That sounds really good, yummm. I make Ice cream by chopping frozen berries in my blender and adding cream to it. Instant ice cream, you can add sweetener if you want, I don't because I like it like that. I also will add berries to plain yogurt, with a bit of cream.
Back to the other topic of diabetes and pregnancy, I realized that I couldn't think of one baby that had some kind of birth defect from a diabetic mother, I am sure that it could lead to early miscarriage, and possibly effecting the development of the kidneys, but most of my memories are trying to help these babies get off of IV fluids which is very, very frustrating, particularily if the mother wants to breastfeed.
I'm feeling better today, taking it easy, and trying to eat well. Didn't eat well for breakfast, but had a good lunch.
Tanya

hey! I know a lot of you already have kids so you'd know this kind of stuff, I was given a very strong recommendation for a breast pump today, the hand held one by avant. I was told to get it for my own sanity later on

I have an annoying teacher.. he is really nice, extremely educated - Dr, used to do all kinds of scientific research and SO has the right idea about pesticides, hormones, organic, GMO etc. but he advocates vegetarianism.. and soy.. He is my pathology teacher, and his remedy for just about every pathology from cancer, to painful periods is to severely cut back or eliminate meat and animal products, including any animal fat. He keeps talking about how animal fats are inflammatory. <sigh> This is the complete opposite of what I believe..(grains and sugar are inflammatory, unprocessed animal products are not) which is along the lines of the Weston Price research, and I think the book "Nourishing Traditions" is incredible. Gr. It's difficult to see everyone in class diligently writing down what he says, eating soy burgers and feeding their tiny kids low fat stuff. He is so knowledgable though that he has a credibility that everyone else takes for granted.

There's my rant of the day I bought a stepper - $75 and that included shipping, from amazon. I'm dreading the summer months when it's too hot to get out and hike.

What do you ladies do for exercise? Does anyone weight lift?
I have more energy now than earlier and am starting to get back into a modified routine.. (starting with weighted lunges - I could my belly as the "weight" heheheh) unfortunately I can't use my arms/hands much until school is over. I massage twice a week in a clinic and have only big men who like DEEEEEEP massage as regulars. I'm always sore and tired except on Sunday.

I guess it's possible that the birth defects mentioned in the literature I've read are so severe that they would always lead to miscarriage. It doesn't say that for certain, so I can't say.

This page from the ADA is a prime example of what I was talking about:

"Despite advances, babies born to women with diabetes, especially women with poor diabetes control, are still at greater risk for birth defects. High blood glucose levels and ketones (substances that in large amounts are poisonous to the body) pass through the placenta to the baby. These increase the chance of birth defects.

For this reason, good blood glucose control before you get pregnant is very important. Most women do not know they are pregnant until the baby has been growing for two to four weeks. During the first six weeks of pregnancy, the baby's organs are forming. Your blood glucose levels during these early weeks affect the baby's growing organs. High blood glucose levels can lead to birth defects."

From what I've researched, alot of the information and statistics on pregnant diabetics is skewed because of non compliant diabetics.

Tanya, your point about:
would be absolutely untrue for myself or any other compliant diabetic. I've been testing my bs eight times a day since four months before I got pregnant, there is absolutely no way that my average bs (which is about 5.1 or 92 right now) would be higher than a gestational diabetic. It's entirely possible that someone with GD could go undiagnosed for up to a month, so their bs would be uncontrolled and unmonitored from development to discovery, while mine has been watched like a hawk from day one. Indeed, from before! Unless a woman has had GD in a previous pregnancy, in which case they usually start monitoring and controlling immediately, at least those I know.

It's funny that you said that, because my doctor brought up this point with me right from the beginning, and told me that being diabetic already is a huge advantage over developing gestational diabetes, because we don't have to 'catch' it. Obviously, for a non compliant diabetic or someone who simply cannot achieve control for whatever reason, that would be a different story.

At any rate, I'm doing well controlling my bs using insulin no matter what I'm eating. I haven't diverged from lc that much, but am having potatoes a couple of times a week, usually if we eat out. I'm still doing okay with desserts, and find berries usually get me by that way. I'm more concerned with gaining an excessive amount of weight, rather than bs control, because I'm watching that VERY closely at all times.

Jenn

Hi Meg!

I wasn't active before, so I didn't want to start anything until after my first trimester... now I've been going to a couple of aquacise classes at the pool. I'm really enjoying the workout, and the exercise high afterwards. I'm not a good swimmer at all, but I absolutely love the pool and swimming (read : flailing in the pool). I'm in school too, evenings, so I haven't had the time to take swimming lessons (they don't offer them in the summer anywhere that I've found) so I'm thinking I might take advantage of my maternity leave to take them... drop dh and the baby off at the kiddie pool and go learn a front crawl!

I read somewhere (possibly on this thread) that you were having trouble with your feet... how're you doing?

Jenn

Hiya Meg! Another very strong recommendation for the Avent hand pump. With my first baby, I tried 2 kinds of electric, and an electric one at the hospital.........none of them beat the convenience, quiet, and comfort of the Avent. I had to go back to work after 3 months, so I pumped milk at work (have a thing against formula) and the Avent was awesome. Now I'm home w/baby no.2, but I still use the Avent and keep frozen bm on hand so MIL can babysit and give me some freedom out with the DH. Really great item.

Hey - I go to Curves and really enjoy that I can work as hard or as little as my pg body will allow. It's relatively inexpensive (I pay $31.44 a month) and each workout only takes about 40 minutes. My whole body is worked and I always feel great during and when I'm done. When the baby comes, it continues to be a good workout because it's fast enough that you can leave a nursing baby and get some decent exercise. You won't train for a marathon there, but you will get your body moving and your pulse up. And I really like the community atmosphere... and they support LC, even better!

Treencee

I too agree with the Advent pump, I was given a different brand, and electric hand pump that I hated, it just quit working very well, and I couldn't find new parts for it. I ended up buying and advent and it was really good, right off.
For exercise I do the firm workouts that I adapt when I'm pregnant, and I also do walking, pilates for pregnancy, and Lesia Harts prenatal workout. I did them all through my last pregnancy without any problems.
Most gestational diabetics are not diagnosed before 19 weeks because usually the placenta is not producing the hormone to block the effectiveness of insulin, so usually the delay in diagnosis is not that long, if the woman is getting good prenatal care. Now someone like me, with my 4th pregnancy, I know the signs of when I start having trouble, it occurs at about 16-17 weeks, I start to get this really funny head, It feels dizzy and heavy at the same time, and my pulse goes up, so I know I have it before the doctor does. With my first I didn't know that is what the sypmtoms were until diagnosis, but I learned since. What has helped with this last one, was knowing what carbs do to the body, and that to control the insulin I have to control the carbs, which helps to control the BS. Doing that I lost weight with my last baby, even though I was eating alot, my BS were very, very stable, and I didn't have to go on insulin. I'm not saying that late diagnosis is good, but there are reasons why gestational diabetes is diagnosed later, it is not a problem with first trimester as is a diabetic mother. Jade, your knowing your condition is great, that is one of the best things for you and your baby. Controling your BS will be the best way for you to control your Weight gain. Remember that insulin is what causes fat storage, you control your BS the less insulin you will have to use, better for you and your baby. Your Body is used to getting insulin at certain points in the day, (I'm not sure how much you take or how often and are you taking other medication to help like glucophage?) but the baby's pancreas will adjust the higher levels of BS during the day to a normal level, but after birth it continues to produce that higher levels of insulin so that is why a baby has a hard time adjusting after birth. You are absolutely correct about compliance, that is why this is such a big issue for me. I have taken care of these babies, and to see mothers so frustrated because the baby generally is healthy, but they can't take them home because we can't get them off of IV fluid. It is sad and hard to do what you have to do, when mothers and families just don't get what a low bs can do to a baby after birth. If it can be stopped or minimized it is so much better. I wish I had the book Life with out bread with me, there is a very interesting comment about most diets suggest mothers eat 40-45 % of cal from carbs, but if that is even dropped by 10 % the incidences of hight birth weight babies, and the complications including C-sections drop dramatically. I wish I had the right numbers here because it was very, very interesting. If you can get hold of the book I think you would find that very helpful. I would also suggest, If you haven't already gotten it, Dr. Bernsteins book, Diabetes Solution, it is a book I think every diabetic should have, even if you don't follow his plan, because he is a type 1 diabetic, his research and understanding of what damage can be done to a body, it very much worth having this book in anyones library.
As to anything else I mention about BS and moms and babies remember this is from experince both as a neonatal nurse, something I have done since 1987, until 2001, and I have also worked postpartum, so what books say, and other studies, hold nothing to what I have seen in the real world, so thus my passion, I don't mean to offend, one of my biggest faults is my passion and my strong opinions, I have to tone it down a great deal!!! When I'm pregnant it is even worse as I get so blasted emotional it nearly drives me crazy. So if I sound completely out of it, or I'm just toooooo pushy, just tell me to take a deep breath, and get over it. Trust me, I say it to myself all the time.
Keep up the good work everyone, and I hope the positive energy rubs off on me. I promise to be good this weekend, no Cheats.
See you all monday.
Tanya

Well this was a bit of a rough weekend for me. I had a major migrain, and just didn't feel well, and the hormones are driving me crazy. Wish I knew how to deal with it better. Trying to hang in there, things should be starting to get better soon, you would think.
Tanya

I'm very grumpy and doing everything in my power not to stuff my face with the saltiest chips I can find.

Yesterday was the first day I cracked down on myself and went back to low-carb. A friend of mine flipped out (she's studying medicine) when I told her, I really had to reassure her that I would't be eating at induction levels (I have never been able to do that anyways!). I am going to eat lots of crispbread and low carb pitas (love'em) extra veggies and of course popcorn. Its not lowcarb, but I don't get cravings from it so it is included. And after only one day, I couldn't believe how easy it was for me to get right back into the mind-set of it and I know that I ate less than I have in a long time. I also went to the gym yesterday, and 1/2 hour walking on the treadmill just about did me in! This time last year I was 50lbs lighter, and could run 6-8 km easily. Its really amazing how my body can quickly adapt to being a blob! But I am feeling optimistic that I can keep under control, even though I know I will have slip-ups occasionally. Thats OK, because the real goal here is to not gain 40 more lbs in the next 21 weeks. Much easier than trying to actually lose weight, right?!

Hi! A friend pointed me here. We both do Atkins. I'm 6 weeks pg. One, I'm really glad to hear that low-carb does work for pregnancy. I never, never thought I would have a problem putting carbs back in my diet, but I'm a true creature of habit.

I admit that I'm having a really, really hard time eating enough carbs. I'm not feeling that great in general, but even when I get a "normal" day, I'm eating about 50 carbs and that's with trying! I normally do not eat ice-cream, but had a cup yesterday, which put me at about 100 carbs for the day. I have to force myself to eat wheat bread and/or rice to up my carbs. I'm using fitday.com to try to track carbs/protein.

I usually eat 2 eggs, 2 bacon for breakfast. Some meat for lunch - steak or chicken. Snacks are nuts and olives, sometimes cooked veggies, multigrain crackers with PB. A cream/yogurt/berry shake (which I've increased the overall size to about 8 oz. during pg). Dinner is usually small serving of rice and larger serving of meat. Cooked veggies again. Drinks are water and soy milk for the calcium.

I tried to drink OJ today and had whole-wheat waffles this morning. The sugar from the OJ made me feel really bad - truly. Drained of energy even beyond the pregnancy tiredness.

I really feel like I need some help around this if anyone can pass on some tips.
Thanks,
Elizabeth

LLLLOOOLLLLL!!!!
Do you know how many times I have said that about myself recently? And how many times I think "last summer I was......" thinking about my workouts and how fast I would sprint throughout a 4 hour ultimate frisbee game. It is so hard not to be down about it. I KNOW he did not mean anything by it because if he HAD he would have either outright said something or just kept his mouth shut, but my husband was talking about how he and a friend were looking at some pics from last summer, and there was one of me they both thought was really cool - he said it was amazing how much thinner I was, and how my cheeks went so far in etc. This was as I was rubbing coconut oil into my fat covered round belly, hips and monstrous boobs. I couldn't help feeling a little sorry for myself.

I have a really hard time keeping my carbs down. Even if I'm eating "low carb" somehow they creep in there and add up really fast. (I like berries)

On a positive note, my super cheap stepper arrived in the mail today from amazon. (and I was feeling smug as the fedex guy carried the big box up the stairs because if I wasn't pregnant I would have been better than him at it) It's great except for only having 1/2 the rang of motion that I had hoped it would. I have super long legs and need a really big step to get my glutes activated - I feel like I'm taking baby boring steps on this thing.

I ate a 6" sub today for lunch because I was late coming home from school, ravenous, and just "wanted to" but was mortified when I came home and discovered there were 50 carbs in it. I should have known

Doing the firm they have what they call a fanny lifter, a big 14 inch step for glut work, slow step. They used to have one that was 17 inches for women that are tall. Me being short the 14 inch is just about too much. I didn't do it much with my last baby because I was afraid to loose my balance, but now I do it with a dowl and forget the weights, and hopefully that will help keep it safe.
It is amazing how fast the carbs do creep up, right now for me it is still just finding what tastes good, so I don't get sick.
Hope everyone is having a good day.
Tanya

Elizabeth,

Don't worry about drinking OJ, you really don't need the sugar, It always made me sick when I was pregnant. If you want citrus, try grapefruit if you like it, it never made me sick at all. I would also don't worry if you can't eat more carb than 50 gms, if you feel good there, you should be okay. Just because most of us are higher than that, doesn't mean you need that level.
I would think you would be okay, if you are eating lots of veggies.
I would also think that 50gms should keep you out of ketosis, if I understand how it works so your doctors shouldn't be harasing you on that. For me, I just didn't want anyone to give me a bad time about what I was doing, so I just fudged my numbers slightly, and did the best I could, all turned out well. Just keep reminding yourself, the baby gets it's energy from you and your BS, everything else it needs fats and protiens, it will take from you if you don't have it, so eat those good fats, and protiens and you should have a healthy baby.
Tanya

Hi Elizabeth,

I think you'll probably feel better if you stick with 'good' carbs instead of white bread (my dietician said to me "You might as well eat COTTON!") and juice. A good rule of thumb is 'eat your fruit, don't drink it' because when you go from an orange to orange juice you lose alot, including all the fibre. Sounds like you aren't eating very many vegetables, do you really hate them? I find that I'm struggling to eat enough myself, because there are days when I really just don't feel like having them at all.

The good sources of carbs that I'm using are vegetables, lc or whole wheat bread, yogurt sweetened with splenda (I love Source yogurt), fruit fruit and more fruit. I'm also having the odd glass of skim milk, because I can't stand drinking any other kind. Today I ate
B: Strawberry protein shake and two pieces of lc toast
Snack: Orange and about 2oz almonds
L: Two smokies (no bun), about 1.5 cups of fresh veggies with lemon dill dip, 2 cups of berries with .5 c heavy cream and splenda.
S: Roasted chicken with gravy (thickened with guar gum), steamed broccoli and cauliflower, either fresh fruit or more frozen berries with cream

I don't usually have any troubles with being hungry after supper, and actually am supposed to have a snack before bed but often find I really, really don't want anything to eat.

Hope this helps, and welcome to the boards!!

Jenn