GD snacking and tests

orriskitten

I know I should ask my doctor this, but I currently don't have one other than my OB, meeting with a nutritionist on Sunday. I just started taking my blood sugar tests 4x a day, 2 hours after meals. I ate a pretty small lunch and got pretty hungry, but it wasn't 2 hours yet. My question is, if I snack before the 2 hours, will that affect my test? Logically I'd think yes, but pregnant-wise, I'm a hungry mama!

Working on the finer points of when to eat and how much to eat and what my numbers through the day are. Tested high this morning (146 after breakfast- lesson learned, carbs are not my friends as of now) and then very low after lunch at 89. I know theres going to be some figuring to do and hoping the nutritionist can help more, but just wanted to see what your experience has been and when you snack.

SunshineK14

Yes if you eat a snack between your meal and your two hour glucose check, it will affect your results.

 Also 89 isn't very low...that is a great reading!  My OB wants my fastings to be under 100 and my two hour after meals to be under 120.

SunshineK14

I also want to add that I sympathize with you because I am ALWAYS hungry now that I am doing this diabetic diet!  At 5:45 I ate my dinner, and I am anxiously awaiting 7:45 so that I can check my glucose and get a snack.  I'm definitely hungry!

kkfeb04

It will definitely affect your tests if you have your snack prior to testing.  I agree, 89 is low for after a meal.  I had low readings after meals like that and they bumped up my carb allowance.  I was on insulin at night and while my fastings were high in the 90's my breakfast would be below my fasting even when testing at an hour after meals, they said I needed to eat more carbs, so they bumped up my allowance by 15 g and it was still between 90 and 100. 

I've been testing after eating meals, no diet, no carb allowance.  I failed my one hour and begged not to do the 3 hour since I don't have 4 1/2 hours to kill at the hospital with a 19 month old.  They told me to test two hours after meals on things I would normally have.  I had a healthy lunch one day that consisted of egg salad on wheat bread (theoretically only 26 g of carbs) along with chips (18 g) still way below the 60 g I would be allowed if I have the same allowances I did with DS.  My sugar was about 130.  The next day breakfast consisted of a sausage egg mcmuffin, hashbrown AND OJ and my sugar was at 92.  Go figure. 

You will figure what can and can't work for you.  For me, if I typically ate a lot of "free foods", like lettuce, carrots, cheese (I ate tons of cheese), broccoli, cauliflower with the carbs to fill me up.  The nutritionist will help you out and I know the doctor always referred me back to the nutritionist if we had to adjust my carb count (usually increased it).  Good luck.

MoMmy Of GrAcE

I was diagnosed with GD at 28 weeks and feel like I actually have it under control with my diet and no meds/insulin.  I have learned/been told that you can have as much protein and you want while pregnant and having GD.  Cheese, non-starchy veggies, and peanut butter have also become my best foods.  Are you making sure that your carb choices are whole grain always?  This really does make a difference in your numbers.  I was told to stay away from highly processed foods of all sorts and that any rice or pasta from a box, whether whole grain or not, is a no-no.  My morning snack lately is a cinnamon graham cracker (4 small rectangles) with peanut butter.  I do get hungry in the afternoons and always have to make sure to pack a snack for my drive home after work.  I save my one fruit allowance for this snack - usually an apple.

I have a HUGE breakfast every day - 2 eggs omelet w/ spinach, tomato, turkey sausage crumbles and cheese plus a whole grain waffle with a touch of peanut butter and a half-cup of milk.  It works for me!

 Best of luck as you adjust and learn how to deal with GD!!  p.s. you will lose weight with the diet plan of GD, don't be alarmed!