I cured myself – by losing 8st in 10 months

SARAH DUNKLEY was a typically excited expectant mother until a routine urine test after just eight weeks showed she had gestational diabetes, writes Matthew Barbour.

Sarah, 31, from Dartford, Kent, weighed 16st when she became pregnant, rising to 20st when her daughter Eleanor was born in 2017. ‘I never thought gestational diabetes would affect me because I felt well in myself and wasn’t diabetic.’

In fact, up to one in four pregnant women in the UK has gestational diabetes – linked to obesity and age, as older mothers-to-be are more at risk. ‘Normally, gestational diabetes is picked up around 28 weeks, so my case was very extreme,’ adds Sarah.

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to be larger at birth, become obese themselves and to go on to develop type 2 diabetes as teenagers or young adults.

The condition is also linked to complicated labours and the deaths of babies soon after birth. Mothers themselves are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes at a later date. Research suggests gestational diabetes is linked to changes in the unborn baby’s DNA. Further work led by Professor Karen Lillycrop, at the University of Southampton, is investigating whether, if mothers eat more healthily, they can protect against these genetic changes.

Sarah, who is married to prison officer Ben, 31, was told she would have to inject insulin eight times every day to protect her unborn baby’s health. At first I was in floods of tears because I simply couldn’t get the needle in – Ben had to help me. Very careful carb counting was also needed to regulate my blood-glucose levels.’

Eleanor, now 22 months old, was born by planned caesarean section in August 2017 at 38 weeks. Sarah says not being able to have a natural birth – due to her health problems – ‘was a massive wake-up call’.

‘Before Eleanor was born I’d have toast for breakfast, a sandwich and crisps for lunch, a burger and chips for dinner, and grazed constantly on biscuits, chocolate and crisps. ‘I started having fresh fruit and natural fat-free yogurt for breakfast, baked chicken or fish and salad for lunch. I tried to stick to between 800 and 1,200 calories a day and exercised for an hour. I lost 8st in ten months.’

In November 2018, Sarah became pregnant again. ‘I weighed just 10st and felt healthier than ever. I had no sign of gestational diabetes this time, which is a relief.’