33 Responses to Gestational Diabetes, Weight Loss, & More!

1. Isabella, on March 11th, 2011 at 3:31 pm Said:

   I was never that jazzed about people touching my belly either – and the best thing I ever heard regarding that was from my childbirth educator who was like “It’s your uterus expanding and creating the ‘bump’ and would people otherwise randomly come up and touch your uterus? No.” Not sure that would be appropriate for relatives, but I always loved that explanation :)
2. Ashley, on March 11th, 2011 at 5:11 pm Said:

   I don’t understand why people think that because you are growing a person, it’s open season to touch you. Personal boundaries still exist! Luckily, being in the UK people are pretty reserved and don’t push those boundaries.

   As far as gestational diabetes was concerned, everyone assumed I had it because I am plus sized. It was very frustrating while in labor explaining to all the midwives that I was only swollen because my baby was 2 weeks overdue….NOT G.D.
3. Monique, on March 11th, 2011 at 6:34 pm Said:

   I knew before I ever got pregnant that I wasn’t going to want anyone touching my pregnant belly. I was very outspoken about it so everyone who was close to me pretty much knew to just leave me be. Of course I had one friend who did it anyway a time or two and I let her slide. Overall, I must have given off a pretty good evil eye and “don’t touch my stomach” vibe. Just be honest and most people will respect your feelings. You can also be a little bit mean about it..cause you’re pregnant, moody, hormonal, nauseated, etc. ;o)
4. jessidehl, on March 11th, 2011 at 9:50 pm Said:

   My baby is 10 days old and I didn’t look very pregnant until the last couple of months. I didn’t have many problems with the whole belly touching thing in general, but a couple of really close friends did touch my belly. I let it slide because of how close we are. However, a woman I go to school with said she loved touching pregnant bellies and I told her that if anyone touched my belly they were getting punched. That seemed to work…
• mo pie, on March 14th, 2011 at 2:56 pm Said:

  This made me laugh. Good strategy!!
• Stephanie, on March 17th, 2011 at 2:13 pm Said:

  Thumbs up to the punching idea. ;)
5. sandrad, on March 12th, 2011 at 2:22 am Said:

   Never bothered me, having people touch my belly, but – Canada eh? polite west coast Canada. people ask very nicely if they may.
6. Emerald, on March 12th, 2011 at 5:16 am Said:

   From what I’ve read, GD seems to be part of a mechanism by which the fetus makes sure it gets the nourishment it needs – not actually as strongly related to her non-pregnant blood sugar status as many people think. Obviously if it develops it needs monitoring, but assuming it from the woman’s size is as medically unwise as assuming any non-pregnant fat woman is going to have regular diabetes – most don’t. (Docs here, though, will test anyone’s glucose at the drop of a hat – they get bonuses for finding a new diabetes case, so it’s no wonder the figures have risen!)

   Can’t comment on belly-touching myself (never been preggo and not planning to be), but I have seen it happen here in the usually polite UK. Some women who don’t mind it will ask if you want to, but I feel bad for them when someone just assumes it’s OK. I feel like reminding them that touching someone without their consent is actually, technically, assault.
7. Erika, on March 12th, 2011 at 6:57 am Said:

   I had no GD with my first, then developed a mild case of it (passed routine I.V. blood draws and finger pricking daily at home, I just failed the damn test) and I blamed myself and genetics, and it was hard. I worked my ass off (walking 20 min. with my first in a stroller, everyday) and everything turned out alright, with an easy birth and a normal size baby. Some of my thinner friends had more trouble with GD, so I know it might not be just my size. Honestly, when I found out I’d failed the 3 hour test, I came home and cried on my husband’s shoulder. I was terrified I’d become one of those who lost their sight or their limbs or became an invalid through it. And I felt guilty. I know that is a bit over the top, but actually seeing some of the tolls of diabetes helped instill the paranoia. The guilt, well most it comes from anti-fat culture.
   I’d like to have one more child, and I’m sure I’ll develop GD again, as most women do. But, I’ll be certain to work my damned ass off again, and just hope for the best I suppose.
8. Bri, on March 12th, 2011 at 7:37 am Said:

   I didnt have that many people want to touch my belly so when a few did (mainly close friends) I didnt mind so much. They all asked first which was the polite thing to do, and because they were friends I was ok with it. But if a stranger had done, they would have gotten slapped away and death stared, let me tell you!
9. Lillian, on March 12th, 2011 at 8:37 am Said:

   I didn’t have a noticeable baby bump with either of my pregnancies. When I checked into the hospital to have my first born induced, the admission nurse asked me why I was there. I told her to have my baby. She gave me a look like she didn’t know I was pregnant.

   Good luck with everything. Have a healthy baby.
10. Ashley, on March 12th, 2011 at 11:36 am Said:

    I’m not sure why, but no one touched my belly without permission while pregnant. No strangers at all, and anyone less close than family asked. It was kind of nice. I totally expected more belly touching.

    Pregnancy actually taught me A LOT about nutrition. I had hyperemesis gravidarum and no appetite. I estimate that my actual food digested was about 1/6 my usual diet (and no, I didn’t lose much weight). Even when I stopped barfing, I had no desire to eat. Food just didn’t want to go in. So, in short, I spent much of my pregnancy starving. Often the healthiest thing I could eat was a burger and fries, which is actually a really great meal. Meat has lots of nutrients, pregnant women need a good deal of fat and protein, fries with their salt and potassium are great for replenishing electrolytes after a long day of vomiting, etc. I realized through pregnancy that goal #1 of nutrition is to feed yourself, not to maximize micronutrients while minimizing macronutrients.

    I wound up with a very healthy almost 10 pound baby, minimal personal weight gain (I was starving) and breastfeeding was super easy. All this talk about having the perfect pregnancy diet is, in my experience, totally unnecessary.
11. Cassandra, on March 12th, 2011 at 3:07 pm Said:

    I just want to say that I love your blog and I love that I am pregnant at the same time (I am 29 weeks). I too was shocked and pleased when I passed the Glucose Test. Good luck!
• mo pie, on March 14th, 2011 at 2:57 pm Said:

  Awesome Cassandra, we can have a virtual Mommy’s group! Congrats!
12. The Well-Rounded Mama, on March 12th, 2011 at 7:43 pm Said:

    Glad to hear your GD one-hour screen was negative. Although we are more at-risk for GD because of insulin resistance issues, most women of size still don’t get GD. You’d never know that from the press coverage, though, would you? Gah.

    When I was pregnant I don’t remember being very much up in arms either way about people coming up and touching me. I just wanted them to ask. I remember one guy, a co-worker, did touch me without asking, and I didn’t like that, but I know he was just excited for me so I let it slide. But people should definitely ask first.

    However, now that I’m beyond my childbearing years, I have to say that sometimes I have to really hold myself back from touching pregnant bellies of folks I know. I’d never do it to a stranger but with a really close friend, I might ask. There’s just something SO incredibly amazing about feeling a baby move inside, and it’s what I miss most about pregnancy. To be able to do that again vicariously, through someone else, is just really enticing. However, hopefully I will always ask first and be sensitive to people’s feelings about it. Just because you are pregnant doesn’t make you public property!

    Mostly I think people are just really excited for you and the miracle of pregnancy and want to share that a bit.

    Your body language will fend off most people, and if someone is too clueless to understand your body language, you can gently help them along to understanding that it’s your body and your decision on whether or not to be touched.

    Can’t believe you’re so far along already! I also lost about 10-15 lbs. in each of my pregnancies. I regained that or most of it, but only in the last few weeks, ending pretty close to where I started, with only a very small net gain or loss. It’s a pretty normal pattern for women of size.

    Have a wonderful rest of your pregnancy!
• mo pie, on March 14th, 2011 at 2:59 pm Said:

  Thank you! And thanks for your site, in case I didn’t already say so. Browsing it has been incredibly illuminating!
13. K, on March 13th, 2011 at 3:44 pm Said:

    I had been meaning to e-mail with my congratulations… is being pregnant myself a good excuse? (No.) Well, congratulations!

    I am 23 weeks along and beginning to field gentle teasing about where my bump is, too. Nobody would know without being told. I’m sort of on the lower margin of plus-sized (I’m a UK size 16, so US 12), and haven’t changed size at all – my clothes all still fit, and my weight is exactly what it was pre-pregnancy. I’ve had people congratulate me on this, which is a bit weird because it represents no effort on my part.

    And yet, yes, the baby is growing fine. I have a long body and wide-ish hips so I suppose it’s just that there is enough room in there so far. My mother is smaller-framed than me and didn’t have a big bump with her pregnancies either.

    As for stomach-touching – I’m in the UK too and have never witnessed it, but wasn’t looking forward to the prospect. But I’m hoping that even when I do start to show, people won’t try.
• mo pie, on March 14th, 2011 at 3:01 pm Said:

  You’re pregnant too? How awesome!!

  Yeah, that happened to me too. My aunt was like “you’re not showing much” and I said I’ve lost weight so far, and she said “good for you!” as if I was aiming for that or something. I mean my first reaction would be, “is the baby growing okay?” but apparently not when you start off fat!
• K, on March 15th, 2011 at 7:37 am Said:

  There must have been something in the air of the blogosphere in summer/autumn 2010 – half my blogfriends seem to be expecting their first babies (or have just had them) at the moment.

  As for the “good for you” reaction… it is strange, especially in the context of your having been so sick. I haven’t had morning sickness at all, but my weight has always been pretty reluctant to go either up or down, so it’s not a huge surprise to me that it still hasn’t – but it’s not like I’ve suddenly started a weight-maintenance regime, because I haven’t. I haven’t even been as active as I usually am because of ligament troubles, and I have noticed some loss of stamina and strength which is bothering me considerably more than a higher number on the scales would. I don’t want to be so enfeebled I can’t pick this baby up :)
• Eve, on March 15th, 2011 at 6:09 pm Said:

  Reading these replies are making me giggle and smile. I’m diabetic, fat and just had a baby. I had comments like “I didn’t even know you were pregnant” or “You’re HUGE!”. My baby was a normal size and healthy but I felt I had to defend my size and my baby’s from the moment my pregnancy became public fodder. I had lectures from doctors on diabetes (like I don’t know anything about it- been diabetic since my teens) and weight loss. Annoyed the crap out of me!
  As for belly touching- I just put the hands off vibe out there. Only my man was allowed to touch my belly.
  Motherhood is awesome! Pregnancy bites though. I felt rotten all the way through especially towards the end. Heartburn nearly killed me (not really, just hurt so much).
  Now I’m getting comments from everywhere about needing to lose weight. Some have been downright mean. But best advice so far I’ve had is to enjoy your baby, rest up when you can and take care of yourself properly- whatever that means for you.
14. psychsarah, on March 14th, 2011 at 2:07 pm Said:

    I was just talking baby bumps yesterday. We went to our childbirth class and there was someone there due within 5 days of me. She was average sized and had a clear bump. I don’t think I’m showing at all, just maybe a little bigger belly (my clothes all still fit at 24 weeks). I’m torn, because I have a hard time drawing attention to myself, so I don’t like to announce I’m pregnant, so in some ways would appreciate a belly that would make that announcement moot. On the other hand, I’m super pleased that no one is running up to touch my belly. I hate the idea so very much. Plus, I haven’t had to buy maternity clothes yet (a special kind of plus sized nightmare as I understand from friends).

    I’ve been fortunate that my midwives haven’t even insisted on weighing me yet. I lost at the beginning (yipppeee for nausea! please note sarcasm) but now I’m back to pre-pregnancy weight but no weight gain. They look at the ultrasounds and everything is just ticking along, so no biggie. They’re impressed with my blood pressure (which has always been good) and continue to encourage me to try a home birth (since I’m interested in NOT attending the hospital if I can avoid it. The article you linked to certainly solidified that desire: scalpel-happy OBs wanting to cut me open just ’cause I’m big doesn’t sound appealing in the slightest).

    Hope your pregnancy continues to go well. BTW-isn’t that orange goo they make you drink for the glucose test vile? I never want to have that stuff again!!
15. mo pie, on March 14th, 2011 at 3:02 pm Said:

    I only had one baby shower dress that I could wear because none of my other dresses fit me! That was kind of a surprise. But yeah, I’m in basically my old clothes, just the ones that are loose.

    I must be weird because I didn’t actually mind the orange stuff! Just tasted like flat Orange Crush. I was glad it was cold though.
16. joy, on March 14th, 2011 at 10:14 pm Said:

    Wow! Congratulations! I haven’t been to your website for awhile. I’m a plus-size (fat) person and I always thought when I got pregnant I would suddenly transform into those cute women who only look pregnant from the front, like they swallowed a basketball. No way. With my first son, I hardly looked pregnant at all. In fact, I hardly gained weight (12 lbs total I think), and I just looked fatter. When I was pregnant with my second son, I did look pregnant. In fact, I developed my bump quicker the second time around. In any case, I did not have any problems with the GD test either and I didn’t mind drinking the flat orange crush because it was cold. Weird, huh? Hopefully you’ll feel better soon and be able to enjoy that honeymoon period during your pregnancy!
17. Diane, on March 15th, 2011 at 9:05 pm Said:

    I used the uterus comment to stop people. I went into a lengthy, medical description of the location and size of my uterus to people who attempted to get too close. It worked, and grossed some people out too. Being pregnant made me EXTREMELY snarky! I had more problems with being asked ridiculous pregnancy questions, espcially at work. I had frequent ultra sounds because I was “advance maternal age” and deemed high risk, but I liked getting them and the new pictures to share. One woman asked me every time I brought in a new picture, “Is it still a boy?” Yep, pretty sure the penis didn’t disappear! The other wacky question/statement was by a woman who insisted I must have been having a girl because my refillable water bottle was pink. Even though every U/S showed it a boy and it was common knowledge at the office that I was having a boy. People are funny with pregnancies! Congrats to you and enjoy your final weeks before baby!!
18. Lucy Curtis, on March 22nd, 2011 at 12:25 am Said:

    Oh my gosh you’re the only one besides me I’ve ever heard say the orange stuff just tasted like flat orange soda! Yay! No longer alone!

    Just as a heads up because it may not happen with you but I wish someone had brought this up with me.

    I let go of a lot of food guilt too while pregnant and it was probably the happiest I’ve ever been in terms of body image and food issues even though my OB totally tried to ruin that for me.

    However, pretty much right after we got home from the hospital all that body image weirdness and food guilt I’d been missing punched me right in the face.

    I’ve decided it was a combination of hormones, sleep deprivation, and the fact that you aren’t pregnant anymore but your body still isn’t the same as it was yet.

    It passed and overall I think I’ve grown a lot in those areas and it may not happen to you. Like I said, I just think being prepared would have made it easier.

    Congratulations on passing the GD test!
19. Pippit, on March 23rd, 2011 at 2:45 pm Said:

    I’m a little late on this, but I’ll comment anyway.

    I didn’t get very many people touching my belly. Being over 6′ tall and generally grumpy, I think I scared most people away. The thing I had the biggest issue with was random people trying to touch my daughter after she was born! “Oh, look at the cute little baby!” and try to touch her face. It was all I could do to contain my rage and calmly request they get their grubby hands away from my baby.

    I was worried about GD because my mother had GD and my Grandmother had diabetes, as well. I passed with flying colors, though. And I didn’t really mind the orange stuff. I was really thirsty the day I had to take the test so I gulped it down without a problem.
20. Addish, on March 24th, 2011 at 2:15 am Said:

    Awww! Congrats! And so glad to see you blogging again! Ok, I don’t really have much of a comment other than that, prolly because I’m kidless. :p
21. Jenn, on March 29th, 2011 at 2:08 pm Said:

    I need lots of personal space and so I DESPISED unsolicited belly touching. It only happened a few times and I had a standard response: just reach out and touch the offender’s belly. It puts the screws to that behavior, and quick!
22. Rhonwyyn, on April 4th, 2011 at 6:53 pm Said:

    Wow. I’ve been gone so long that I missed your announcement?! Congratulations!!!

    I’m going to have to read back and see how heavy you were when you got pregnant. I’m getting close to 400#, and within the past few months – since I went off birth control – my interest in sex has decreased. Not sure if it’s correlated to weight or the hormones or a shift in body image.

    It’s tempting to think that you’re probably half my size, if not smaller, “so of course it was easy for you to get pregnant.” That’s not necessarily the case, and I have to tell myself that.
23. Jez, on April 8th, 2011 at 1:16 am Said:

    I may have a different opinion when I’m actually pregnant, but I’m not creeped out much by belly touching. I mean, yeah, if the weird person on the bus who won’t stop talking starts rubbing my stomach, I’m going to feel skeezed, but if friends, family, or people I’m on friendly speaking terms with ask to do a quick preggo-Buddha rub for good luck, I think I’d be fine with that.
24. Mary, on April 8th, 2011 at 9:45 am Said:

    I like Jenn’s (Mar 29) standard response; cancel out the offense. I’ve never been pregnant but I’d probably wear a light cloth shoulder bag, even empty, that would cross my abdomen and serve (one would hope) as a silent forget-about-touching-me warning. Wishing you good health and great comfort.
25. Nona, on April 10th, 2011 at 8:28 pm Said:

    I was obese when pregnant with my son. I had no baby bump at all, and nobody realized I was pregnant unless I told them. It actually broke my heart. I WANTED people to come up and touch my belly. I feel like I missed out on all the “fun” parts of people knowing I was pregnant.

    I passed the diabetes test too, and lost 15 pounds while pregnant. My OB said it is common for obese women to drop a few while pregnant, I suppose because of the little person living off our bodies.
26. 1stTimeBBMama, on April 20th, 2011 at 7:37 pm Said:

    Well, I’m going to tie a cloth over my eyes, step in front of the firing squad, and actually say…that I don’t…mind…if someone wants to touch my tummy? Actually I like it if they do? =)

    I’m also 23 weeks preg. w/ my first, btw (a girl!). My husband had fertility issues so for seven years or so this was a dream that I thought could never be, but it is! Now I’m sooooo excited that I want to tell/show everyone, and they may rub my belly and oooh and ahhhh all they want!

    Oh yes, and I’m also well-endowed…I was a size 18/20 before baby. Although like many I haven’t gained any real weight, my tummy is inflating itself and pushing out the waist band of all my clothes. Soon I think it will smother me and then use my body to take over the world! The worst was having to “retire” some of my cute lacy underwear and go out to Target to buy a package of Hanes! Not so cute, but MUCH more comfortable.

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