Doing low carb. Can I continue during pregnancy or add carbs

amother

OP ↓

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 12:08 pm

I am doing a very low carb diet.
The only carbs I have are some fruits and vegetables, some chickpeas, etc.

I know that some carbs are important for fetal development, but I don't want to overdo the carbs because I am trying to avoid gestational diabetes (I had last preg) and also don't want to undo the health improvements I've been seeing.

Does anyone know if fruits and veg is enough carbs for pregnancy? Should I add some beets, sweet potatoes?

How much carbs are needed?

amother

Antiquewhite

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 12:21 pm

I would recommend working with a dietician to create a specific plan based on you and your needs. For both your own health and that of your unborn child.
I will say I remember my friend, who also had gestational diabetes saying that it wasn't the carbs that usually triggered her blood sugar levels. She used to test herself after eating and could see a pattern of which foods caused a rise and which didn't.

amother

Bottlebrush

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 12:22 pm

I would ask a nutritionist or a doctor. I would assume getting in more healthy carbs like beets, sweet potato, whole grainscand stuff would be reccomended.

SingALong

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 3:40 pm

When I was on no carb, my dr explained to me that without carbs, baby’s uric acid build up in utero and it’s not safe for the baby. It stays in the amniotic fluid. A few healthy carbs, limited amounts, with each meal would work. I think a half a cup of oatmeal by breakfast with a protein, some sweet potato or quinoa or brown rice by lunch and supper, again 1/2 or 1 cup should be enough to be ok.
But definitely a nutritionist would help with the right amounts and carbs that work for you.

shanie5 ↓

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 10:05 pm

The first is a short video explaining the "scientific study" of why keto is bad for pregnancy

The second makes the case for a keto diet in pregnancy-it's actually a healthy thing to do!

Short and sweet video:
https://www.drberg.com/blog/is.....eding

A worthy read:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low.....nancy

A quote from the above link:
“Honestly, 175 grams of carbohydrate is ridiculous! Women should be going as low as it takes to keep their blood sugar regularly under 90 mg/dl (5 mmol/L),” says Dr. Lois Jovanovic, one of the world’s leading experts in diabetes in pregnancy. Jovanovic is recently retired as the director and chief scientific officer at the Sansum Diabetes Research Center in Santa Barbara California. “Women ask me, ‘Do I have to eat carbohydrates?’ and I say, ‘No you do not! It is that simple.’”

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 10:10 pm

shanie5, that's exactly the problem, there is lots of conflicting info!

People who say go to a nutritionist, well they each have their own personal shittas. And it's not like going to your rov and taking his psak. I have no reason to think one is better than the other in terms of this.

I do know from this site (and BH I was warned) that the GD nutritionists are way out of touch with current research and say you have to eat a CRAZY amount of carbs, and then surprise surprise, many of their patients end up going on insulin.

I BH did not follow that, I used the book everyone had recommended, "Real food for gestational diabetes".

I guess I can look in there for guidelines.

amother

Nasturtium

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 11:28 pm

my endocrinologist still claims that it's better for the baby to get enough (25 net grams x3 a day) of carbs and take insulin if necessary

Rappel

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 11:45 pm

amother OP wrote:

Sounds good to me. I would continue to eat whole foods, stop specifically tracking carbs, and just pay attention to how my body feels.

Beshaa Tova umutzlachat!

amother

Hyacinth ↓

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 11:49 pm

I think it's fine but if you want to increase carbs I would avoid grains and pair with a fat and protein.

Also, I think nutrient and mineral deficiencies and an overloaded liver are often overlooked players when it comes to GD. Especially in pregnancy, it's really not just about carbs and blood sugar.

amother

Currant ↓

Wed, Aug 07 2024, 11:58 pm

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all foods break down into glucose and nutrients in the bloodstream? Why would carbs specifically be needed? Yes calories are needed, yes energy is needed, yes nutrients are needed, but glucose is glucose is glucose, whether it comes from fat or protein or healthy carbs or junk food.

amother

Copper

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 12:04 am

Per my nutritionist, when trying to control GD, healthy carbs actually help sustain healthy blood sugar levels. Think quinoa, kasha, sweet potato, etc.

Best when combined with a protein.
By the way some carbs totally get canceled out by their fiber content, like dates. They are delicious and great for controlling sugar so go for those cuz they're free 😉
The right carbs are the key.

Also, I've been on insulin for most of my pregnancies. It's not a big deal and considered pretty safe. probably safer for baby when eat well even if need to end up taking insulin.

Fun fact: I randomly did not have GD in one pregnancy - each pregnancy is really different somehow. Besides that I missed controlling my weight gain with better food choices, but that child absolutely has the biggest sweet tooth ever 😍

Good luck!

amother

Khaki

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 12:09 am

I'd probably try to add in small portions of carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, maybe occasionally brown rice. I would think this helps cover for both opinions lol.
I never had gd but do struggle with insulin issues generally speaking. My main carbs are fruit, winter squash, beets, sprouted chickpeas, sprouted lentils, quinoa. On Shabbos, I eat sourdough. I always eat my carbs together with a protein and healthy fat. I have found this way of eating helps keep my blood sugar stable.

amother

↑ Currant

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 2:58 am

amother Copper wrote:

Per my nutritionist, when trying to control GD, healthy carbs actually help sustain healthy blood sugar levels. Think quinoa, kasha, sweet potato, etc.

Per my CGM, healthy (and unhealthy) carbs cause a glucose spike. Proteins and fats keep blood sugar levels stable. But YMMV depending on your body.

↑ shanie5 ↓

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 3:43 pm

amother Currant wrote:

Carbs break down into glucose. Proteins and fats not so much. The body will make any glucose it needs from protein and fat. So carbs are not necessary.

Why don't you get a cgm and monitor your glucose. If it gets too low, you'll know you need carbs. If it stays level, you'll know you're fine without them.
Personally, if I was pregnant, I'd specifically stick to my ketogenic diet. If it's made me healthier, it won't hurt the baby. Wish I knew better during my childbearing years.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 10:28 pm

amother Hyacinth wrote:

What would cause an overloaded liver?
And what do you mean by nutrient and mineral deficiencies?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 10:30 pm

shanie5 wrote:

So this is specifically my question.

amother

↑ Hyacinth ↓

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 10:39 pm

amother OP wrote:

What would cause an overloaded liver?
And what do you mean by nutrient and mineral deficiencies?

certain nutrients like magnesium, chromium, vanadium, b vitamins, thiamine are essential for blood sugar regulation and they can be in short supply during pregnancy because they get shunted to the baby. So if let's say your body doesn't have enough thiamine to properly metabolize glucose, you'll end up with high blood sugar, aka GD. Making sure you get plenty of all the nutrients needed for blood sugar regulation can help prevent GD.

The liver does a ton of work during pregnancy metabolizing all those extra hormones and getting rid of a ton of cellular waste. It also plays a critical role in glucose metabolism. If it's not properly supported and using up too much of its resources being busy with the pregnancy hormones, it may not have enough left to regulate blood sugar.

↑ shanie5

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 10:55 pm

amother OP wrote:

So this is specifically my question.

It's extremely hard to scientifically test if keto (or any diet) is healthy for a fetus. Cuz no one wants to CV cause harm to an unborn baby. But my statement still stands. I would do it. Our bodies can make all the glucose we need. So why wouldn't it do that during pregnancy too?

amother

↑ Hyacinth ↓

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 11:06 pm

shanie5 wrote:

Also there are indigenous societies that have survived for thousands of years on proteins and fats alone and get very little carbs, like inuits for example, and their babies do just fine.

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Aug 08 2024, 11:17 pm

amother Hyacinth wrote:

So what are some practical suggestions to ensure the above?