M.,
I found out I had GD 4 days before sitting for the Bar Exam so I opted out of putting me and the baby through such stress at the time. I was given very little guidance on this issue much to my frustration so I am very happy to share with you some things I did as I was pretty upset about the whole diagnosis, even though I was boarderline GD.
After meeting with a diabetes nurse and getting the glucose blood meter, I was supposed to meet with a nutrionialist but that did not happen for nearly 1.5 months which was only 2 months away from due date. So I went to the American Diabetes website and also searched on Google for "gestational diabetes" recipes and foods to give an idea of what was important in the management of the GD without resulting to insulin.
What I used as a guideline is this: high protein and high fat and little to no sugar and limit the carbohydrates, this is particularly important after your 12 hours fasting--your first meal of the day. You will need to eat 6-8 small meals per day always including fat and protein, especially when you finally include fruit or something with sugar in it. Keep in mind I am a vegetarian so I am even more limited than someone who can eat meat or poultry.
So for breakfast I have either or combine the following: either 2 scrambled eggs with cheese w/ 1 piece of whole wheat toast,or 2 pieces of whole wheat toast, one with unsalted peanut butter and one with cheddar, goat, or feta cheese (cheddar has more fat which is good). Or I eat 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 3/4 cups of almonds or pecans or walnuts and some soy milk (it has a lot less sugar than regular milk)Do not attempt to put raisins or any other fruit in the oatmeal or you will see your glucose skyrocket. If you eat meat, then you can probably have bacon or sausages, just make sure they do nto have glucose, sucrose, high fruttose, or corn syrup in them.
Other foods I have combined are: lots of avocado, additional cheeses throughout the day, plain yogurt, 40-60 toasted whole almonds, cashews, tofu with curry or cayenne pepper, mix whole wheat pasta with durum white pasta (the whole wheat helps cut the carb down), hummus, cream cheese,cottage cheese, plain keifer, lots of veggies, green apples as they have less sugar, strawberries and blueberries mixed in with plain yogurt and almonds ( this is how you cancel out the sugar from the fruit--protein and fat). You can have a 1/2 a bananna as that particular fruit is very high in sugar. You can have 1 cup of fresh pineapple--the sweeter it is the less of it you can have.
When I finally met with a nutrionalist, she told me I could have one chocolate chip cookie a day or a small children's cup of whole fat ice cream per day. I have recently found a maker of diabetic cookies that are rather tasty. You can eat 1-2 graham crackers per day as well. This was the only useful information she gave me.
Be careful with eating any legumes. If you eat them, make sure you have sufficient fat to offset the carbohydrates that are in them. I have nearly backed off of eating what was once my major source of protein, lentils, cannelli, garbanzo and black beans. I eat them in moderation and always with olive oil or another fat like cheese or avocado.
If you must have soda, which I donot drink normally, then i would suggest buying Sparkling mineral water like Crystal Gyser and eitehr putting in your own lemon or getting it flavored as long as there is not sugar in it. I also make cold berry teas like TAZO "Passion" which is sweet enough to be a fruit drink and you can make soda like with the mineral water.
If you eat chicken or meat,then your dietary selection is greater. I would suggest you eat skinless chicken and combine it with something other fat. You should not eat fried foods, especially french fries unless you want to send your glucose to the moon. Though eating some fries once every three weeks and depending on what you ate duringt he day should be okay.
I found the nutrionalist I met with to be useless and she encouraged me to eat the fake vegetarian burgers, suasages, etc... I eat them once in a awhile. But those foods are filled with chemicals and artificial ingredients--so which was worse for the baby a little carbohydrate or artificial ingredients? It was and is a balancing act.
I have surprised both the OB Specialist and my OB at my ability to manage the GD. My OB looks at me with incredulity and also tells me that typically I should have been on insulin or bedrest by now. But I am still exercising, albeit much more slowly and now in the pool since I can no longer walk 3-5 miles and lift weights as easily.
I have used a balance of exercise and diet to maintain the GD and I have done exceptionally well and I have not needed bedrest or insulin at all. Most importantly, is that our baby will not be born too big (my goal was to deliver vaginally not by C-section unless an emergency arises) and she should not have any health issues regarding diabetes in her life. I am sad and scared about my health in the future but I have done my job in protecting her life and health so she can live normally without insulin, obesity, or other healthy issues that are the result of GD.
I am due within the next two weeks. Be aware that GD mothers sometimes have to be induced b/c the placenta cannot support a larger baby after the 40th week.
I hope this was helpful. Remember also to supplement with a prenatal vitamin.
Good luck and I wish you and your baby health and happiness.
L.