Gestational Diabetes Treatment

You’re pregnant but you have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and right now you are very scared. But be reassured that most women who have developed gestational diabetes have given birth to healthy babies. And also remember that you are the most important person to promote a healthy pregnancy because there is a lot of self-care involved.

The treatment for gestational diabetes demands that you make healthy choices. You will need to change the way you eat and how much exercise you need to keep your blood glucose level within a normal range. Managing your blood glucose is the most important way to prevent problems during both pregnancy and birth. You will also need to maintain a healthy pregnancy weight as well as monitor your glucose levels daily. If necessary you may need to inject daily insulin depending on how your blood levels remain.

When you are diagnosed, your doctor’s nurse will provide you with a glucometer and teach you how to monitor your own blood sugar at home each day. This is the way you are able to make sure that your diet and exercise are working for you. You will need to test regularly, before and about two hours after meals.

Because you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will set up a consultation for you with a registered dietitian to help you design a healthy diet plan. This plan will help address your blood glucose level and also provide your growing baby with needed calories and nutrition. Proper diet also helps your body use insulin more efficiently if you are on it.

Your dietitian will help you with a diet which provides you with about 2,200 to 2,500 calories per day if you are of average weight. If you are overweight you will be asked to restrict your diet to about 1,800 calories per day.

You will need to balance your diet with about 10-20% of calories coming from protein sources such as meats, cheese, eggs, legumes, and seafood. Less than 30% of your calories will need to come from fats with less than 10% of these calories coming from saturated fats. The rest of your daily calories need to come from carbohydrate sources such as cereals, breads, rice, pasta, fruits and vegetables.

To help the blood sugar level to stay within normal range you will need to:

• Avoid sugar and those foods which are high in sugar.
• Eat fiber-rich foods such as breads, whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables.
• Eat complex carbohydrates such as rice, grains, pasta, crackers, cereals, bread, dried beans, potatoes and peas.
• Avoid saturated fats such as butter, fatty meats, cream, whole milk cheeses and bacon.
• You will be advise before bedtime to eat a snack that is based on carbohydrates and protein

Talk to your doctor about the right exercise for you. Women are advised to exercise at least 3 or 4 days a week with each session lasting 15 to 30 minutes. Strenuous activity should be avoided and you should not become overheated. If you have not exercised before your pregnancy, a gradual approach is advised. Your doctor will tell you where there are any specific limitations.

Your most advantageous weight gain depends on your weight pre-pregnancy. If you are at a desired weight for your body height and size than a weight gain limit of 25 to 35 pounds is recommended. But if you are 20 pounds or more above the desired weight, your weight gain should be limited to 20 to 24 pounds. If you are underweight, a gain of 28 to 36 pounds is recommended. But each doctor usually has their own view on pregnancy weight gain.

Insulin injections may be necessary if the exercising and dietary changes do not bring your blood glucose level within normal range. A doctor will usually recommend insulin when 2 abnormal glucose values occur in one week. Your doctor will prescribe the type of insulin you need and his nurse will train you on giving yourself injections.

During the last weeks or months before your due date, there will be careful monitoring of your baby, using ultrasound, fetal movements, fetal monitoring and non-stress and stress tests.

• Ultrasound will be used to determine your baby’s position and size.
• Fetal movement involve you recording the total number of times the baby kicks or moves within a 2 hour period.
• Fetal monitoring is measuring your baby’s heart rate and during delivery the frequency and strength of contractions.

Just remember that the great majority of women with gestational diabetes have healthy, happy babies with no complications or other problems. Your doctor is there to help you.

But you also have a majority of the responsibility for your pregnancy by keeping to your diet and exercising regularly as well as maintaining to your insulin therapy.