Gestational Diabetes

sarahhie

Is anyone using a low carb diet to help with gestational diabetes? I am becoming more and more insulin resistant as the pregnancy continues (I'm 28 weeks tomorrow) and have been using a LCHF diet to keep my numbers in good control, BUT, they are starting to creep up at barely above 50 grams of carbs a day. I'm confident this diet is safe for baby (very nutrient dense), but I'm not sure if the diet will be enough to keep baby healthy. . Thoughts?

nvmomketo

Good for you on making those changes! Kudos to you.

Are you getting some exercise too? Brisk walks or even some weights will help with IR. Doing it right after a meal will help even more, I think.

You could always go a bit lower carb if needed. Stick with leafy greens and other veggies high in fibre and nutrients, and low in sugar, and quality meats and full fat dairy (if it agrees with you).

You could always get yourself a blood glucose monitor so you can test BG before a meal and then 30, 60 and 90+ minutes after a meal. That will let you know quickly what foods are raising BG and insulin, and you can adjust from there.

I'm not an expert though. These are just thoughts on what could help.

stacybaker707

I had GD during my second pregnancy and relied on insulin after each meal to keep my sugars in check. I basically did what I do now (low carb), and I had a healthy 5lb 13oz baby boy. The plus to that diet was that I didn't gain hardly any weight and my swelling was minimal compared to the first baby. If you have concerns, please ask your OB or a dietician! Good luck!

tcunbeliever

My understanding is that most women should not go below 50g of carbs when pregnant...below 100g for anyone who was not keto before becoming pregnant.

That being said - I don't think doctors have a lot of information to go on with regards to keto and pregnancy, so they are probably hedging their bets.

If you are getting all your carbs from low GI veggies/fruits, then I don't see how you can go wrong anywhere in the 50-150g range. Being diabetic you might want to stay away from grains, potatoes, and rice, plus be aware that artificial sweeteners cause an insulin response in some people (but not all). Keep your salt up and pay attention to how you feel.

In terms of baby health, the only thing I'm aware of for children on the keto diet is calcium levels can be low, and in pregnancy the baby will get calcium before you will, so I don't think there's any high risk to the baby's health. However, you might want to make sure you are getting good quality dairy and dark green veggies to ensure that YOU aren't sacrificing bone/tooth health during your pregnancy.

baconslave

I had GD with my last pregnancy.
The baby will take from you what it needs. So the main concern you should have is getting enough nutrients and enough calories for your health so that you can continue to support his/her growth.

I did 100-120g daily in the beginning and was able to stick with glyburide and no insulin. Though toward the end, I ended up dropping most of any bread, pasta, noodles, potatoes, breads, and fruits (so carbs may have been as low as 50g net), because my sugar would go wonky every time I ate them.

Eat lots of green leafies, nuts, avocados, some beans or fruit once daily (if your sugar responds well, have a half serving twice), plenty of protein and enough fat (LC dairy, meats, and eggs). Stay hydrated and keep your sodium medium. Even just plain low-carbers benefit with higher sodium that the ridiculous rec of 2300.

My son was born 8lb 9oz (not really that big. DH is tall, and I scrape just under 5'10") , 22 inches, and healthy as can be. He is now 7, getting tall, and too smart for his own good.

Dragonwolf

As mentioned, the baby will take the nutrients it needs. However, high blood sugar and insulin resistance in you affects your baby, too, and has been shown to have long-term effects on the baby. So, if it's a choice between "maybe, kinda, not sure if I'm getting enough micronutrients" and "skyrocketing sugar and insulin," it's better to go with the former and take a multivitamin if you're worried (IMO).

Sunny_Bunny_

Nothing is more healthy than normal blood sugars. Blood sugar control would be my priority over eating more carbs. Even if it is just veggies. If it raises blood sugar. I would cut back to wherever I needed to be to stay in normal range.