Search Results for: blog hypoglycemia in pregnancy

The Pregnancy Blog Review June 7-21

Each month in the pregnancy blog, I try to cover topics related to infertility, conception, pregnancy, birth and the post partum period after your baby is born. The blog review is a good place to get caught up on the recent topics covered. Hypoglycemia is a condition characterized by low blood sugar and excessive insulin production. It is common during pregnancy. To learn more read Hypoglycemia in Pregnancy. The high price of airplane tickets causes many families to take road trips for vacation. Sitting in the car for long periods of time isn’t always fun, particularly when you are pregnant. … Continue reading →

Hypoglycemia in Pregnancy

Hypoglycemia is a condition that is caused by low blood sugar levels and excessive insulin. While it can occur at any time, it tends to be common during pregnancy. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include dizziness, lightheadedness, shaking, headache, sweating, confusion and changes in vision. If you experience these symptoms, mention it to your health care provider. There are several causes of hypoglycemia. Diabetic women experience it when they take too much insulin. Other causes include skipping meals and not eating enough food. For many women, pregnancy makes hypoglycemia worse, particularly in the first trimester. In some cases, women have their first … Continue reading →

Why You Should Take Gestational Diabetes Seriously

Today I took my glucose test for my monthly pregnancy check-up… you know that gross orange sugar drink they make you swallow down without any food or drink before or after. Well I failed my test. I had failed it during my first pregnancy, but then passed the actual test a week later. This time I failed by a greater margin, so much so that they aren’t even sending me for the actual gestational diabetes test, they are just assuming that I have gestational diabetes. So now what? Turns out there’s a lot more at risk than just having a … Continue reading →

Big Baby!

I’m sure you’ve heard about the 19.2 lb baby that was born in Indonesia this past Monday. As I looked through the photos of this giant newborn, I realized he is not only much bigger than the average newborn, he is a couple pounds heavier than my 26 week old son! The average newborn weighs between 6 and 9 pounds approximately. That puts young Akbar at about triple the average size. Can you imagine cradling a 19 pound newborn in your arms? Infant carriers usually have a weight limit of about 22 pounds. This baby will quickly exceed that and … Continue reading →

Is it Safe to Restrict Carbs?

Low carb diets have been popular for the past several years. Carbs have gotten a lot of bad press and are blamed for weight gain. Restricting carbs has been shown to be helpful in weight loss programs. Women who have battled with weight or are concerned about excessive weight gain during pregnancy may consider restricting carbohydrates during pregnancy, but is it safe? The most important thing to understand, and something many people overlook, is that not all carbs are bad. Carbohydrates are energy for the body and offer several benefits. The issue is the type of carbohydrates you are including … Continue reading →

A Link Between Gestational Diabetes and Language Delays

Gestational Diabetes is a relatively common complication of pregnancy, affecting between three and eight percent of pregnant women. Gestational diabetes has been linked to problems such as large size of the baby, a greater risk of needing interventions and birth and a higher rate of c section. For the baby, risk associated with gestational diabetes include an increased risk of developing type II diabetes later in life and a higher risk of jaundice or hypoglycemia at birth. Recent research suggests another potential long term complication. French researchers have found a link between gestational diabetes and language delays. The study was … Continue reading →

Diabetes Vocabulary

Having diabetes can mean learning a whole new set of vocabulary. If you or someone you love has diabetes, you’ll be learning the names of drugs, different tests, complications, and more. Here are some words and phrases you might run into: Blood urea nitrogen: a waste chemical excreted by the kidneys. Above-normal levels can indicate kidney damage. Diabetic nephropathy: kidney damage associated with diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy: nerve damage associated with diabetes. Fructose: a simple sugar that occurs naturally in honey and fruit. Glucagon: a hormone that can be injected to raise the blood sugar level of a person with hypoglycemia … Continue reading →

Common Health Issues for Big Babies

On September 17, Russia saw its largest baby ever, weighing in at 17.1 pounds. My twins were full term, born at exactly 40 weeks, and their weight was a combined 14 pounds. I can tell you that I cannot fathom another 3 pounds of baby. To top it off, that’s not the largest baby ever born. The Guiness Book of World Records shows the largest baby ever born weighing in at a whopping 29.23 pounds. That baby died just a few hours after birth due to respiratory complications. The largest living baby ever born weighed 22.5 pounds. Aside from thinking … Continue reading →