What happens when you are pregnant and have too much sugar in your blood?
This condition is called Gestational Diabetes.
It happens even to a mother who does not have a history of diabetes.
Two Types of Gestational Diabetes
- Type A1: Can be managed through diet and exercise.
- Type A2: Requires insulin and medication to manage the condition.
What to do if you have Gestational Diabetes
Despite having gestational diabetes, your baby will likely be healthy. If you have been diagnosed, you and your doctor will have to focus on managing your blood sugar levels.
Right after birth, your doctor will check on your condition. Although gestational diabetes can go away for the mother after giving birth, there are records of it possibly affecting the baby’s health, increasing their risk of getting Type II Diabetes later in life.
Here are steps you can take to ensure you and your baby remain healthy:
- Work to improve your diet and eat healthy foods.
- Establish a regular workout routine.
- Consider weight loss.
Consult professionals like your gynecologist or a nutritionist to help. There are also lots of reading materials from well-published websites that can help ease your journey.
Symptoms to Watch For
Generally, gestational diabetes may not have any obvious symptoms. However, some may experience mild signs such as:
- Easily fatigued
- Excessive thirst
- Increased frequency in urinary urgency
- Snoring
- Increased weight gain
As you can see, these are fairly generic, so just be aware of the changes in your body.
General Nutrition Rules
While we are on the topic of nutrition, here are a few general rules to pay attention to, whether or not you have gestational diabetes:
- Have a healthy, low-sugar diet.
- Focus on natural sugars like fruits, carrots, and raisins. Trade away sugary snacks like cookies, candy, and ice cream.
- Add vegetables and whole grains. Watch your portion sizes.
- Have three small meals along with two or three snacks at about the same times every day.
- Get 40% of your daily calories from carbs and 20% from protein. 50% of the carbs should be complex, high-fiber carbs, with fat being between 25% and 30%.
- Aim for 20-35 grams of fiber a day. Eat foods like whole-grain cereals, brown rice, oatmeal, vegetables, and fruits.
- Limit your total fat to less than 40% of your daily calories (less than 10% should be saturated fat).
- Don’t stick to only a single type of food. A variety can help nourish you with different vitamins and minerals.
- If your diet lacks certain vitamins, be sure to consult your doctor before taking supplements.
The Do’s and Don’ts
Do
- See a nutritionist.
- Have a diet plan.
- Snack when you are hungry.
- Understand other important factors affecting your diet.
Don’t
- Get your advice only from Google.
- Cut out all carbs.
- Stop snacking.
- Stress and blame yourself if you have high blood sugar levels.
