Twenty-Nine Weeks

I am actually 29 weeks and 1 day pregnant. This past week has been a whirlwind of emotions and I am still coming out of the fog. Last week I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes (GD) and have run the gamut from shock to fear to sadness, anger and finally acceptance. Last Friday I met with a Diabetes Counselor with my husband and together we learned just exactly what I'll need to do for the rest of my pregnancy to manage this condition.

Yes, I am a dork and wore the same outfit as last week. Oops!

I am now testing my blood with a glucose meter four times a day. My fasting (pre-breakfast) glucose reading should be between 60-95; 2 hours after meals should be >120. I also have to look for ketones in my urine each morning and POAS (Ketone Strip Test) with FMU. I need to have less than a little or trace in my urine or else it's a cause for concern.

I have been prescribed a way of eating that incorporates a certain number of grams of carbohydrates at each meal and snack. I have breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a snack between each meal and a final snack before bed. This last one is crucial as it is the one that will help me bring down my fasting glucose reading, the one I take first thing in the morning after waking. This is the number that flagged in the first place and led to my GD diagnosis. My after meal numbers are great...it's the morning number that's a concern.

For me, the dietary adjustments have actually worked in my favor...I get to eat more carbs that I usually do. 240 grams worth each day which I estimate to be about double of what I am used to eating. The key is to spread them throughout the day and eat about every 3 hours. Here's my breakdown:

Breakfast: 30 grams/carbs
Snack: 30 grams/carbs
Lunch: 45 grams/carbs
Snack:30 grams/carbs
Dinner: 45 grams/carbs
Snack: 30 grams/carbs

Higher protein items and higher fiber items go a long way in keeping me from getting too hungry. They also help the carbs that I do eat not send my blood sugar levels up to high. So what does this all look like in a typical day of eating?

Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled with 1 oz. shredded cheese, 2 small low-carb tortillas and 8 oz. 1% milk

Snack: 2 oz. hummus with 2 oz. baby carrots and 8 whole grain crackers

Lunch: 1 c. green salad with 2 tbsp. salad dressing (lower-carb like ranch), 1/2 c. pasta (I like quinoa pasta), 3 oz. shrimp, 1/4 c. alfredo sauce (jarred), 1/2. sprinkled of parmesean cheese, 1/2 c. of steamed asparagus, 8 oz. 1% milk

Snack: 1 small apple with 1 c. plain yogurt

Dinner: 1 c. spinach salad with 2 tbsp. salad dressing (lower-carb like oil and vinegar), 4 oz. of baked sweet potato oven fries, 6 turkey meatballs, 1/2 c. steamed broccoli, 8 oz. 1% milk

Snack: 2 mini ice cream sandwiches (2 oz. each, full fat and regular sugar)

Not too bad for a gal who's been really limiting daily bread, pasta, etc. for most of this pregnancy. Of course I have had to give up my morning O.J. (which I only started drinking once I got my BFP...on the recommendation of my OB/GYN), and my Sunday bagel with lox and cream cheese. But I don't really miss them. What's more I know I need to do this for my baby girl...so that she can be born healthy. With the majority of GD cases, it is resolved soon after giving birth...so I know that bagels and lox will be available to me once again, after Libby is born.

Speaking of Libby, she's as active as ever. I have felt her tap dancing on my ribs, just below my under my breasts, which is the oddest sensation. We get to see her again next Monday, at our 30 week appt. For now, here's what's happening in there, according to BabyCenter:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

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