Chocolate Cake Never Tasted So Good – My Gestational Diabetes Story

The dreaded glucose test.

Several girlfriends warned me about it, but I shrugged it off. Even as I guzzled down the thick syrupy drink, I didn’t think twice about it. Plus, I always ate well and occasionally exercised, and I had never failed a glucose test before I was pregnant. One short hour later my results were in…

My blood sugar count was a 144, not awful, but it was over the maximum limit of 140 and that meant I had to take a three-hour test. Oh, joy! This test was much harder, but since I only missed the first one by four points I should pass this one with flying colors, right? Wrong. For those of you who don’t know, the sugar in the three-hour drink is through the roof and made me extremely nauseous. The one-hour drink is nothing in comparison!

Fast forward a few days at my next OB appointment. My lab results were in and I…FAILED. I was told I had to see a specialist for gestational diabetes. Whhhat? So many thoughts were racing through my head as I fought back tears.

Is my baby going to be okay? How serious is this? What did I do to cause this?

Before I continue, what I want everyone to know is that gestational diabetes (GD) is fairly common in pregnant women and, most importantly, it can happen to anyone. People often think that being overweight and eating too much sugar causes it. Wrong again. There are a lot of factors like genetics, family history or ethnicity that contribute to diabetes – all of which are outside of a person’s control.

In pregnant women, it basically comes down to hormones. The hormones produced by the placenta can block the insulin in your body making sugars harder to process. If left untreated, your baby could be at risk for excess weight gain, respiratory distress syndrome, jaundice, and diabetes later in life. (Since I’m not a doctor, talk to yours for more information.)

The great (fantastic) news is that diet and exercise are the primary treatments for GD, but again, please check with your medical provider (I’m still not a doctor).

In my case, diet and exercise were key.

I worked with a diabetes specialist and nutritionist to form a personal meal plan. I had to check my blood sugar four times a day with a glucose meter and kept a food journal. The journal really helped me stay on top of my snacks and meals, especially at work. It was a great record to have to refer back to when trying new things within my plan.

My meal plan consisted of three small meals (equal to or under 60 gm carbs) and three snacks (equal to or under 15 gm of carbs). The biggest challenge was maintaining my carb intake. I LOVE BREAD, but everything in moderation. I also found a ton of great recipes on Pinterest.

As far as exercise, I did a lot of light weights and walking. Here are my four favorite spots:

Miami County YMCA
Brukner Nature Center
Charleston Falls
Stillwater Prairie Reserve

Thanksgiving was rough this year, but I stuck to the plan and maintained my sugars, plus, my daughter was totally worth it! I had her at the end of December and she was a healthy six pounds. Both of our sugars were spot on. Shortly after I had her, the nurse in the hospital told me that I was cleared for a regular diet (eeeek!). With lunch, she brought me a huge piece of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and red sugar sprinkles.

It was the best chocolate cake I have sunk my teeth into my entire life!

Anyone that may have GD, you’re not alone. The Dayton Moms are here to listen, support you and calm your nerves. I know I had a lot of them. And, you never know, after you have your baby we might show up on your doorstep with a life-changing chocolate cake!

Did you have GD? If so, what tips can you share with other moms about how you were able to cope?

For more information about gestational diabetes, you can click here.