Controlling Gestational Diabetes

Learn about Gestational Diabetes and its symptoms. Diabetes during pregnancy. Your pregnant child and diabetes.

Controlling Gestational Diabetes

In order to control gestational diabetes, several lifestyle changes must be undertaken for the health of you and your baby:

• - Eating a Balanced Diet (Meal Plan diet)
• - Control of Weight
• - Get Regular Excercise and Physical Activity
• - Monitor Blood Glucose Levels
• - Get Regular Check ups
• - Monitor Fetal Growth
• - (Insulin injections - in some cases as determined by your doctor)

Controlling gestational diabetes is very important and should always be supervised by a medical doctor.  When gestational diabetes is controlled, it will help to prevent serious complications during and after your pregnancy. Also, you will help ensure your baby is born healthy.

Using Diet to Control Gestational Diabetes

Diet can be used effectively to control and keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels in check. Help from a dietician or doctor will be helpful here.

You will be given several guidelines to follow in the form of a meal plan made especially for women with gestational diabetes. You will need to eat nutritous food for yourself and your baby, but will need to keep junk food to a minimum.  Also, it will be important to time when you eat and how much to eat, if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  This will help keep your blood glucose levels in your target range. Doing light physical activities, such as walking after each meal, can be helpful. Ask your doctor about this. You may be asked to monitor your blood glucose using a glucose meter (glucometer) so that you can see how the food you are eating and your activity levels are affecting your blood sugar.

Tips to Control Gestational Diabetes

In summary to control gestational diabetes you will be advised by your doctor to:

• Keep junk food and sweets to a minimum (or not at all)
• Eat three small meals a day
• Snacks from one to three every day
  
  
• Watch when and how much carbohydrate-rich food you eat; Follow your gestational diabetes meal plan.
• Eat plenty of fiber in the form of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain bread and cereals
  

Using Exercise as a Method of Controlling Gestational Diabetes

It is also very important to be active during pregnancy with gestional diabetes because exercise lowers blood sugar. Exercise is very beneficial in keep your blood glucose levels within range.  Walking, swimming, and other low impact physical activity are all good exercises for women with gestaional diabetes. Ask your doctor and health care team about the type of physical activity that is best for you during your pregnancy. If you have been exercising, tell your health care team what physical activity you do.

Controlling Gestational Diabetes Using Insulin

Most women with gestational diabetes usually can control their blood sugar levels with exercise and diet, although 10% to 15% require insulin injections. Your doctor will decide if you require insulin injections to control your gestational diabetes, in addition to a meal plan and physical activity in order to maintain proper blood sugar levels.  Insulin will not harm your baby as it normally cannot move to the baby's bloodstream from yours.

While gestational diabetes usually goes away after delivery, women with gestational diabetes have a 50 percent risk of developing diabetes later in their life, and also have a 50 percent chance of gestational diabetes in a subsequent pregnancy. Starting a weight loss and physical activity program after delivery can help reduce your risk for diabetes later in life and improve the health of your baby.

Learn about Gestational Diabetes and its symptoms. Diabetes during pregnancy. Your pregnant child and diabetes.

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