How sleep, stress and sickness can impact your blood glucose levels

Colostrum expression for gestational diabetes

Colostrum expression comes up when you're pregnant with gestational diabetes - but it's not always explained in a way that actually makes sense. This episode, we're covering all of it. I'm joined by Katie Irwin, an endorsed midwife and IBCLC from Flourish Lactation. We talk about why babies born after a GDM pregnancy are at higher risk of low blood sugars after birth, how expressed colostrum is actually used in those first hours, and what the DAME study - a high quality Australian randomised controlled trial - really found about safety and the amounts you can realistically expect. We also get into the emotional side of it, how to actually do it (technique, storage, getting it to the hospital), and why your birth partner has one of the most important jobs in all of this. Find Katie at flourishlactation.com.au [http://flourishlactation.com.au] or on Instagram @flourishlactation [https://www.instagram.com/flourishlactation]. Full shownotes: https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/colostrum-expression-for-gestational-diabetes [https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/colostrum-expression-for-gestational-diabetes] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:51 What is colostrum - and when does your body start making it? 01:29 How colostrum differs from transitional and mature milk 03:00 Benefits of antenatal expressing for mum 04:30 Why nine months of birth prep and zero breastfeeding prep is so common 05:18 Why antenatal expressing is specifically recommended with GDM 06:52 How expressed colostrum is actually used after birth 08:17 How baby's blood sugars are monitored after birth - the heel prick explained 10:14 What happens if colostrum isn't available - all the alternatives 11:43 Questions you can ask before any intervention in hospital 12:43 The DAME study - what it set out to prove and what it found 14:41 The surprising findings about how little most women actually express 16:33 No correlation between antenatal amounts and breastfeeding outcomes 19:32 The follow-up qualitative study - the emotional experience of antenatal expressing 21:57 What it feels like when nothing comes out (and why you might be pushing too hard) 22:35 How to decide whether antenatal expressing is right for you 23:54 When it's safe to start - and who should check with their care provider first 25:00 Step-by-step hand expression technique 26:58 What to actually expect (hint - nothing shoots out) 28:19 How to store colostrum and combine sessions 29:38 Getting your colostrum safely to the hospital 31:48 Why it should be on your birth plan - and your partner's job 32:40 When mum and baby are separated - a real example 36:06 How long to persist if nothing is coming out 36:15 Reframing the experience as skill-building, not output 37:43 Hand expression as a long-term skill beyond the newborn phase 39:21 Can women without GDM express colostrum too? 40:34 Using colostrum even when blood sugars are fine 41:20 Using colostrum to wake a sleepy or jaundiced baby 42:21 How to connect with Katie - telehealth, bulk-billed clinic, mastitis consults

How sleep, stress and sickness can impact your blood glucose levels

Ever looked at your glucose reading and thought, what did I do wrong? This episode is for you. There's so much more going on behind those numbers than what's on your plate. I'm joined by Elise Hoyer, a diabetes educator and exercise physiologist, to talk through the hidden factors that can push your blood glucose levels around - things like broken sleep, everyday stress, getting sick, and even vaccinations. We get into the hormones involved (hello, cortisol and leptin), why your body has other priorities when it's running on empty, and why a reading that doesn't hit the target is not a reflection of you doing something wrong. We also get into what a "rage check" is, why you should absolutely not do one, and what normal variation between readings actually looks like. Full shownotes: https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-12-sleep-stress-sickness [https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-12-sleep-stress-sickness] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:36 Why numbers can be off even when you're doing everything right 01:14 How poor sleep disrupts blood glucose - cortisol and leptin explained 02:51 Simple sleep hygiene habits for pregnancy 03:51 Timing your water to reduce middle-of-the-night toilet trips 05:15 The doom scroll problem and setting a phone curfew 06:14 How stress affects blood glucose through cortisol 07:58 How GDM itself becomes a stressor - and how to reframe it 09:55 Getting support and reducing the anxiety around testing 11:03 The placenta and who's really to blame for GDM ;) 11:57 Why gestational diabetes doesn't discriminate 13:10 How illness impacts blood glucose during pregnancy 15:15 When to contact your healthcare provider if you're sick 17:49 Can vaccinations temporarily affect your glucose levels? 19:43 The mental load as a hidden stressor 20:35 What to do when numbers are unexpected - and why they don't define you 21:31 What is a rage check and why you should avoid it 22:48 Closing thoughts

Sweets, snacks and special occasions

This is part four of our four-part nutrition series with dietitian Megan from Joy Nutrition Studio. In this final episode, Megan tackles the real-world stuff: sweet treats, special occasions, and all the moments where sticking to a routine feels impossible. We cover why a one-off glucose spike from a hot cross bun or a birthday cupcake is not something to stress about, how to time treats to minimize the impact on your levels, and what to actually eat for snacks throughout the day - including before bed if your fasting levels are giving you grief. Find Megan at joynutritionstudio.com.au [http://joynutritionstudio.com.au] or on Instagram @joy.nutrition.studio [http://joy.nutrition.studio]. Full shownotes: https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/sweets-snacks-and-special-occasions [https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-11-sweets-snacks-special-occassions] Chapters 00:00 Intro: can you still enjoy food with GDM? 00:58 Sweet treats and why one-off spikes aren't the whole story 02:32 The best time to eat something high GI 04:13 The Coke craving: what actually happens to your blood sugar 05:23 Are zero-sugar alternatives a good swap? 06:44 Navigating Easter, Christmas, and holiday food 09:28 Why skipping breakfast before a big meal backfires 10:22 Baby showers and GDM: how to enjoy it without the stress 12:00 Weddings, conferences, and eating when you're not in control 13:39 Best snacks to keep in your bag 14:15 What a balanced daytime snack actually looks like 17:12 Bedtime snacks and fasting levels explained 20:30 Robyn Compton: an Instagram worth following 20:56 Wrap-up and thank you

Why protein, fibre and fat matter

This is part three of our four-part nutrition series with dietitian Megan Core from Joy Nutrition Studio. You've got your head around carbs - now let's talk about the foods that work alongside them. In this episode, Megan breaks down why protein, fibre, and fat are your biggest allies when it comes to managing blood sugar with gestational diabetes, and how pairing them with your carbs can make a real difference to how steady you feel after a meal. We also get into the portion plate method - a simple, visual way to build a balanced meal without overthinking it. We cover how much protein you actually need in pregnancy, why breakfast might be your secret weapon for the whole day, and what to grab when mornings are chaotic. Plus - the honest story on some of the hacks you might have heard about, including food order, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon, and whether any of them are actually worth trying. Find Megan at joynutritionstudio.com.au [http://joynutritionstudio.com.au] or on Instagram @joy.nutrition.studio [http://joy.nutrition.studio]. Full shownotes: https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-10-protein-fibre-and-fat [https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-10-protein-fibre-and-fat] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Easy ways to add more protein 01:48 Simple ways to eat more fibre 02:16 Why pairing foods matters for blood sugar 04:13 How to build a balanced plate 06:10 How much protein do you need in pregnancy? 09:36 Managing hunger between meals 10:41 Don't forget healthy fats 12:17 Why breakfast can be your superpower 14:05 Lower GI breakfast ideas 15:07 Quick breakfast options for busy mornings 17:18 Easy ways to boost fibre 20:48 Does food order affect blood sugar? 22:52 Can vinegar help lower blood sugar spikes? 24:29 Can cinnamon improve insulin sensitivity?

Building confidence with carbs

This is part two of our four-part nutrition series with dietitian Megan Core from Joy Nutrition Studio. Carbs are usually the first thing that gets put under the microscope after a gestational diabetes diagnosis - but cutting them out isn't the answer. In this episode, Megan breaks down what carbohydrates actually are, how they work in your body, and why glucose is essential fuel during pregnancy. We cover the difference between simple and complex carbs, how the glycemic index works, what typical carb targets look like for GDM, and how to spread them across the day to avoid those big spikes and crashes. Plus - practical meal and snack ideas, a fridge hack worth knowing about, and why sleep and stress can affect your blood sugar just as much as what you eat. Find Megan at joynutritionstudio.com.au [http://joynutritionstudio.com.au] or on Instagram @joy.nutrition.studio [http://joy.nutrition.studio]. Full shownotes: https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-9-building-confidence-with-carbs [https://heygestie.com/blogs/podcast/ep-9-building-confidence-with-carbs] ---------------------------------------- Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Let’s talk about carbs 00:54 What are carbohydrates? 02:01 Why your body needs glucose 02:55 Why you shouldn’t restrict carbs 05:58 Ketones and gestational diabetes 07:06 Simple vs complex carbohydrates 10:00 Why high GI carbs can be deceptive 11:38 Understanding the Glycemic Index (GI) 14:15 How many carbs do you actually need? 17:54 Measuring carbs: cooked or uncooked? 18:44 What 45g of carbs looks like 21:19 Can cooling carbs reduce spikes? 22:28 Easy snack ideas for GD 24:51 Why am I still hungry? 28:26 What to do when something spikes you 28:48 Other things that affect blood sugar