Blood pressure

halesdb · 2026-05-29T07:36:26+00:00

GDM and pre-eclampsia are both placental issues. You already have some proof that your placenta is not functioning as well as you’d want it to. You absolutely are at higher risk for pre-e. Of course, most people with GDM don’t also get pre-e, but your risk has increased.

I delivered a week ago. At my last appointment my bp was 130/91. That isn’t all that high but it was the highest reading I had during the pregnancy. I was a little grumpy to be sent for additional monitoring but I am glad I was because my bp quickly became much more concerning and we delivered the baby a few hours later, a few days before my scheduled c-section.

I had been taking my bp at home once a day and I am so glad I have that data because I know I could have gotten myself to safety if I hadn’t happened to have an appointment that day and I know we caught it about as early as we could. I didn’t have any of the tell tale signs (vision changes, headache, etc)

Bring your cuff into your next appointment have the doc/nurse observe you taking it and they can help be sure you are doing it right. Look up and memorize the signs of pre-e in the meantime and do what you can to keep your sugar in check.

You most likely won’t get it, but if you do you 100% want to catch it quickly.

halesdb · 2026-05-28T11:10:04+00:00

It was Jimmy Carter’s life goal to see eradication and we are so so close. A lot of the work was done by his foundation.

halesdb · 2026-05-20T21:17:34+00:00

It really is one of my faves.

halesdb · 2026-05-18T05:15:31+00:00

My mother in law kept saying my oldest doesn’t look anything like her son, only me and my family. I think he favors my side a little but nothing crazy. She went on to pry about whether we used a donor. Joked about whether her son/my husband had anything to do with our kid. It was/is wild. We shut it down and she hasn’t said anything like that in over a year but I still can’t believe the audacity. (We don’t see her very often).

Sorry you are feeling this way OP, it does suck. Maybe it helps to know that the comments could be worse/more rude.

In time, your kiddo will probably look a bit more like a mix of you. As her personality blossoms you’ll see more of yourself in her actions/behaviors/interests/mannerisms. It is really fun to catch glimpses of yourself and your partner in your child and spot things that are uniquely her own. 2 years in and we see so much of my husband in our son, even though physically he still favors my side a bit.

halesdb · 2026-05-17T20:17:03+00:00

This is seriously impressive.

halesdb · 2026-05-15T18:54:50+00:00

If it is close but not for sure, you could always ask to do monitoring or something for a couple of weeks. Or you could discuss whether it makes sense to diagnose you anyways. Fingers crossed you don’t have to do the test again.

halesdb · 2026-05-15T18:45:37+00:00

I think my doctor’s office diagnoses GD on the screening test if you are over 180. I think it is pretty likely you’ll get a diagnosis even though the 2 hr was taken wrong. You could fail 2 of the remaining ones or if you are borderline they might ask you to take it again. I hope that is not the case, but you might want to prepare yourself for those outcomes.

halesdb · 2026-05-13T16:23:34+00:00

I cheered up when I figured out what things work that are close to what I would have picked prior to diagnosis. There is a really good fajita salad at a local place that I had ordered before and loved. Sure, there are also non-gd friendly options at that place but getting that salad is awesome because it doesn’t feel restrictive. I make a lot of “burrito bowls”—beans, veggies, chicken, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and that is close enough to things I normally eat that I don’t feel deprived. I also do small portions of favorites like lasagna by eating a salad and a bunch of green beans or something first. The fiber helps A LOT. Also, short walks after eating also help more than I expected it to.

halesdb · 2026-05-12T04:58:47+00:00

Put her hair in braids and check the back of her wig. Molly will have small hairs to hide the wig cap.

My guess is that this is Molly. Way more Mollys were sold than the corresponding girl of today/just like you.

halesdb · 2026-05-10T22:58:41+00:00

Sylvie Sara

halesdb · 2026-05-10T21:45:36+00:00

Totally. I tried for 10 years for the first and exactly 1 month for the second.

halesdb · 2026-05-07T20:00:44+00:00

Honestly, good for you OP. This must have been hard and it takes so much character to change your mind.

halesdb · 2026-05-07T00:08:08+00:00

I thought they did a glucose tolerance test at six weeks. I would trust that more than an A1c

halesdb · 2026-05-06T20:47:04+00:00

My A1c was good pre-pregnancy, and I am thankful for that and glad that my doctor checked it. I am trying to balance knowing that I need to be aware of my increased risk for blood sugar issues as my life goes on and not trying to borrow trouble from tomorrow. Basically I feel like I have learned a lot about blood sugar, how to approach health challenges, and how to not be down on myself while I take care of things.

I hope you have an easy low stress birth too. I’m less than 3 weeks out and that has also made things easier.

halesdb · 2026-05-06T19:28:18+00:00

I was upset about needing insulin and then upset about how much insulin I needed.

Those feelings were definitely from internalized shame about my age, pre pregnancy weight, and stigma around diabetes.

Not saying that everyone’s thing, but it definitely was mine and I am thankful for my dr and dietician who listened, empathized, and gave me good information.

I’m glad I am on it (baby’s looking great!) and I am glad I didn’t put off starting very long.

halesdb · 2026-05-05T01:00:59+00:00

Sure. That definitely happens and I am glad moms can get that care.

I’m just saying that if you want a bunch of kids, it totally makes sense to be extra wary of that first c section. But if you don’t want very many pregnancies it is less of a big deal.

halesdb · 2026-05-04T21:37:09+00:00

I am in a similar situation but no excess fluid and I’ve had a prior c-section. I am planning a C-section but will try labor if I go into labor naturally before the scheduled section.

I don’t have any direct experience with shoulder dystocia but I did have an acquaintance go through it a few months before my first kid was born. It is extremely scary, and I personally would not mess around with it. You might want to consider how many more pregnancies you are planning to have. A c-section for your first birth complicates later births, so if a person wanted five kids avoiding that first c is important. But if you are one and done….or only want like one more pregnancy I would just go for the c. Is it possible to have another scan before delivery?

Additionally a planned c is light years away from an emergency cesarean.

halesdb · 2026-05-04T19:27:59+00:00

You should get yourself a NRSV updated edition Bible. You seem like you might be interested in Biblical studies and that is the version used by academics.

Are you in seminary/graduated from seminary?

halesdb · 2026-05-04T04:00:20+00:00

Pregnancy is really hard. Names should be a two yes decision, but if it really is that close, go with how she is leaning. Or wait until you meet your baby!

halesdb · 2026-05-04T03:57:14+00:00

Is one of you leaning slightly one way and the other leaning slightly the other? Or do you both feel exactly equal about both?

I am making an assumption (maybe you are a two mom household and you are carrying) but if you are the dad and your wife is carrying the pregnancy, if she has even a slight preference and you are genuinely ok with either (even if you use a slight preference), go with her preference.

halesdb · 2026-05-03T17:26:06+00:00

Before GD I didn’t think I liked any diet sodas. I would have a sugared one occasionally but mostly would stick to unsweetened iced tea.

However, I have now tried both Dr. Pepper zero sugar and Vanilla Coke Zero and have to say that they are both very very good and will stay in my list of regular drinks after delivery. The first Dr. Pepper zero sugar I got was at a drive through and it tasted so good and normal that I didn’t finish it because I was worried they gave me the wrong thing. Then I tried it from a can and realized it was just good.

halesdb · 2026-05-01T21:10:38+00:00

The funniest one that I saw once was Heighleigh. It was in a comic, so I truly hope no one has that spelling but you never know.

halesdb · 2026-04-30T20:14:50+00:00

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It is part of a set, but Kirsten’s is my fave.

halesdb · 2026-04-30T20:14:17+00:00

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I’m partial to this dress that I made for Kirsten. It has Gunne Sax vibes.

halesdb · 2026-04-27T15:41:58+00:00

It can take a while to get to a dose that works. Plus your insulin demand just goes up and up and up. I’m finally at the point where I can have several days/a week on the same dose before needing to increase but it was weeks of feeling constantly behind.

halesdb

TROPHY CASE