If you have ever been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you probably know how scary and stressful that can be. This diagnosis increases the risk that your sweet baby will develop diabetes, and it increases your own risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Add to that all the emotions from all the hormones during pregnancy, and it can be a lot to deal with. When you also have a history of chronic dieting or disordered eating, having to track all those blood sugar numbers and carbs and everything else can send you right back into a diet mentality. At least that’s what happened for me at first. I felt completely overwhelmed. So what did I do? I saw a dietitian.
Once I calmed my anxieties about my diagnosis, I was able to evaluate my eating habits and learn how to care for myself and manage my blood sugar.
You might be wondering why a dietitian went to another dietitian to get help with nutrition. This is a great question. Just like anyone else, we dietitians sometimes need support too. And gestational diabetes is a bit different from type 1 or type 2 diabetes because a pregnant body functions differently than one that isn’t carrying a little one. So I made an appointment and discussed my concerns about dieting thoughts with a very nice RD who was familiar with intuitive eating. She helped to calm my fears and remember that the goal is not to eat perfectly. It is to do the best you can with what resources you have. Once I calmed my anxieties about my diagnosis, I was able to evaluate my eating habits and learn how to care for myself and manage my blood sugar.
What I quickly discovered is that I was not actually eating intuitively. I was working in a high stress and unpredictable job at the time, and found that although I had access to food whenever I wanted it, I wasn’t always planning well and sometimes found myself becoming overly hungry before I ate. I would then eat whatever sounded good. A common misconception about intuitive eating is that you end up doing just that; eating whatever you want in the moment. This is not actually the intention. Ideally, you would have a variety of options to choose from and just be hungry enough so that you can make an informed choice. This is a sort of sweet spot where you can choose what you need that sounds satisfying instead of choosing anything that sounds good because you need something now.
In order to truly honor my hunger and fullness, feel satisfied with my choices, and meet my health needs, I needed to plan well. I needed to know what options would be available at work, and bring other options as well to give myself enough variety. And it is important to note that working with that dietitian helped me get to a mindset where knowing my blood sugar numbers or the amount of carbs in food did not increase my anxiety about the foods I was eating. I was able to use that information to monitor when my blood sugar was highest, and eat the foods that would keep it within my goals and be satisfying. I also experimented with movement, which is beneficial for helping to regulate blood sugar and keep healthy. I found activities that I enjoyed doing and could fit into my day to be sure I was active. Over time, I found I was moving more, eating a wider variety of foods, and maintaining my blood sugar within the recommended ranges. I even got to enjoy some cake at my baby shower.
What worked for me will not work for everyone, and that is okay. We all have different needs and different thoughts about food and our bodies. What is important is that we do the best we can and get support when we need it.
If you have gestational diabetes and are struggling with thoughts about food and your body, know that you are not alone and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can do this. As a dietitian at Bamboo Nutrition, it is my privilege to support women who are experiencing this and other concerns. If you are looking for a dietitian, I would love to help you too.
Sincerely,
Julia Henry, RDN, LD