For all the dog discussion out there, I’m a first time mom but I read a wonderful book while TTC. It’s called “Please Don’t Bite The Baby. (and please don’t chase the dog.”
Its written by a trainer who had a dog with a tendency to bite and how she dealt with it and managed to keep her dogs and her kids safe and happy. My dogs don’t have issues (they spend almost every weekend with my niece and the worst they ever do is walk away from her) but this book gave me peace that if something changes and there is an isssue, we can work to correct it. It’s very realistic about how dogs are dogs and you can’t punish them for wanting space and not wanting their tail pulled. I highly recommend it.
@nanifrog my Dr isn’t doing mine until my 28 week appointment. Not sure why but I guess it’s not that weird to wait a little longer if there aren’t concerns
@justsuzie i had one pop up last pregnancy toward the end, it was huge. I had to have my OB take a look at it at an appt to get her opinion on what it was, I remember applying a hot compress to it after a shower a few times to help express it. So I'd say just keep it clean and apply a hot compress? I Sorry you are dealing with that, and I hope it resolves soon!
@nanifrog Mine also told me to schedule mine between 24 and 28 weeks. I'm going to try and do it before my next appointment, I think I'll be 25 weeks. But I feel like during my last pregnancy it was done much later, more in the 28-32 range maybe? @justsuzie I think what @bwow615 said sounds like good advice, and that sucks I'm sorry you're dealing with it!
Me, 35 Hubs, 32 Married June 2012 BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013 BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014 BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
Can you decline the glucose test and do an alternative? I have severe stomach problems and sugar is a major contributor so I am wondering if I can just have a blood glucose test?
Well, the glucose test is a blood test. They just make you drink the sugary drink and then do your blood an hour later to see how well your body is clearing the sugar. I think you can decline it, it's just like any other medical test, you're not forced to do it. But I don't know if there are any other alternatives.
Me, 35 Hubs, 32 Married June 2012 BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013 BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014 BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
When I did mine, it was a small soda type bottle size? Maybe 6 or 8 oz? I can't remember exactly how much sugar is in it, I want to say 50 or 75 grams?
Me, 35 Hubs, 32 Married June 2012 BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013 BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014 BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
I think it's 50g sugar. It's a small water bottle. Tastes terrible. Talk to your doctor about declining it. AFAIK, GD can be complicated enough that they'll probably deem it worth a few hours of stomach issues, for better or worse.
I'll be 25 weeks at my appointment. Sounds like that's in line with everyone. I'll probably call to make sure though.
For those doing it for three first time: it had to be 1 hr after you drink the stuff. If there's typically a long wait at your Dr, don't drink it too early. I've always had it on my way over. When you walk in, tell them what time you had the drink.
@nanifrog, maybe a UO, but I didn't think it really tasted that bad. It just tasted like flat orange soda to me. But @justsuzie, I agree, they can't really stop you from refusing the test, but I would think (and hope) that they will strongly encourage you to do it. Unless there is some alternative that I've never heard of.
Me, 35 Hubs, 32 Married June 2012 BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013 BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014 BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
@justsuzie They might let you monitor your blood sugar at home for a week instead. You’ll have to get a monitor and poke your finger four times a day. IMHO this is a more accurate method anyway.
There are some alternates that you can do instead of downing that drink. I know my friend who really doesn't consume sugar at all did an alternative last time, but I don't remember what it was.
@justsuzie - there are alternatives. I believe as someone mentioned above you just have a set period where you do finger pricks. I have a friend who just straight out refused to do it so I guess that's an option too I guess.
I also think for those worried that it doesnt taste too bad. I prefer the orange flavor. It tastes like flat soda or a melted freezer pop. I would throw a snack in my purse or hit a drive thru immediately after though I always felt yucky right after but eating something helped a lot. Also, my lab requires you to drink the drink while sitting there in the actual lab as you only have so long to drink it and then a set amount of time between each blood draws.
I wouldn't just have a few hours of stomach problems....I'd have a few days if I had that much sugar. I would gladly do the finger prick test instead for a few days. I hope that this is an option. I will bring it up at my next appointment.
I wouldn't just have a few hours of stomach problems....I'd have a few days if I had that much sugar. I would gladly do the finger prick test instead for a few days. I hope that this is an option. I will bring it up at my next appointment.
I would suggest doing finger pricking an hour before and about an hour after each meal, and keeping a food log during that time. (ETA and present that to your OB)
A lot of paleo dieters fail this test because there is so much Sugar is carbohydrates that just aren’t a part of the diet anymore. The other alternative I’ve read is to take jelly beans instead of the drink, but that doesn’t sound like a good idea in this case. I’ve personally been getting really bad headaches and heartburn since all the holiday food started happening, so I’m hoping once we start eating our regular diet (which is like low carbs, and extremely little to no sugar at all) my body will stop feeling like shit again.
I just scheduled my 24 week appt for 1/31 when I will have the glucose test. TMI - a few weeks ago a few of us were discussing extreme discahrge, whelp I was diagnosed with a yeast infection today, so that's awesome. But at least im on the path to clearing it up now.
@justsuzie now that I think about it he was on the ground with them, with me right there. I took monthly photos of them next to each other... I apparently forgot about that!
@justsuzie I asked for an alternative to the glucose test last time because the drink made me feel so sick with my first and they gave me three breakfast options. I’m going to do the same this time. I can’t remember exactly what the three options were- I think I opted for the one egg, plain toast, and orange juice option but i don’t remember what the other two were. I’m sure I’ll be scheduling my GT when I go back on Monday, so I’ll take a picture of the handout and post it here in case anyone wants to discuss it with their provider.
vyvines6 That is super interesting about the paleo people. I don't eat many processed carbs but I do eat a lot of veggies. I consume barely and sugar other than what's in whole foods. Since I've been pg I haven't eaten much of anything that wasn't a whole food. I wonder if I would fail. What happens if you fail?
@MissusTexas Thank you. My OB place isn't the greatest. I am actually hoping I switch to the midwives group soon
Thanks everyone. I also didn't really mention to anyone that my therapist was the one who urged me to ask for an alternative because she knows how my stomach problems add to my anxiety and we have things under control right now so I don't want that to be an issue.
@justsuzie if you fail the one hour, you take the three hour. If you fail the three hour they diagnose you with gestational diabetes. I know you’re supposed to follow a dietary protocol, and it is indicative of having a larger baby than average, sometimes leading to earlier induction, but I don’t really know. My mom has GD with her last four kids, and I don’t remember anything actually being different for her, and she wasn’t induced with any of them because they came early.
@justsuzie one of my friends told me over the weekend that I can opt out of any testing including the glucose one. I would definitely inquire with your doctor. There are certain factors that increase your chances (ethnicity, family history etc), as well as telling symptoms. If you aren't concerned about having gestational diabetes I would talk to your doctor about risks of skipping it or if you can opt in down the road. I may consider foregoing it myself.
@ivyvines6 . The only good thing about that sounds like a baby coming earlier. I honestly just want this baby out of me as soon as she is healthy and ready to thrive. For me, the sooner, the better. My mom was 5 weeks early with her first, a week early with me (the second) and right on time with my sister (the third). I wonder what impact that has on my timeframe.
@justsuzie I decline the glucose test but i also check my blood sugars with a monitor anyways so it’s pointless for me. I just turn in my numbers. I failed it with my daughter but I also don’t eat processed carbs and sugar. All my finger prick tests were normal.
And while you can decline all together I would HIGHLY recommend not doing that. I would do an alternative. Gestational Diabetes does not discriminate. You do not have to be overweight, eat bad, have health issues, etc to have it.
I don't have to take the glucose test because of already being diabetic, but I will say that factors you may associate diabetes with won't be tell tale signs of having it pregnant. The healthiest girls in my previous bmb were diagnosed. There are also some serious complications for baby that come with being undiagnosed and you can pm me if you want more info, but please explore alternative options before denying the test because you think you probably won't develop it.
Eta- @justsuzie I know you're looking into alternatives and that's awesome
This is my excuse for not eating in our usual diet right now (we usually eat pretty close to paleo). Oh, that ice cream is totally me just prepping for my glucose test right? Hahahah!
@Poppy0419 and @cups4 you both raise some good points and things I hadn't thought of. I will definitely be asking lots of questions and learn about alternatives so I can make an informed decision. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Oh, my practice gives you the drink ahead of time so you can drink it (timing yourself) and just come in at the end for the blood draw which is a lifesaver with toddlers. With my first you had to be at the office the whole time AND they had everyone do the two hour, thinking there would be less false positives that way.
I would also recommend doing an alternative. In addition to having potential complications with undiagnosed GD, I know a few people who ended up with type 2 diabetes after delivery. Best to be safe!
Me: 31 DH: 32 Dating since: 11/17/2001 Married: 9/26/2009 TTC: June 2016
On the subject of pets, I was planning on it but ended up not doing anything to prepare our dogs for the baby and they were fine when she came home. The mama bear side of me that I didn't know I had came out immediately and they learned pretty quickly where they stood in the pack. Our cat was a bigger problem. Multiple times during our first week home I caught him trying to get in the bassinet in the middle of the night. It was one more thing that kept me up worrying during the first few weeks.
ETA with a question of my own for anyone who works in a hospital... Is it true that there is a shortage of IV bags in the US because of the hurricane in Puerto Rico? If so, what happens if the hospital runs out?
I work in a hospital, but no longer work on a patient floor. It is true that there is a shortage of IV fluids, and they are strictly limiting IV fluid use. I have no idea about the chances of actually running out, though, I personally find it hard to believe that it would ever happen. From what I've seen, pharmacies and hospital administrations have been tracking it carefully, using alternative routes of med administration when possible (either mixing drugs with another type of IV fluid, or using oral or injection forms instead of IV, for example) and taking precautions for "just because" fluids which happen A LOT in hospitals, especially ERs (where I used to work). Not only that, this happened because some of the IV fluids provided to hospitals are manufactured in Puerto Rico, but there are plenty of other companies to get fluids from as well.
Me, 35 Hubs, 32 Married June 2012 BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013 BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014 BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
@sandbar517 thanks that's super helpful! I was worried that it's only going to get worse between now and May so im glad to hear most places are staying on top of it.
@justsuzie my SIL didn't want to take the processed sugar drink and was able to drink fruit juice that had an equivalent amount of sugar. It worked better for her because it was a natural sugar and not the processed stuff in the normal drink. Not sure if that would help you.
Last time I did my test in the afternoon and failed. Morning 3 hour test was totally fine. My doctor suggested that the first fail was because it was the afternoon. Has anyone else had this happen? If you go in the morning can you eat ahead of time? Hope to avoid the 3 hour this time around!
@justsuzie my SIL didn't want to take the processed sugar drink and was able to drink fruit juice that had an equivalent amount of sugar. It worked better for her because it was a natural sugar and not the processed stuff in the normal drink. Not sure if that would help you.
Last time I did my test in the afternoon and failed. Morning 3 hour test was totally fine. My doctor suggested that the first fail was because it was the afternoon. Has anyone else had this happen? If you go in the morning can you eat ahead of time? Hope to avoid the 3 hour this time around!
The instructions I have say fast two hours prior. But since I'm doing it early I'll end up with a longer fasting time. No idea how that impacts the test.
But thanks for asking that question - when I went to the cupboard to check my instructions, I found the instructions but not the bottle!! DH was putting groceries away yesterday, I need to see where he moved it to.
@oywiththepoodlesalready - I have heard that there can be false positives with the one hour which is why you then are supposed to follow up with the 3 hour. For my first 2 (I had a different dr office) I had to do the one hour and only the 3 if I had failed. Last time (and this time too) my dr has me do the 2 hour. Either you pass or fail no going on to the 3 hour.
Re: Weekly Questions 1/1
Its written by a trainer who had a dog with a tendency to bite and how she dealt with it and managed to keep her dogs and her kids safe and happy. My dogs don’t have issues (they spend almost every weekend with my niece and the worst they ever do is walk away from her) but this book gave me peace that if something changes and there is an isssue, we can work to correct it. It’s very realistic about how dogs are dogs and you can’t punish them for wanting space and not wanting their tail pulled. I highly recommend it.
@justsuzie I think what @bwow615 said sounds like good advice, and that sucks I'm sorry you're dealing with it!
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
I'll be 25 weeks at my appointment. Sounds like that's in line with everyone. I'll probably call to make sure though.
For those doing it for three first time: it had to be 1 hr after you drink the stuff. If there's typically a long wait at your Dr, don't drink it too early. I've always had it on my way over. When you walk in, tell them what time you had the drink.
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
I also think for those worried that it doesnt taste too bad. I prefer the orange flavor. It tastes like flat soda or a melted freezer pop. I would throw a snack in my purse or hit a drive thru immediately after though I always felt yucky right after but eating something helped a lot. Also, my lab requires you to drink the drink while sitting there in the actual lab as you only have so long to drink it and then a set amount of time between each blood draws.
A lot of paleo dieters fail this test because there is so much Sugar is carbohydrates that just aren’t a part of the diet anymore. The other alternative I’ve read is to take jelly beans instead of the drink, but that doesn’t sound like a good idea in this case. I’ve personally been getting really bad headaches and heartburn since all the holiday food started happening, so I’m hoping once we start eating our regular diet (which is like low carbs, and extremely little to no sugar at all) my body will stop feeling like shit again.
TMI - a few weeks ago a few of us were discussing extreme discahrge, whelp I was diagnosed with a yeast infection today, so that's awesome. But at least im on the path to clearing it up now.
I’m sure I’ll be scheduling my GT when I go back on Monday, so I’ll take a picture of the handout and post it here in case anyone wants to discuss it with their provider.
@MissusTexas Thank you. My OB place isn't the greatest. I am actually hoping I switch to the midwives group soon
Thanks everyone. I also didn't really mention to anyone that my therapist was the one who urged me to ask for an alternative because she knows how my stomach problems add to my anxiety and we have things under control right now so I don't want that to be an issue.
And while you can decline all together I would HIGHLY recommend not doing that. I would do an alternative. Gestational Diabetes does not discriminate. You do not have to be overweight, eat bad, have health issues, etc to have it.
Eta- @justsuzie I know you're looking into alternatives and that's awesome
Dating since: 11/17/2001
Married: 9/26/2009
TTC: June 2016
EDD: 5/14/2018
A coworker’s grandbaby was stillborn at 39 weeks due to GD. You definitely don’t want to decline.
ETA with a question of my own for anyone who works in a hospital... Is it true that there is a shortage of IV bags in the US because of the hurricane in Puerto Rico? If so, what happens if the hospital runs out?
Married June 2012
BFP June 2013- blighted ovum, D&C Aug 2013
BFP Oct 2013- twins! A&H born May 2014
BFP Aug 2017- EDD 5/8/17
Last time I did my test in the afternoon and failed. Morning 3 hour test was totally fine. My doctor suggested that the first fail was because it was the afternoon. Has anyone else had this happen? If you go in the morning can you eat ahead of time? Hope to avoid the 3 hour this time around!
But thanks for asking that question - when I went to the cupboard to check my instructions, I found the instructions but not the bottle!! DH was putting groceries away yesterday, I need to see where he moved it to.