Monday, January 30, 2012

I Guess It Could Be Worse

The midwife said I have gestational diabetes.

I'm not even sure why she's a midwife. I thought midwives meet patients in their homes; I only see her at the medical office. It feels weird calling her that -- yet that's what she is. She doesn't even smile. Interesting.

For those of you who don't know, gestational diabetes is diabetes women get when they're pregnant. Once the baby is born, my blood sugar and insulin levels will go back to normal.

I had it with Almonds, and it was not fun. Prick my fingers 4x/day; cut out sweets and candy the whole time; even cut back on carbs and fruits. After a month of dieting and exercising and crashing because of lack of sugar and STILL no good glucose counts, I just called it quits to it all and pushed to have the baby early. I know, it's very selfish of me to neglect the baby like that. But man...

Anyway, I have to keep reminding myself that it could be worse. I only have ten weeks left before Chip is born -- only ten weeks to do this diet instead of the 16 I had before. I'm able to control the diabetes just on diet alone (and exercise, of course); some women need insulin. Some women get preeclampsia with gestational diabetes (super high blood pressure that affects the pregnancy) -- my blood pressure in general is super low. I could be on bed rest. My baby could be dying. My baby could be dead.

Ok ok, that's pretty dramatic. But honestly, I really COULD be worse off than I am now. So I just need to be grateful that this gestational diabetes is something that I can control, and easily.

On another slightly good note, because of the diabetes, I need another ultrasound to make sure the baby hasn't grown too big. So tomorrow Jobi will get to come with me and see our little Chip. I'm excited for that; he hasn't seen the boy with his own eyes yet.

5 comments:

  1. You can do this easily for ten weeks! You've got this! And its lucky that you and jobi get to see him together!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good luck with the GD! I had it with Jae, but not with Joey. I wonder if I didn't have it with Joey bc I took Vit D. Either way, I know it sucks, but at least it's not forever! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can't believe you only have 10 weeks left! Hope everything goes well!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ashley: thanks! i think i can! i think i can!
    Kens: hmm, maybe I should take vitamin d too!
    Steph: thanks! me too! i'll keep you posted!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hoping all goes well! I always envied women who could just carry and pop out babies like it was a breeze...sigh. With each of mine, it was always a life and death emergency and for the last one I had to live in the hospital for two months waiting waiting while everything went to hell.
    So I've been there! Had to keep reminding myself every day....a baby is a blessing x 100. Say it enough and i almost believed it. And then when baby finally arrived? Yes, blessing x 1000000.
    Keep us posted!

    ReplyDelete

Oooh, so you read my post? Yipee! Let me know what you think! I'd love your two-cents on the matter!