Bad Baby Blogger

*Sigh*

The exhaustion of the third trimester is starting to creep back in, along with increased queasiness.... It's kind of hard for your stomach to settle when it's being pummeled from underneath pretty constantly ;-)

Things are coming along nicely, though, so I can't complain too much. We've started childbirth classes (ack!) and the second official one is tonight. If the syllabus that we were given is correct, there will be video, which should be hilarious. The class is filled with medical and university professionals, and (not surprisingly) most of them are neurotic and/or scared out of their wits ;-) It should be an interesting few weeks.

I'm starting to think about booking Mom's plane ticket to get here, and I'm looking at furniture, strollers, etc. My friend C. says that this is the time to start gathering and assembling, so as to be prepared for any surprises or early arrivals. Instead of actually *doing* the practical stuff, though, I'm knitting baby sweaters and looking at little dressy outfits for my friend A.'s wedding in October (although those definitely won't be purchased until much further down the road, like late summer).

This is such a trip. Some days I still can't believe it.

HUZZAH!

I passed!!! 117mg/dl! No need to go for the 3 hr screen!

I have to keep reminding myself that I shouldn't do at-home diagnosing. Different blood sugar meters behave quite differently, and I should know that. Hubby had been using one particular brand for a few months back in 2006, and he was consistently getting very off values (when comparing the meter reading to a veinipuncture reading when he got labs done). Diagnostics on the meter determined it was just fine - it was the chemistry used in the test strips that didn't work well with his own personal blood chemistry (it was consistently testing low by about 40%).

But who cares about all of that - I PASSED! I PASSED! I PASSED!

Now, to celebrate with something other than cake ;-)

I cheated, and (I think) I failed :-(

In we went for the glucose test today. I decided to test my sugar before going in, and I was a nice, normal non-fasting 72mg/dl. I thought, I have this thing in the bag.

Drank the drink. Eeeyuch. Couldn't they at least put a bit of fizz in there? I'm sure it would've helped.

I sat. And sat. And knitted up to the thumb on my mittens.

In I go, blood taken (the girls at my health center are GREAT), and I decided to test again with Hubby's handy-dandy glucose meter.

147mg/dl.

BOOOOOOOO.

I know the meters have error associated with them, but this one Hubby has always found reliable. I'm planning on needing to go back for the three hour test :-(

I cheated, and I passed ;-)

I'm going for my glucose test today, and it's been weighing on my mind since before the holidays. Then I realized I could find out some crucial info *before* going in.

Hubby has a glucose meter. I have food. I can make my own glucose challenge ;-)

The OB told me that they'll give me the glucose and do a one-hour blood draw. Anything over 140mg/dl is bad, and you go for the 3-hour test. I decided to split my dinner up, eat my salad first and then the carbs all at the same time.

Before eating the carbs (but not fasting) - 99mg/dl
1 hr post-consumption - 122mg/dl
2hr post-consumption - 106mg/dl

So, technically, I passed my own test, even though I shouldn't've been taking my own test ;-) (I won't tell you what the carbs were, but it was better for me than glucose syrup).

The countdown to the test

My glucose screening test is coming up, and I'm a bit nervous. I'm doing okay with the weight gain, but not great. And while I know that gaining extra pounds isn't always an indicator of gestational diabetes at this point, I'm finding it hard be optimistic about this.

I've been hearing that lots of women fail the 1hr screening test AND the 3 hour test, and still come out fine, but I guess I'm waiting for the shoe to drop. I had a friend who developed gestational during her first pregnancy, and she had to take insulin, and that scares me.

So, I'm postponing until next week ;-) My OB wants it done within a week or so (he gave me the test req. on Wednesday), so I'm going on a day that Hubby can come with me and keep me company.

ETA: It's next week already, and I haven't gone for the test yet. I'm aiming for Wednesday ;-) One thing that came out of the appointment that was good was my blood pressure - 90/70. I'm hoping that counts for something.