Hi,
I am Radka Kahlefeldt, wife, mother, professional triathlete, and currently 30 weeks pregnant with our second child.
I would like to share with you my journey through my second pregnancy and I would like to share with you some of my ideas, tips, and fun facts.
First pregnancy
When I was pregnant with our first child Ruby in 2017/2018 I was loving every part of it. I have enjoyed even the little bit of morning sickness in the first trimester as I thought it was just funny how I couldn’t decide what to eat. I loved and enjoyed watching my body, moods, and energy levels to change. It felt all pretty easy and I couldn’t understand why some women really hated being pregnant.
I had all the time for myself and my daily routines. I was able to swim, bike and run all the way until my delivery date.
Then, our daughter Ruby was born in January. It was the best day of our lives.
I was able to get back to really easy training a few days after she was born and again, we were really lucky as she was sleeping and feeding well.
I had my two best years of racing in 2018 and 2019 and have enjoyed traveling to races all over the world with her.
Ups and downs
Then, in 2020, Covid 19 destroyed all our plans for the 2020 season full of racing. Brad and I have decided to try to use this forced break for the whole world in a good way and try to expand our little family.
Again, we were lucky and I got pregnant after a few months of trying.
I expected the same pregnancy as the first one, but it was all different.
The first trimester was really bad. I was very tired and pretty sick. There were days when I thought I couldn’t get out of my bed. I had to keep going because I had obligations. I am a mum and I had to make sure Ruby is taken care of.
I had trouble doing proper grocery shopping as I was sick when even just looking at some foods. At one stage I would refuse to buy cereals, whole grain bread, carrots, etc. I think I have survived thanks to instant noodle soups and ginger beer.
I was often also pretty grumpy. I think that was a difficult time also for Brad as he wasn’t sure who this Radka is.
Some days I just felt like crying and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get to the next day. It actually helped me to share my feelings with my doctor, who actually told me, that many women decide to terminate their pregnancy during the first trimester as they can’t deal with all the tiredness, sickness, and hormonal changes.
Luckily when I reached 12 weeks all the morning sickness was gone and I got my energy back. It was great and I started enjoying being pregnant again. I could eat and cook in a normal way again and my training was back on track as well.
Also Ruby could see the change as she was surprised why would mummy go to “spit” in the toilet (she would ask me if I had too much chocolate).
Gestational diabetes
I felt pretty happy and healthy and the time was flying. Then, just before Christmas when I was 24 weeks pregnant, my doctor sent me to do a Gestational diabetes test. I remember hating the test when I was pregnant with Ruby. The 2,5 hours in the waiting room at the pathology on a fasting stomach and drinking this disgusting sweet drink. Well, I had to do the test again. It didn’t feel that bad this time, but then, a few days later I got a phone call from my doctor, telling me not to stress too much, but I have gestational diabetes (very borderline). She told me to keep eating and enjoying the Christmas break without any restrictions and then come on the 5th of January to the clinic.
My brain totally ignored the “do not stress” as it isn’t easy for anyone to hear. I just didn’t know much about GD and I thought I must have done something wrong. So at first, I was angry about myself, then angry about the whole world and then just sad.
I have read a lot about GD. I haven’t touched any sweet stuff over the Christmas break and I was mainly on salads, nuts, greek yogurt and meat. Again, I started to be a bit grumpy as the only thing I could think about was GD and what to eat and what not to eat. It also didn’t help that I didn’t know if I was eating right.
The doctor’s / diabetitian’s appointment helped a lot, mainly because I got a blood glucose testing machine. I have to test my glucose levels 4x per day and write all the levels down and then email them weekly to the hospital. If I can keep the levels within the range, I can get through the pregnancy without medication and if the levels will get higher, I will have to start injecting insulin.
Looking forward
Now, after testing for a while, I feel pretty good about it all, I know how much, when and what to eat and I feel like I have learned a lot about my body. I have to make sure I eat small amounts of food regularly throughout the day. I am choosing foods with low GI (glycemic index)
Ruby also understands that mummy can’t finish her ice creams and chocolates as the baby doesn’t like them. She even loves to play “doctor” when she helps to test my GL and pricks my finger.
I know that even if I keep eating like I am now, it is possible, that the GL will be rising but that I can’t influence. It is the placenta and the hormones that are creating all the changes in my body. So I will see. I will try to stay relaxed about it but who knows.
This GB made me realise again how important is our health and how we can’t take anything for granted.
I am still feeling good, I can still swim, bike and run although I am feeling a little bit more tired now and it doesn’t really help that there really isn’t much time to take a nap when you already have one busy toddler.
But I am loving it and I think all this is keeping me still pretty fit.
Let’s see what the last 10 weeks of pregnancy will bring.
Until then,
Radka
