Diet restriction lifted after delivery and breastfeeding?

Diabetes and Pregnancy
#1

I am mentally preparing for the birth of my 4th child. I’m in my 6th month/2nd trimester/27 weeks.
I’m going through things that I struggled with the last time so I don’t have issues this time around.
One thing that bothered me no end was I was put on diet restriction by the hospital since I’m diabetic. Makes since, unless you figure that when a diabetic breastfeeds, lows can get pretty crazy and frequent. See, my goal was to get extra snacks with my meals so in between meals I could have something to treat a low. Breastfeeding mothers are to eat 300+ calories to keep supply stable. You’d think a hospital would get that, but no. My husband is usually at home taking care of our other kids after the birth. He would smuggle snacks in for me, but they would only last so long. My babies all had jaundice so we spend a little longer in the hospital treating that.
Any ladies run into this? Anyone figure out how to work around? I tried explaining all this to the food staff they cannot do anything unless doctor approves and I couldn’t get in contact with my doctor until I was ready to leave.
I will speak with her of course before the birth, but I think I did that last time and i was told no on the extra food.

All advice and help would be appreciated.

Busybee

#2

Your only option may be to have your husband and/or other visitors smuggle in snacks. I’d make plans ahead of time with who will visit when, and what snack(s) they will bring. Then you have one less thing to worry about before the birth.

Here’s wishing you a safe and swift delivery of a healthy and happy baby! :baby_bottle: (I know you mentioned that you will be breastfeeding, but as there is no breast emoticon, I had to settle for a bottle.)

1 Like
#3

Thanks @rgcainmd,

I will do that. I’m kind of venting here but its so frustrating that what seems common knowledge or common sense for diabetics isn’t for a hospital. I’m not trying to over eat, just be prepared for low BG moments. Who knows more about my diabetes than me, right? :wink:

Busybee

#4

In the hospitals I have worked at and the one I delivered they all have “nourishment” rooms that have graham crackers milk juice ect I would ask your OB about that. Also I asked to not be put on a diabetic diet last time I was there but because everything is automatic and digital it didn’t matter that I requested something different or my doctor never changed my orders. I didn’t get ravenous til I left the hospital so I didn’t worry about it too much.

#5

Thanks @KellyRara!
I will ask. Nourishment room, that sounds awesome! What a great idea. Maybe if they don’t have one, I will suggest it. I attend a diabetic clinic and its heavily populated, it almost doesn’t make sense they don’t have a nourishment room considering their large diabetic population. Maybe its on a different floor than I was on. At the hospital I attend, I can see them putting it on the same floor as the NICU. I do get pretty ravenous and I end staying longer because my babies develop jaundice pretty quickly after birth. If I could leave the hospital sooner, I would.
Speaking of hospital food, am I totally crazy, but it tastes great! Never had complaints with hospital food. :smile:
Busybee

#6

I have an update on this, more like a new development. I finally got a chance to speak with my OBGYN about my diet restrictions for when I check into the hospital for my baby’s birth. I explained everything to her. She felt so sorry. She had no idea I had any issues. She said it is possible to put a diabetic on a regular diet in the hospital but most aren’t for obvious reasons. I asked her about the nourishment rooms concept and she said they don’t have them at the hospital.
She said that since I know how to manage my diabetes well and that she trusts me, she will take the diet restriction off when I register to stay at the hospital for breastfeeding purposes only. YAY! :smile:
What a relief and what a great boost in confidence! :wink:
Busybee

1 Like