Amy Schumer hits a pregnancy milestone so many moms can relate to

Amy Schumer has not had an easy pregnancy. The comedian has been super open about her experience with HG (Hyperemesis gravidarum), a severe form of morning sickness that can be simply debilitating.

So when we saw Amy swigging down the glucose test orange drink on Instagram this week, we totally understood why she captioned it “Fingers crossed sisters ♀️”.

Mama was probably crossing her fingers not only for a clear gestational diabetes screening but also that she’d be able to keep that orange drink down long enough to get one.

What is the orange drink test?

If you’re not quite as far along in your pregnancy as Schumer is, you may not have had the pleasure of doing the orange drink test, (formally known as the oral glucose tolerance test) just yet.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the one-hour blood glucose challenge is usually done between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy for people experiencing low-risk pregnancies.

You drink the orange drink (it’s not orange juice—mostly just glucose, “orange flavor” and coloring), and wait around at the lab for an hour before having your blood tested.

Some people don’t mind the drink (it’s kind of like Tang or very sweet Kool-Aid) but others (especially those who’ve had a lot of nausea in pregnancy, like Schumer) may have trouble getting it down.

Sometimes people feel nauseated or lightheaded after drinking the orange drink, some people feel no different at all.

Tips before testing

Don’t be embarrassed if you have trouble getting the orange drink down. The medical staff who administer the test are so used to this.

Bring some work or a good book—you’ll be sitting there for a while.

Don’t stress about your results. Two out of three pregnant people who take this test get a clear screening, according to Mount Sanai.

Do pay attention to fasting procedures. For the one-step test you don’t have to fast, but for the two-step test (where blood is taken both before and after the orange drink) you do. Just follow the instructions your doctor gives you and you’ll be fine.

Don’t beat yourself up if your test results aren’t what you’d hoped for.

According to the CDC, “2% to 10% of pregnancies in the United States are affected by gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes puts moms at risk for preeclampsia and having an extra large baby, which can make delivery difficult.

The orange drink may be kind of gross, but it’s important. When a mother knows she has gestational diabetes she can manage her blood sugar and her reduce her risks.

Crossing our fingers for you, Amy!

You might also like:

• How being diagnosed with gestational diabetes became a blessing in disguise
• It’s science: Exercising during pregnancy has lasting benefits for you + your baby
• The important thing you need to know about pregnancy weight gain