I remember having intense sugar cravings. Then feeling like absolute crap after any carb-tinged indulgence - including fruit.
I assumed the cravings were for energy. That extra dose of energy one needs to navigate work and life with morning sickness and growing a human. Life that came with a side serving of 2-year-old’s tantrums, an avoidance towards solid stints of sleep and navigating a new journey of anaphylactic reactions... BUT - that is a whole other story.
Before I get sidetracked (another new common adventure of being a parent) back to the topic of Gestational Diabetes (GD).
It wasn’t until I had the test. Yep. That one where they make you drink that radioactive-looking stuff. My bladder sure remembers it!! It was then I discovered my mistake. I wasn't craving sugar for energy. My pregnancy hormones weren't playing nice with the effectiveness of my insulin levels.
With my positive results came a date with a nutritionist and a shopping list for a glucose monitor, test strips and needle pricks.
The nutritionist and I didn’t see eye to eye on a few things. I questioned their recommendation to consume low-fat items. I couldn't help pointing out that low-fat items are usually higher in sugar! But - for the most part, they provided helpful information. Like how to manage my diet to support the balance of insulin/glucose levels via
learning how to read nutritional labels. This was already an essential part of my daily life navigating anaphylactic risks. Nothing like stacking functions!
eating smaller meals more frequently
portion control and the mix of carbohydrates
keeping hydrated
logging my meals and tracking my blood sugar levels
My new friend required me to check in with a drop of blood four times a day… and yes - I did get used to it. The go-to tip I appreciated most was to change fingers with every test. That way I didn’t build up a thick skin and hinder my ability to harvest that critical drop of blood!
Oh and…a multitude of ways to distract my 2-year-old while I tested. She would get upset any time she saw me bleed. To this day she still can’t handle the sight of blood- her sister is the complete opposite.
There I go, getting distracted again.
The more variety of meals I tested, the more I learned about how my levels would react. Before long I had a log of go-to meals and things got easier navigating my full days alongside GD.
I look back now and think how lucky I was. Those full days kept me from overthinking GD. Life at the time forced me to accept and move on things as best I could with what I knew.
Fast forward to 7 years later. I haven’t had any issues with my blood glucose levels since my pregnancy. However, I do sometimes wonder - if my 7-year-old's lust for sugar may be related?! The other day on the way to school she was jumping up and down just talking about it. To quote her - “I haven’t met a sugar I don’t love!” I am grateful she is willing to eat a healthy diet without too much fuss to support the sweet treat moments of life.
Amy Marley
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