My pregnancy journey

It is very common for a pregnant mum to get diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Thus, it's very important to maintain normal blood sugar (for all pregnant mums, really) to ensure the health of your baby and yourselves.

So, what is gestational diabetes?



It is usually defined as diabetes that is developed during pregnancy, which is resulted from insulin resistant, which means the body does not have the ability to tolerate large amounts of carbohydrates without experiencing high blood sugar. Technically all pregnant mums experience some degree of insulin resistance during pregnancy as it's natural metabolic shift that serves to shunt glucose and nutrients to the baby.

If the mum is diabetic during pregnancy, chances are high that the foetus will also be diabetic and also bigger in size thus making it harder for the mum to deliver later.

Moreover, gestational diabetes is increasingly believed to be an early indicator for the later development of diabetes, which means a mum's insulin resistance continues or worsens years after giving birth. Mums who have gestational diabetes have a 7-fold higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Usually the screening is done during second and third trimester when the placental hormones are at their peak and insulin resistance spikes. I was diagnosed with it in my 5th month into pregnancy. The screening is called modified glucose tolerance test (MGTT). It is a mandatory test to be done in Malaysian government clinics. This test is done by taking a blood sample first thing in the morning after fasting for 10 hours. Usually the fast begins at 10pm the night before and blood is taken at 8am the next morning. Then, you will be asked to drink a cup of warm thick sugary water then rest for 2 hours. During this 2 hours, cannot eat or drink anything. After 2 hours, another blood sample will be taken. Basically, a comparison of glucose level in these 2 blood samples will show if your body can successfully process the glucose or not.

Since I failed the glucose test, I am required to take blood sugar profile. This is a test done for glucose level after 2 hours of every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Initially, I took the readings for pre-meals as well to learn my body's unique pattern and response to different kind of foods (and combinations of food). From there, I adjust my diet accordingly, knowing that carbohydrates tend to raise my blood sugar the most, fat and protein tend to stabilise my blood sugar and exercise tends to lower it.

So now, I have to maintain normal blood sugar during pregnancy by controlling my diet well (emphasising foods with plenty of good fat and protein), taking more low glycemic foods, reducing my intake of sugars, exercising and monitoring my blood glucose level every 2 weeks until I deliver my baby. So far, I have been doing quite well except I have been lazy exercising :(. Although it can be quite troublesome and frustrating especially when I have to control my craving for sweet stuffs especially, but it's for the sake of my baby's health and mine. I know that as long as I keep my blood sugar levels at normal, we both will not have the risk or low risk of complications.

One more month to go! or less??? Excited!