Episode 1: From Fear to Confidence: Your First Steps With Gestational Diabetes

Welcome to The Gestational Diabetes Nurse Podcast! I’m Sarah, your high-risk OB & L&D nurse, here to turn the shock of a GDM diagnosis into confidence. In today’s episode, I’ll bust myths, share blood sugar hacks, and give you practical tips so you can feel empowered and supported every step of the way.

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
Welcome to the Gestational Diabetes Nurse Podcast.
I'm Sarah, a high risk OB nurse, labor and delivery nurse, and a mama of two boys.
Here we turn the overwhelm of gestational diabetes into calm and confidence.
Each week, I'll give you.
Stories, blood sugar hacks that actually work and birth prep tips so that you can stress less and enjoy your pregnancy more.

(00:28):
So hit subscribe, grab your water and your favorite GDM friendly snack and let's dive in.
Okay, mama.
So you just got off the phone with your provider and they told you that you have gestational diabetes, and right now your chest might feel heavy.
Maybe you cried, maybe you got mad, and maybe you're already on Google reading the scariest things that you've ever heard of.

(00:54):
So let's take a pause together and I want you to take a deep breath with me.
Inhale, hold it, and exhale.
Good.
Here's what I want you to know.
You didn't cause this.
Not your cravings, not your weight, not what you ate last week, none of that.

(01:16):
Gestational diabetes happens because of the hormones from your placenta and kind of your partner's fault.
And you couldn't have prevented it.
I know the word diabetes can feel heavy, but it doesn't mean what you think it actually means.
it doesn't mean that you need to have a C-section.
It doesn't mean your baby is in danger.
It doesn't mean that you've.

(01:36):
Failed.
It means that your body needs extra support right now, and that support looks like keeping eye on your sugars, adjusting meals, adding movements, frequent blood sugar checks, and sometimes even medications if your body needs it.
I don't want you to feel like you need to fix everything at once.
So here's three things to focus on today.

(01:59):
Don't cut carbs because you need them.
Your baby needs them.
And what matters is pairing them with protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
for example, a great snack would be half an apple with peanut butter, a whole grain toast with eggs and avocado, low carb chicken tacos with cheese and avocado keeping.
Balance plates to keep your blood sugars more steady.

(02:22):
Number two, move after your meals.
even 10 minutes of walking or dancing in your living room can help you lower your blood sugar.
Number three, write it down.
Keep a log of your meals and your numbers remember, don't judge yourself, this is really just to learn because these numbers are not grades.
They're feedback for us and you.

(02:43):
Now, here's the part no one tells you.
The first two weeks are going to feel like trial error.
You'll try meals that spike your sugars.
You'll find meals that work beautifully and sometimes the same food that you eat will give you different numbers on different days.
That's not failure.
That's your body teaching you what it needs and what it doesn't to really sustain a healthy pregnancy and baby.

(03:09):
That's not failure.
That's your body teaching you what it needs and what it doesn't, and it helps you really sustain a healthy pregnancy.
I had a client call me in tears after her first week.
She said, Sarah, I ate the same exact breakfast two days in a row.
One day.
My number was perfect.
The next, it was so high, I don't get it.

(03:29):
I feel like I'm failing.
And I told her.
You are not feeling, you're learning.
And the difference the second day she barely slept.
The lack of sleep can really spike your sugars even if your food didn't change.
So that's a side note and a really great tip.
That moment flipped the switch for her and she realized it's not about perfection, it's about patterns, about listening to her body and staying curious.

(03:52):
By the end of her pregnancy, she was confident her baby was healthy, and she told me, I wish I hadn't wasted so much time feeling guilty.
Here's the thing, mama.
Your intuition matters.
So if your provider says something that doesn't sit right with you, ask questions.
If you feel brushed off, speak up.
You know your body and your baby better than anyone, if that's the only thing you take away from this podcast is listen to your intuition.

(04:19):
Please listen to your tuition, mama.
Okay.
Every mama I've worked with has felt what you're feeling right now.
Fear, guilt, overwhelm.
But they discovered how strong they really are.
And you'll too.
So if you just got off that phone call, here's what I want you to remember.
Take a deep breath, don't cut carbs, move a little.

(04:40):
Write it down and give yourself those first two weeks to figure it out.
Thanks for listening, mama.
Share this with a friend.
Hit follow and leave a quick review so that other mamas can find us.
If you're looking for more support, join the GDM MAMA membership today.
The link is in the show notes.
Please remember.
I am not your nurse, and if you have any medical questions, please ask your providers that you get appropriate care.

(05:05):
The full disclaimer is in our show notes.
See you next time.
And remember, you've got this mama, and I've got you.