Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Gestational Diabetes



Every pregnant woman has to drink that yucky sugary drink for the blood sugar test.  I almost failed all the tests.  I wasn't too happy when I heard the news.  I was at risk because my mother had gestational diabetes with her second pregnancy.  In spite of the risk, I wanted to avoid it.  Although there was nothing I could do.

It's not fun when genetics are against you.  Neither my diet nor my weight were causing the issues.  Everyone told me it was out of my control, but I still felt responsible.  I remember the first time I had to give myself an insulin shot.  I sat alone in the bathroom with the fan on so I could concentrate.  I kept picturing my baby's face in my mind as I hovered the needle over my thigh.  I knew that I was doing it for her.  It took me a long time but I was able to do it.  At the end of my pregnancy, the shots became second nature to me.

Diabetes needs to be taken seriously.  When I visited the endocrinologist I felt so sorry for all the individuals in the waiting room.  I thought to myself "I only have a few more months and these people have diabetes for the rest of their life."  I was saddened by what I saw.  It definitely opened my eyes to diabetes and how I wanted to avoid it going forward.

I was lucky that my blood sugar levels returned to normal shortly after giving birth.  Each time I checked my blood with the glucometer and it had a normal reading - without insulin - I would get so excited!  It is amazing how our body functions!

Here's a video about how to cope with gestational diabetes.  It's kind of funny but great information:





This video explains what gestational diabetes is:



 

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