Happy Friday, friends! It’s all about pregnancy and baby things today, so feel fee to browse other posts if that’s not your thing! Today marks week 27 of my pregnancy and being officially 90 days out from my due date. How is this possible? How am I six months pregnant?!? The time is really flying by and this baby will be here soon!
Did you get your house/baby room ready?
Yes and no. The baby’s room is essentially done, aside from needing to finish hanging curtains! Once that’s all set up I’ll do a big reveal here. I finally picked out a crib, my mom and I refinished a dresser, which will make a perfect changing table, and I even bought one of those baby swings everyone raves about. I find myself wandering into the room at least a couple times a day to just take it all in. I still have trouble picturing a baby in there but it’s definitely getting more real!
The rest of the house? It’s still a work in progress! It’s on its way to being totally cleaned out but I probably still need a couple more weeks or so. I’m working on getting my sewing room turned into a sewing room/office space for me so I’m ready to get that set up and feel a little more “official”. Not that sitting on the couch with my laptop isn’t great (or terrible for my back!). I better get busy!
Any other updates?
You know the dreaded glucose test everyone talks about? If you aren’t familiar, you drink a super sweet drink – like 50g of sugar or some sugar substance in under five minutes and then after an hour you have your blood drawn to see how your blood sugar reacts. Well, I had literally been dreading this test since BEFORE I got pregnant. My worst nightmare was failing this test and having to take the even more dreaded three hour test. In that test you have to drink an even more sugary drink – 100g of sugar, and then have your blood drawn four times over three hours.
Have I mentioned I HATE needles? I seriously will not go to the doctor when I’m sick because I’m terrified of having my blood drawn. So, guess who failed the first glucose test and had to go to the second test? And guess who failed that test and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes? Yep.
Before I get to that, let me just tell you, for those of you yet to experience the glucose test(s) who are as completely terrified/stressed about them as I was, I got through them fine. The drink(s) did not make me nauseous (another phobia of mine) and I was able to get through the blood draws without passing out and was totally fine afterward. Don’t let people scare you!
Now, on to my diagnosis. I was devastated to hear I had failed and actually was pretty shocked as I was considered low-risk. I met with a diabetes specialist a couple of days ago to learn more about how to manage it and check my blood sugar (yes, more needles!) and felt SO much better after I left. I learned that:
- I still may not even have gestational diabetes. She told me that sometimes people who don’t consume a lot of sugar, especially those not used to sugary drinks (I only drink water) just have a hard time with the test because their bodies aren’t used to the sugar jolt. I’m pretty sure the soda industry needs to get on board with this as a marketing tactic. “Pregnant women, drink more Coke to avoid a gestational diabetes diagnosis!” (I’m kidding, don’t really do that.)
- If I do have it, it’s likely genetic. I don’t have a full medical history to know if diabetes runs in my family (my mom was adopted), but I do know large babies run in the family (that can be a sign of gestational diabetes). My dad was a 10 lb. baby and my brothers weighed in at nine and 10 lbs. So, thanks family! :)
- I don’t have to change my eating really at all, aside from making sure I eat a snack a couple hours after each meal. And get this, when I mentioned the things I normally eat for breakfast, the only thing she told me was to add bacon or sausage to my meals if they don’t include enough protein. Here I was worried about having to give up foods and instead was told to add more bacon! I do have to cut out sweets this week while I check my blood sugars but if all goes well I can add them back in starting next week!
So, remember how I hate needles and now have to prick my finger to check my blood sugar four times a day? Honestly, it couldn’t be easier. The needle prick feels more like a strong tap and I’m telling you that if I can handle this, ANYONE can handle it.
Depending on how my tests read each week the specialist will tweak my diet if needed or I may be able to cut back on testing too. I was so afraid of this diagnosis but really, I feel pretty great about everything right now! An added bonus? They like to keep a closer eye on the baby so I’ll get some extra ultrasounds. Isn’t this the cutest baby EVER?
How do you feel?
Now that the stress of glucose testing and diabetes diagnosis is behind me, I feel SO much better! Physically I feel really good, aside from some aches and pains and I’m really excited to enjoy the last few months of pregnancy. I feel like in the last week I’ve finally really popped so that’s kind of fun too!
Any weird cravings?
No! I pretty much each exactly the same as I did before I got pregnant and I keep hoping I’ll wake up with some weird craving for like potato chips dipped in Nutella or something, but so far, nothing! I’ve still got some time though!
Do you think it’s a boy or girl?
I honestly have no feeling one way or the other! Brent is starting to lean more towards the boy side, but really, I don’t even think about it. All I know is I have the world’s cutest baby punching me in the ribs constantly!
Do you have names picked out?
Nope. If you’ve got suggestions, give them to me!
That about sums up my second trimester! Bring on the third!
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes with my second child. The diet was easy and I only gained 15 pounds my entire pregnancy! Good luck!