This is one of those posts I wish I’d read the night before my appointment.
If you’ve got a glucose test coming up, or you’re lying awake doing a 3am panic scroll thinking “can I still have tea in the morning?” — this one’s for you.
“Pregnancy admin is heavy — this is one detail you don’t need to learn the hard way.“
The glucose tolerance test is usually offered between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy (mine will now actually be later) and do always double-check your own appointment details (remember you can access all your booked appointments on badger notes and it has contact for your care team too here), and it’s used to screen for gestational diabetes. It’s important. It’s routine. And it only works properly if it’s done fasted.
And here’s the bit that can easily get missed…
It’s fasted from 10pm the night before. Not just for the two hours after the glucose drink. Not just the morning of the test.
You need to fast from 10pm the night before your appointment. That means:
- No food after 10pm
- No tea, coffee, milk, or sugary drinks
- Water only
The test is done in the morning specifically because you’ve been fasted overnight, which gives accurate baseline results.
This should be clearly explained at your midwife appointment. Often it is.
But if it isn’t… or if it’s mentioned once and lost in the blur of pregnancy admin… it’s an easy thing to forget.
Why I’m writing this (aka: the toast incident)
I’ve had a glucose test before with my first child, so I thought I knew the drill.
Turns out — I did not.
I arrived at the hospital early for my 9am glucose test feeling quietly proud of myself… until I mentioned I’d had a cup of tea and a piece of toast that morning. In the car. Because pregnancy hunger and common sense told me I should eat.
I was very kindly — but rightly — turned away.
No test.
No “we’ll just see how it goes.”
Just a reschedule and a slow walk back to the car, thinking about that toast with deep regret.
So if you’re unsure, second-guessing, or reading this at silly o’clock — please don’t do what I did.
Quick checklist to save you the hassle
- Your glucose test is usually 24–28 weeks
- It’s a morning appointment
- Fast from 10pm the night before
- Water only during the fast
- Ask your midwife or check your appointment letter if unsure
And if you do accidentally eat or drink something?
Tell them. It’s better to reschedule than get inaccurate results.
A final mum-to-mum note
Pregnancy comes with a lot of information, a lot of appointments, and a lot of mental load. Forgetting one detail doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong — it just means you’re human and growing a whole person.
So consider this your friendly heads-up, your late-night reassurance, or the post you send to a pregnant friend with a “read this before tomorrow” message attached.
- No Toast
- No Tea
- Water only
- From 10pm
You’ve got this.
