Comments on: Meeting with the Midwife: Appointment 4

By: Jenna

Jenna — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:53:19 +0000

I do want to give a “home tour” before baby comes anyway (because I’d like to have a record of the different spaces we lived in over our life!) so you will certainly see our space from that. I’m still trying to decide if I’m a candle person or not, and I’ll have music playing but probably through my speakers as I tend to like to play it really loud when I like to focus (like when I exercise).

By: Jenna

Jenna — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:50:09 +0000

So far I’ve been able to figure out that the FDA realized that mercury is a bad, bad idea for babies and so Thimerasol has been removed from everything except the seasonal flu shot. BUT they still have to use some type of preservative for those multi-dose vials, and that’s what I’ll be asking about with all shots. We want single dose, even if we have to pay for it ourselves.

By: Tabby

Tabby — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:22:24 +0000

Sorry, didn’t mean to be rude. But I had just read that after someone told me I shouldn’t be eating strawberries (really a half cup of plain strawberries, crazy people) or I was going to hurt my baby. So I was already a little frustrated.

You are correct, you should take the test eating as normal, but making a small change isn’t going to effect anything. I was eating very well before I took the test, and had been for awhile, but it didn’t matter; my body simply isn’t using its insulin correctly.

Again, sorry if I sounded rude.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:11:44 +0000

Glad to hear that things are going well

By: Tanne

Tanne — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:08:12 +0000

I didn’t fully understand the test. Thank you for explaining it Lauren. I apologize Jenna for sounding so harsh with my comment. I just was REALLY shocked to think you were manipulating the test.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:02:49 +0000

You can’t really “cheat” the test anyway. You consume a measured amount of sugar and then they test the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood one hour later. If your amount is greater than 135mg/dl that means that your body not able to take the sugar in your blood (from the food that you eat) and put it where it belongs – in your cells to be broken down into energy – because your body cells are not responding to insulin. Insulin takes the sugar in your blood and carries it into your cells. High levels of sugar means insulin resistance. Either you are insulin resistant (diabetic) or you are not.

Eating carbs and then not eating carbs will eventually lower your resistance to insulin, but this is not an overnight change – it takes weeks and months.

A lot of women try to “cheat” the test by eating/not eating a certain way before, but this doesn’t really work, so if it makes you feel better to have some more control, what’s the harm?

By: Tanne

Tanne — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:47:51 +0000

Cool your heels! I was talking about it not sounding like the best idea to eat no carbs. no sugars for a week to get a good result and then resume “normal” eating again once the test was over. I’m assuming that it would be the best idea to take the test while you’re eating the same as you always do.

By: Tabby

Tabby — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:41:42 +0000

I hope I’m not overstepping bounds here, but this was more than rude. I have GD. (I was only slightly overweight, worked out and ate right, so it was a big shock.). To say that eating bread and some desserts is a dangerous choice, shows you don’t understand this. First, the GD diet includes carbs and some sugar as this is how your body gets energy. I have to eat some form of carbs (45g) at every meal and at least 20g for snacks. I can even have dessert as long as it fits in ( I avoid them so I won’t want them, but that is my choice). I am being treated by a midwife, and being closely monitored. There is no reason to transfer out of her care as Iong as I keep things under control and have the correct amount of weight gain.

Also, you can’t really “cheat” the test. I did the exact same things Jenna did in the weeks leading up, but mine came back positive. (Though I did take the regular test; fasting, sugar drink, then blood work and that could make a difference since other foods aide in the way your body uses the sugar.)

it comes down to this; if her midwife is monitoring her and is not concerned, then you shouldn’t be either.

By: Tanne

Tanne — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:27:39 +0000

Do you think trying to trick the test into giving you the results you want is a little dangerous? Maybe I’m not fully understanding the way the test works (I’ve never been pregnant before)? It seems to me that you would want to continue eating how you normally eat so that you get an honest result? You mentioned that after a week of good eating you went back to carbs again. Do you feel this was the best choice to make for the baby or are you so concerned about having the baby at home you’re making dangerous choices?

By: *M

*M — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:26:35 +0000

Congrats on the positive appointment!

By: Cristin

Cristin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:15:27 +0000

I love these posts because the pregnancy appointments are a complete mystery to me. Its nice to get a preview with your entries.

Are you going to give us a “here’s where the magic will happen” post with pictures of your living room? I am so curious what will be done to “prepare” the space! Will you have certain music playing at home?

By: Kimberly Michelle

Kimberly Michelle — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:14:20 +0000

So I’ll only say this with caution and a deep breath because it’s something so close and dear to our family: get the shot if you don’t know. My dear MIL suffered needlessly through 9 miscarriages and my husband was cheated as an only child due to his sister’s stillbirth… all because this shot didn’t exist. She had no way of knowing this was the case and can only be thankful that women today have the choice not to live through the suffering that she did.

By: Regina Lynn

Regina Lynn — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:05:08 +0000

Here’s hoping TH has a Rh negative blood type as well! My hubby has an Rh positive blood type, so I had to get the shot. But it’s really not a big deal. I’m very much for natural birth and natural living and so on and so forth, but I am grateful for the Rhogam shot- 40 years ago women with negative blood types suffered a lot more miscarriages and stillbirths than we do now.

By: Brie

Brie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:00:51 +0000

YAY! I can only imagine how excited you were to get those results! I’m curious about the rhogam, do they make a mercury free version now? Are they all mercury free or do you have to specifically request it?

By: Jenny

Jenny — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:18:29 +0000

I’m so glad that “All is Well”! What a great feeling! I’m glad that you mentioned the RH test because I was thinking of that and wondered if he had done that. I hope you don’t have to get the shot. Sounds like this has been a great month for you. : )

By: Katy

Katy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:40:11 +0000

Always great to hear good news!

It’s funny how many little things change with your body and what it can do when you’re pregnant – you get so “used to” being pregnant after awhile that you forget *that’s* why you can’t walk through Costco without collapsing, where normally (when not pregnant) you don’t even worry about that!