Gestational Diabetes

Our little guy in early July.

This pregnancy has been by far the hardest of all my pregnancies. I guess it's to be expected. Having 6 kids in 8 1/2 years does a number on your body and with Dan and this new baby so close, I didn't have much time off for my body to recover. I'm also getting older and with being 31 I'm starting to cross into the age where pregnancy has higher risks. That's really weird because I'm still young, but I guess my body's not as young as me. :) Anyway, at one of my appointments in June the doctor commented that I've been consistently measuring about 2 weeks bigger than I should be and she wanted me to have an ultrasound to see if they could find the reason why. Of course I was excited about this, if there was even a chance this baby was due a few weeks earlier it would totally make my day. Well, that's not what was determined. Instead they discovered the baby was a little bigger, but mostly I just had a lot of fluid.

Excess fluid and bigger babies are signs of Gestational Diabetes. The doctor had me take another 3 hour glucose test (this was my second one this pregnancy) and though my glucose levels got better as the test went on, the first poke (after fasting) was way too high. It was determined that I likely did have the diabetes and that was the reason for so many issues I was having. I was sent to a nutritionist who talked with me about gestational diabetes, taught me my new diet of limited carbs, and sent me home with my own finger poker (as my kids call it) with instructions to take my blood glucose levels 4 times a day. Fun! I know! I absolutely love carbs and this was not something I was looking forward to. Not only that, but I was surprised with all the foods that had carbs. I knew to stay away from bread and grains, but I didn't know about all the carbs in fruit, milk, other foods. Basically, I've been limited to meat and cheese with a few snacks on carbs here and there.


It took me about a week to level out my glucose levels, but as the doctor told me I did started feeling a little better. I was still hugely pregnant and due to the fact that I had the diabetes I was larger than average and therefore more uncomfortable, so I still had that to deal with, but watching my diet did make me feel better. My headaches started going away, I was less dizzy and I didn't loose my breathe nearly as much as I did before. All good things, especially when you're in charge of 5 little kids. So, that's the fun thing I get to deal with during this pregnancy. I have to watch my food intake in order to keep this babies weight down and my own weight down. Once the baby gets here the diabetes will go away and I won't have to watch my carbs anymore (maybe I will a little to try and loose weight.)


As far as the rest of the pregnancy goes, we're all really ready for our little guy to get here. I'm ready to sleep in my own bed (I have to sleep on the couch in order to be comfortable enough for sleep) I'm ready to be able to bend over and pick up my kids toys again. I'm ready to stop the false contractions and to just simply have my body back to myself. I know it'll be hard adding another little baby to our family, but I really believe it'll be easier than being pregnant with him has been. I keep telling myself I need to try and enjoy this pregnancy, take it all in. It's the last one and I'll never have this experience again. I've found that's a lot easier said than done. I do enjoy grabbing his little foot through my belly and feeling that unreal sensation that there is a human being growing inside me, but that's where my like of the pregnancy ends. I think I'll always remember what it's like to be pregnant, I just don't enjoy it anymore.


The kids are ready to have mom back as well. I've been real grumpy and they've had to do a lot more than normal so I know they're ready to have mommy back. They're also very excited to meet their new baby brother. Most mornings Hannah comes upstairs, lifts up my shirt to see my belly and goes "GRRRR! Mommy the baby is suppose to come out now." I just laugh in agreement. She's right! He is suppose to come out now, but I keep telling myself he will come out when he's ready and that he's growing now and is where he needs to be. So we'll see. I can't wait to meet him, can't wait to have him out of me and can't wait to move on with life.