me. While it is a beautiful thing, a miracle, it is indeed, a common miracle. Keeping this in mind reminds me that 1). I’ll survive all the physical discomfort and 2). yes, it’s special, but other people have lives, too, and their achievements, concerns and feelings still matter.

Or do they?

As my due date draws near, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s all about me, my husband and our little girl. That is what my life is about right now. Is that so wrong?

Reality checks, advice and observations are welcome… What odd feelings and physical symptoms have other moms out there experienced?

You have to make some trades when you’re pregnant. You might get huge, but you have that whole glow thing going on. You might be tired beyond belief, but people encourage you to rest and relax because of your condition. All in all, it’s not all that bad.

One of my favorite perks of being pregnant was the effect it had on my hair and nails. My hair suddenly got thick and shiny. My fingernails were suddenly strong and growing like mad. Keep in mind that my hair has never been very thick and I’ve had a constant battle with my fingernails. I was really impressed by what my body could pull off.

I’ve read that the hair and nails thing is a result of the pregnancy hormones surging through the body, but I’ve also read that it has more to do with prenatal vitamins. I’m not sure which one to thank, but I was extremely grateful.

The only problem is that after this taste of incredible hair and fingernails, it goes away after the baby is born. My once-fine-then-thick hair became fine once again, and my nails became a lot more brittle than they were during the pregnancy. For lack of a better term, it was a real bummer.

I don’t miss being huge and I don’t miss having to pee every thirty seconds, but I do miss the fabulous hair and nails that come along with pregnancy.

Today I was thinking back to when my daughter was a newborn. She was such a light sleeper that the sounds of the floorboards creaking outside her room woke her up instantly, and consequently I always dreaded heading off to bed at night because I had to walk through that very hallway. The memory that popped into my head today – and that made me chuckle quite a bit – was the vision of me tiptoeing down that hall delicately as though I was a stealth ninja in an obstacle course. Sometimes it would take me five minutes to get down that hallway, and it’s not like it’s a really long hall. I was just so scared that I would wake her up because I knew that waking her up meant less (precious) sleep for me. I can’t even describe the feelings of nervous dread I had going down that hall every night.

Nowadays she’s a much better sleeper, and I can walk up and down that hall all I want and she won’t even stir. It makes me laugh now when I think about how much anxiety my life was filled with when she was a newborn. All I wanted back then was for someone to tell me that it gets easier, but most parents would only tell me that it stayed difficult forever. They claimed it was just difficult in different ways.

I’m here to make the claim that it does get easier. I think the majority of those parents who say it stays just as hard might not remember the newborn phase very accurately, or maybe they just had babies who were more laid back. Perhaps they weren’t as whacked out on postpartum hormones as I was. Whatever the reason, I have to disagree. I wholeheartedly believe that it’s far easier to deal with a preschooler than it is to be in the very early stages of being a new mom.

I know many of you may disagree with me, and I welcome your say. On the other hand, if you are someone who is combing the Internet looking for someone to tell you that the incredible stress associated with being a new mom someday eases a little, let me be the one to tell you…it does get easier.

What is it about being pregnant means that every stranger, family member or friend you come in contact with has to touch your pregnant belly? What is it about it? Is there a magnetic field in the uterus that automatically draws their hand there? Sometimes you don’t mind it. Sometimes having someone touch the miracle you’re growing is welcome; but with pregnancy hormones being what they are-there are times when you would just like to slap them for even attempting to touch.

It’s not only that they touch it without invitation; but they have the nerve to say, ‘Your belly is getting so big!’ ‘Yes, I know my belly is getting so big. I am creating a life. What productive thing have you done today?’ you think in the back of your mind, but instead, you just shrug it off and simply mutter an unsuccessfully cheerful, ‘Thank you.’ As you walk away, you try to psych yourself back up telling yourself that it is all baby weight and you are really not big-you’re a mom under construction and soon the pounds will just fall off.

How do you stop this epidemic of unwanted baby-belly-touchers? I have seen creative little shirts trying to help give the hint; but that doesn’t mean that they will read it or that they will even get the hint. How can you get others to respect you and your privacy and leave your baby-bump alone? Just flat out tell them NO! But you can try to phrase it tactful and respectful so you don’t hurt their feelings. You can say something like, ‘Please, excuse me, but I just do not feel like being touched at the moment.’ Hopefully they will get the hint and just move along and resist the urge to touch. If they don’t-you can always forget the nice, tactful approach and just tell them do not touch and I’ll bet they will think twice before reaching over and copping an uninvited feel.