Lola's Gestational Diabetes Story: A Miracle Baby After Years of Loss

When Lola was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 27 weeks, it felt like "the cherry on top" of an already incredibly difficult journey to motherhood. After four years of multiple miscarriages, an ectopic pregnancy, IVF, and placenta previa, GD was just another thing that "went wrong".

But Lola's story isn't about what went wrong. It's about what went right — the strength it took to keep going, the mental shift from self-blame to self-compassion, and the pure joy of finally holding her dream boy after everything she'd been through.

If you're struggling with GD on top of other pregnancy complications, or if you're battling the mental weight of feeling like it's all your fault, Lola's story is a reminder that you are not alone, it's not your fault, and you are tougher than you think.

Here's what she shared with me 💛

Lola's Story

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 27 weeks, and honestly, it felt like another thing to add to my list of what went wrong with my journey to motherhood. After a very difficult four years of multiple miscarriages, missed miscarriages, an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in removing my right fallopian tube, multiple rounds of IVF, being diagnosed with matching DQ Alpha genes with my partner and going on a heavy autoimmune protocol for the duration of my pregnancy, and then having placenta previa — being diagnosed with GD was the cherry on top.

I felt like it was all my fault. I had been on so much medication over the years and had quite a difficult pregnancy with sickness in all trimesters. I struggled with eating in general and keeping food down, specifically veggies, so my diet mostly consisted of plain food. My little boy is basically made out of eggs and plain crackers.

The hardest part of GD was mentally accepting the diagnosis and not blaming myself. After years of injections and medications, the prick testing part seemed easy, but the challenge was having another thing to monitor whilst battling mentally with the blame and worrying that I'd harm my little miracle boy if I ate something that spiked me.

A huge positive for me was that I could manage GD with some changes to my diet, and maintaining a healthy level didn't mean dramatic changes — little swapouts were enough for me, luckily. My nighttime numbers were always the problem, so I was put on insulin to manage that, and it did help.

I wish I knew it was not my fault earlier and had others to talk to. Immediately after diagnosis, I followed every page and person online for tips and tricks, and that definitely made me feel so much less alone.

Because of placenta previa, I had to have a Caesarean. Delivery was a complete mix of anxiety, fear, excitement, and pure joy. Finally holding my dream boy was so emotional. For GD, I had multiple days of testing, and bub also had to have multiple tests, but we both luckily passed them all. Postpartum, it's been so nice to eat what I feel like and not think about testing and injecting, and to focus on being present whilst navigating the incredibly hard yet wonderful time of being a first-time mumma.

My advice for mamas going through it now: Life is tough, but so are you. It gets easier, you will eat the things you love and enjoy again, and get some support — it's not your fault and you are NOT alone!

My Thoughts

Thank you, Lola, for sharing your story with us.

What strikes me most about Lola's story is the sheer weight of everything she carried — years of loss, medical interventions, pregnancy complications, and then GD on top of it all. And through all of that, she still found a way to blame herself. If you're reading this and feeling that same weight, please hear this: it is not your fault.

If Lola's story resonates with you, you might also find hope in Alyssa's gestational diabetes story — another mama who navigated fear, food anxiety, and ultimately delivered a healthy baby girl.

Lola's honesty about the mental battle is so important. The finger pricks were easy compared to the emotional toll of worrying she'd harm her miracle baby if she ate the wrong thing. That fear is so real, and if you're feeling it too, you're not alone.

I also love that Lola found her people online immediately after diagnosis. That sense of community — knowing other moms are going through the exact same thing — can be a lifeline when you're feeling isolated and scared.

And that ending? After everything she went through, Lola held her dream boy. They both passed their tests. She got to stop worrying about her numbers and just be present as a new mama. That's the happy ending she fought so hard for, and she deserves every moment of it.

If you're going through GD right now — especially if you've had a difficult journey to get here — I hope Lola's story reminds you that life is tough, but so are you. You will get through this. You will hold your baby. And you are not alone.

Want to share your own GD story? I'd love to hear from you — send me a message at hi@higedi.com 🫶

If you're newly diagnosed with gestational diabetes and looking for guidance, check out our Newly Diagnosed Essentials Guide for tips on what to expect and how to manage your numbers.