GD w/FP. Also, VBAC. Acronym! X-posted

terri_doula2010

I X-posted this on Sept 2012, but wanted to post here as well.

I found out this morning I have GD. Lovely. I keep having to remind myself that I didn't cause it, but I'm pretty annoyed. My weight gain has been just fine and I don't have any of the other symptoms at this point....though I guess it is better to find out before having symptoms!

I have a new appointment with my doctor next Monday and I'm going to a GD class on Thursday and getting my glucometer. I know I'll get actual answers to my questions then, but I was wondering about other people's experiences until then. And a week is fo-evah to wait...but nothing is actually important enough to call in.

I have a family practice doc who I *love*. I don't want to change doctors. I know GD puts you at higher risk, but I'm not sure if that means I definitely have to risk out of  FP at this point or not unless I have complications. Has anyone else had to deal with this?

Also, My hope is to VBAC. Anyone else on here with GD also planning a VBAC? Has your doctor said anything about GD changing that?

 Thanks ladies. I hope my questions are at least different enough from the usual GD questions not to be annoying.

 Oh, and if anyone has any meal planning links and such, that'd be great as well. I think I'm going to have to go to eating Paleo most of the time, just to work within my existing food restrictions and the GD stuff, but I always love new recipes.

nosoup4u

I think high-risk is dependent on whether your GD is diet- or med-comtrolled. Chicsub had a VBC with GD, but she doesn't post here often (not sure if she is on the Bump anymore, either). 

I would think Paleo would be really good for GD. Also, Google around for the Well-Rounded Mama blog, I think she has a lot about GD, but I'm on my phone amd can't link easily. hth and good luck!

Jena503

I had GD and a successful VBAC. I did not see a high risk specialist, just a regular OB. No idea what the limits of a FP are though.

There's no reason GD should automatically rule it out... but there are some complications. Biggest problem is that some doctors just won't let you try - GD babies are too big, it's an extra complication, etc. If your doctor is really supportive though, the next hurdle is timing and keeping your sugars controlled.

If your GD ends up being well controlled with diet alone, you should be able to go past 40 weeks. My OB required extra monitoring at the end, but that was it. I went 9 days post-date.

However, if you are on insulin it's a whole other ballgame, the extra insulin can start to make your placenta age faster and it definitely will make your OB more antsy. It becomes more likely that they'll say you can only vbac if you go into labor by 40wk or even a bit earlier. 

Unless you've been doing paleo, I don't know that I'd try it while pg but talk to the dietician about that. FWIW, my meal plan required X servings of carbs and Y servings of protein at every meal and snack - no skipping allowed.

Kie310

I had GD with my first (as well as pre-e & PIH). That ended in a failed induction and c/s.

I have passed the first tri screening for GD (Failed the one hour, passed the 3 hour), and wait until 26 weeks to test again. whether I have it again or not my OB has advised I'm a good VBAC candidate.

With my first I did see a high risk doctor for my GD, and I was diet controlled.

I have other issues already this preganancy & I'm already seeing the high risk doctor, so if/when I get dx'd with GD this time I will continue to use the high risk office to handle it.

terri_doula2010

Thanks for the advice everyone!

My GD is so far very easily diet controlled and I'm following the GD diet of X-number carbs per meal. It is going fine. My FP doctor isn't at all worried as long as it stays this easy to manage. I am not even able to exercise at *all* as I was in a car accident a week after my diagnosis and now have an irritable uterus and am on low-activity (not quite bed rest, but I'm rather restricted) for the rest of my pregnancy.

I was actually shocked that I'm supposed to eat this many carbs on a GD diet, but my numbers are fine. I've done Paleo in the past, but it was pre-pregnancy (I stopped because it was just too expensive). I do eat gluten free since April, though, because I found out then that I have an allergy to gluten. My husband and son both have Celiac, so at least it wasn't a hard transition for me. @PrivacyWanted that is fascinating that some people think there may be a link between GD and gluten. Gluten is evil evil stuff for so many of us and causes SO many problems. I was pretty shocked about the GD diagnosis because I'd gained only 17 lbs at that point (32 weeks) and my weight gain had slowed down since going GF. I actually lost 1.5 lbs the first week eating GD, so I guess there is something to eating carbs in such a specific way for me right now.