“…making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding…”
Proverbs 2:2
When the second trimester is reached a series of tests are often presented to mama. Did you know that each one is an option? Or that within the test you can choose to approach it more than one way? Your doctor/midwife will often share that the test is coming up and what the normal procedure is – but knowing your options ahead of time can help.
For example, have you heard of (or already drank for another pregnancy) the Glucola red stuff for the gestational diabetes test?
First of all, know that you do not need to fast before this test, “in fact, fasting and then drinking a sugary beverage on an empty stomach can skyrocket your blood sugar and potentially result in a false positive.” Now, you can decline this test all together- but there are other options to still get the information (you don’t want gestational diabetes to go unnoticed). Looking at another option for this test means not drinking those chemical food dyes & additives, modified food starch, brominated vegetable oil (which has been banned in Europe and Japan), and dextrose (GMO corn sugar)…the stuff we want to avoid anyway even when we aren’t pregnant!
What are the alternative? Glad you asked 😉
There are a few food-based options that you can ask your doctor/midwife to substitute for you including orange juice, dates & certain jelly beans (the one this author went with). You can also ask for the dye-free version of the test, or periodic finger pricks instead.
Be empowered in your pregnancy by knowing your options and choosing what is best for you and your baby. Stay tuned for more unspoken options throughout your pregnancy journey.
{Pages 149-151 of Mama Natural by: Genevieve Howland}
