218 days pregnant & dealing with Gestational Diabetes

Today I am 217 days pregnant ( 31 weeks and 1 day).

As I mentioned on previous posts, I had been diagnosed

with Gestation Diabetes. I think I left you on the last post

saying that I was going to visit with the doc and possibly have

to get insulin. Well, yep he said I need insulin. The diet

wasn't working, so I take 5 injections a day!! UGH

It hasn't been "as bad" as I thought. I take Humulin by syringe

in the morning and at night (2 doses) and then the

Humalog pen with breakfast, lunch, and dinner (3 doses). The

pen is very similar to what I used in my fertility treatments, so

I felt like a pro! ha I was really nervous to use the syringe, but

the needle wasn't big at all, infact it hurts less than the pen!!

Here is a little bit of info for those who aren't very familar

with gestational diabetes:

When you eat, your digestive system breaks most of your food

down into a type of sugar called glucose. The glucose enters your

bloodstream and then — with the help of insulin, a hormone

made by your pancreas — provides fuel for the cells of your

body. Like the type 1 and type 2 diabetes you can get when

you're not pregnant, gestational diabetes causes the glucose

to stay in your blood instead of moving into your cells and

getting converted to energy. Why does this sometimes happen

when you're pregnant? During pregnancy, your hormones make

it tougher for your body to use insulin, so your pancreas needs

to produce more of it. For most moms-to be, this isn't a

problem: As your need for insulin increases, your pancreas

dutifully secretes more of it. But when a woman's pancreas

can't keep up with the insulin demand and her blood glucose

levels get too high, the result is gestational diabetes.Most

women with gestational diabetes don't remain diabetic once

the baby is born. Once you've had it, though, you're at higher

risk for getting it again during a future pregnancy and for

becoming diabetic later in life.

My next OB appt is on the 30th. I believe they'll will be keeping

a close watch on Miss Stella so that she doesn't get too big!

For most women with gestational diabetes, the main worry is that

too much glucose will end up in the baby's blood. When that

happens, the baby's pancreas needs to produce more insulin

to process the extra glucose. All this excess blood sugar and

insulin can cause your baby to make more fat and put on extra

weight, particularly in the upper body.

T Minus 70 days

Today I am 30 weeks preggo =) Hard to believe I have only

10 weeks or less until I meet baby Robinson A.K.A. Stella.

After seeing her on the 3D ultrasound, I feel more than

ready to be her mommy. I cannot wait until the day I

can hold her and introduce her to her daddy and sisters

who are overjoyed to meet her as well!

This past weekend I finally got all of her clothes hung up.

I still haven't bought anything brand new for Miss S, all

of her clothes are either her sisters or from yard sales. But

they are the cutest clothes eva! lol I will however probably buy

her a new dress to wear home from the hospital =)

I need to get to wal-mart and just buy all of her necessities,

baby shampoo, lotions, diapers, wipes, etc. Other than

that I think we're set!!

So on my last post I posted about having gestational diabetes.

This week I've tested my blood sugar every day, 4x's a day.

My numbers have come down some with diet, but not to what

they "should" be. I meet with the doc Friday, we'll see what

he says. It really hasn't been hard cutting out the sugar/sweets

b/c I haven't craved them at all this pregnancy. It's the carbs

that is tough =( Anything for my little princess tho!

I meet with a dietician today to go over some meal plans, etc.

I finally got to feeling "myself" again after the pneumonia. I

got some of my energy back...and just in time! Hunter got the

flu last week and was pretty much "out of it" for a week =(

Thanks to my awesome mom, we quarantined her to one

bedroom and bathroom and nobody else got sick...thank God!

Alli Jo has been getting sinus infections again, and I was hoping it

wouldn't be so many since she had her tonsils out last spring.

She still snores quite a bit as well, so I'm hoping with time that

will all go away...poor girl!

There hasn't been many other body changes, except for this

ever growing belly! I cannot sleep at night and it is getting harder

and harder to turn in bed. I have very painful ligament pains, sort

of like "popping" when I turn in bed. I also have some cramping

which I know is just "growing pains" so to speak. And I dont' have

to even mention how many times I use the restroom in the middle of

the night LOL

Here's what's going on with Stella this week:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost

3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but

that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more

room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though

it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes

closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them,

she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision —

which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.

203 days pregnant

Thursday I was 203 days pregnant (29 weeks)!

Getting closer to meeting our angel every day =)

I found out this week I have gestational diabetes.

For those of you who don't know what that is;

gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (diabetes) that starts or

is first diagnosed durning pregnancy.

I had my glucose screening last week, and my number was

double what it should be...so I skipped the 4 hr test and

went straight to seeing an endocrine specialist.

We are seeing how my numbers look this week, and if

they don't lower I will need insulin.

I test my blood sugar 4x's/day. Took me a little bit to

get used to...but I'll do anything for my baby girl!

Here are a few pictures we captured in 3D of Miss Stella

Super Girl and Baterina

Thursday evening we took the girls trick-or-treating

at all of the g-parents houses. I'm glad we made this

a separate evening b/c it took up every bit of time we

had!

The girls had a blast this year picking out their costumes!

Alli Jo knew as soon as she saw hers...SUPER GIRL!!!

Hunter took a while to decide, but she finally went with

a "Baterina" lol

Take a look...aren't they the cutest =)

Third Trimester....are u serious???

WOW! Where has the time gone?

Today I am 196 days (28 weeks) pregnant =)

I am slowly getting over what they think was early stage

pneumonia....yuck! I have never felt so horrible!

With meds, rest...rest...and more rest as

well as tons of fluids I'm feeling better today =)

I did have to cancel my photo sessions for the rest of the

year =( Thank God I had some really understanding

clients...who I can't wait to shoot next spring!!

Besides being sick I've had various other not so fun things

going on. Braxton Hicks have become my new friend....not a friend

I can say I enjoy..ugh! Some others include...back pain, fatigue,

breathing difficulty (partly from being sick I would imagine),

slight swelling in my ankles, frequent urination, and difficulty

sleeping =(

I cannot figure out why on earth I have to urinate 6 times in the

middle of the night, when I don't even go 6 times during the day! lol

If anyone knows the answer please let me know =)

My poor husband...I do not know how he sleeps with me at night

b/c I'm CONSTANTLY rolling around! I cannot get comfortable

at all! Lying on my back interferes with blood circulation,

I could never do that even not preggo.....and lying on my

stomach isn't possible!! Not good for a "stomach sleeper".

Oh the joys of pregnancy! ha

There aren't just negative things about this pregnancy though.

I thank my Father every day for allowing me to carry His children!

It is the best feeling in the world to have this little miracle

growing inside me! All of the family has felt Miss Stella

kick =) Well Alli Jo...I'm just not sure about her, ha...she

will put her hand on my belly and say right away, "I felt it!" lol

Joe FINALLY got to feel her! She really kicked hard too! Think

she wanted to make sure daddy knew she loved him =)
Hunter feels her almost every time...it cracks me up!

I haven't gone shopping yet for just Stella. I have only got some

yard sale clothes for her...but they are great and so stinkin cute!

I am really going to have to become more frugal with 3 kiddos

and take advantage of yard sales!!

Here's what is going on with Stella this week:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds

and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels.

She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight

developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in

through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons

in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation

for life in the outside world.

Tomorrow is my glucose screening test. And I also get to do
the 3D ultrasound!

I cannot WAIT to see Miss Stella's face =)

Oh and I will leave you with a little preview of what is

to come with the Halloween costumes...hee hee!

Pregnancy - Day 189

Today I am 189 days pregnant (27 weeks)!

Only one more week and I'll be in my third trimester!

Woo hoo!!!

I can really start to tell how much she is growing!

My clothes are getting tighter :) I think I've gained

a total of 10lbs this pregnancy so far. Pretty good cuz

I really only need to gain 15-20 this time.

I am getting the braxton hicks contractions. They are

usually when I stand for long periods of time or when

I haven't had enough fluids.

The bed seems to be getting smaller and smaller. lol

Maybe it's because Alli Jo sneaks in during the night :)

My husband would say it's b/c of the mountain of pillows

I have to have strategically placed around me! ha ha

Next week I do the glucose screening test. I really don't mind

this test at all, I actually think the orange drink is good :)

I also get to do a 3D ultrasound the same day! I'm so

excited! I want to see Stella's beautiful face! I remember

getting to see Alli Jo's on the 3D, and she was such an

angel! I think this will be fun for the girls to see her and

make it more of a reality.

Here's what's going on with Stella's this week:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds and is about

14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and

waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and

perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue

developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her

lungs are still immature, they would be capable of

functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to

be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you

may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be

common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few

moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax

and enjoy the tickle.

Too cute for my camera: Leah Robinson Photography

Do I need to say anything at all...

this little girl was too cute for my camera...

I think she broke it with her irresistible dimples :)

Playing peek-a-boo