Hey ya'll!
If you have or haven't listened to Qua and I's podcast I would have talked a lot about my pregnancy with Nico. I had a fairly easy pregnancy, other than the typical morning sickness in the beginning UNTIL I discovered fairly late in my pregnancy was that I had Gestational Diabetes (GD)
This was a huge shock to me and to be honest, a bit of resentment towards my midwives for not finding out sooner. Pregnancy is 40 weeks and you can be tested for GD as early as 24 weeks and any Indigenous person is at higher risk. I got tested at 32 weeks then had to see a dietitian to try to control it at 34 weeks. I had to try a week of tracking my glucose levels by my diet and at 35 weeks they decided I need to go on insulin. A month before my due date my "healthy pregnancy" was then labeled a "high risk" pregnancy.
Since I was high risk, I then had to be induced early to prevent the baby growing too big because that is common for babies whose mother has GD. I had 4 weeks (or less) to figure out what the heck Gestational Diabetes was!
Don't worry though mama, because I'm about to give you my 3 tips I learned.
1. Don't fret, it's nothing you did.
Many moms feel a sense of guilt whenever something goes "not so perfect" in their pregnancy, but its OK because gestational diabetes is something you can't control.
2. Sugar is in everything!
Yes, this isn't true but pretty close. During and after my pregnancy I learned a ton about the foods I was eating. In our podcast I mentioned how Qua and I had Starbucks daily (well when I work we do) but when one opened up at our work we were trying anything and everything on the menu. I was eating fruit, processed foods thinking some things were quick and healthy. When I started to look at the labels of food or drinks I was consuming it made me realize that much of what I was eating had loads of sugar in it. So if your reading this, yes you're favorite drink from Starbucks is doing you worse than good so please don't buy as often as I was!
3. Get to know your body
As any person, its great to learn the history of your people. As an Indigenous Anishinabe Kwe, it's helped me know what is good and isn't for me. My husband is Italian and I swear only eats carbs, where for awhile that's all I was eating too. Most of my weight I gained is in my midsection and that is where all our important organs are. They also say that "abs are made in the kitchen." So I put two and two together, and diet has to be my main priority. I am not perfect, but if everyday you can put better food in your body, the easier and happier you will feel.
#pregnancy#gestationaldiabetes#Indigenous
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