How to deal with gestational diabetes for a healthier pregnancy.

 

Gestational diabetes affects 10% of pregnant women in the United States. It can go unnoticed for many months, and although it is relatively harmless, it can cause disorders if not treated effectively. The good news about all of this is that, there are many changes in your lifestyle that can greatly help you manage, improve and even help you avoid gestational diabetes from the beginning. If you are pregnant, this article will be very useful to you. Ready? Let’s begin.

What is gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are high, and your body is unable to process that sugar.

In the normal functioning of the body there are two hormones that regulate the amount of glucose in the blood. These two hormones are produced in the pancreas.

Insulin is the hormone that is produced when after eating food, glucose levels rise, insulin is the one that helps that glucose get into the different cells of the body to be used as an energy source. In some cases, this glucose is stored as glycogen to be used as energy between meals.

The second hormone is glucagon. This last hormone is release when receptors alert the brain that blood glucose levels are low. Glucagon releases the glucose into the blood from the reservoirs to be used as an energy source.

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops in some women during pregnancy.

When a woman is pregnant, the placenta that supports the developing baby might impair her body’s ability to use insulin. The result of this is insulin resistance that triggers symptoms similar to those of type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born. However, it is a risk factor for the later development of type 2 diabetes.

There are two types of gestational diabetes. Women with type 1 can usually manage it through diet and exercise. Those who have type 2 need to take insulin or other medications.

Time of the day	Blood glucose level (mg/dL)
Before breakfast	Person without diabetes: 100 mg/dL	Person with diabetes: 70–13
2 hours after a meal	Person without diabetes: Less than 140 mg/dL	Person with diabetes: Less than 180 mg/dL
At bedtime	Person without diabetes: 120 mg/dL	Person with diabetes: 90–150 mg/dL

Symptoms of gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes usually does not show many symptoms, therefore it almost always goes unnoticed for months before being diagnosed. Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed in a series of routine blood tests that take place between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. However, in patients at high risk for gestational diabetes, they are screened earlier.

Among the most frequent symptoms that women can experience if they are developing a picture of diabetes are:

• Frequent urination, more often than usual: The kidneys respond to high blood sugar by trying to get rid of excess glucose.
• Excessive thirst ( therefore the frequent urination): The kidneys can cause dehydration and feelings of intense thirst when trying to regulate blood sugar.
• Feeling excessively hungry: High blood sugar does not directly cause feelings of hunger. However, a drop in insulin often causes hunger when it accompanies high blood sugar.

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Gestational Diabetes Prevention

There are some changes in your lifestyle that you can make, even before you get pregnant, to stay at a lower risk of developing gestational diabetes, among these changes are:

• Eating a healthy diet for at least 6 months before you are planning to have a pregnancy. In the case an unexpected pregnancy happens, don’t worry, as soon as you know you are pregnant, stick to healthy eating habits.
• Staying active: Performing physical exercise as part of your routine is very beneficial for general health. But when you know you are planning a pregnancy, even more.
• Losing extra weight: As a result of healthy eating habits, and physical activity, you will find that you begin to lose weight, probably reaching your ideal weight. This is fantastic, having a few extra pounds will not only prevent you from conceiving a pregnancy quickly, but it will also put you at higher risk of other conditions during pregnancy, such as diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

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Gestational diabetes treatment.

The most common treatment for gestational diabetes is going to be Healthy diet and Exercise.

• Eat a healthy, low-sugar diet: Follow a meal plan made for someone with gestational diabetes. Talk to your doctor to be sure you’re getting the right nutrition you and your baby need. Change sugary snacks like cookies, candy, and ice cream for natural sugars found in fruits, carrots, and raisins. Add vegetables and whole grains, and watch your portion sizes.
• Exercise during your pregnancy: Try to get active on the regular basis. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity multiple days of the week. Running, walking, swimming, and biking are all good options. Always check with the doctor first.

What foods you should eat with gestational diabetes?

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a helpful guide called MyPlate to help you learn how to build a healthy plate for each meal.

For example, each meal should be 25 percent protein, 25 percent starch, and 50 percent non-starchy foods, such as vegetables or salad.

Here are a few healthy choices for snacks and meals if you have gestational diabetes:

• Fresh or frozen vegetables, especially steamed ones.
• Eggs or egg whites.
• Steel-cut oatmeal topped with berries.
• Fresh fruit, small portions.
• Skinless chicken breasts.
• Baked fish.
• Unsweetened Greek yogurt.

What foods should you avoid with gestational diabetes?

• Sugary drinks suck as soda or sweetened juices.
• Fast food.
• Alcohol.
• Fried foods.
• Starchy foods like white potatoes or rice.
• Candy.
• Baked foods with high sugar levels, such as muffins, donuts, cakes.

Related posts:

What to eat for a healthy pregnancy. PDF inside.

First trimester must do’s to achieve a healthy pregnancy.

How to get prepared to manage pain during childbirth.

Tips to get pregnant fast. Downloadable PDF.

Final thoughts.

As you can see, managing gestational diabetes requires a lot of will and discipline.

Always check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

Your doctor may also suggest the supervision of a dietitian to develop a specific plan for you.

The complications of gestational diabetes can be many, but the most common is fetal macrosomia (baby larger than 9 pounds), high risk of preeclampsia, and risk of premature delivery. But if you follow your doctor’s instructions, combined with a healthy diet and moderate physical exercise, you are probably going to be able to finish without any complications.

If this article was useful to you, share it to other mommies.

Zadi, xo.

Disclaimer: The medical information on this post is for educational and entertainment use only. Under no circumstances, this information is to replace your doctor’s advice or to treat any disease. For proper care, always visit your doctor.