Testing your blood glucose multiple times a day will help you decide if your current diet and exercise plan is keeping your blood sugar level within a good range to protect both you and your baby.

Testing Your Blood

Testing your blood glucose levels involves pricking your finger with a lancet device (small sharp needle), placing a drop of blood on a test strip, using a blood glucose meter to get results, recording the results into a log book, then disposing the lancet and strips properly. You will need to bring in your log book to share with your doctor to check your glucose levels and see if any changes to the treatment needs to be made.

Your doctor will show you how to use the glucose meter and will tell you where to get one. You might get lucky and be able to borrow one from your hospital, as many have loaner meter programs for women with gestational diabetes.

To test, you will need:

Test before eating breakfast – plasma reading needs to read below 105
2 Hours after meals – plasma reading should read below 130

Time of Test	Target Blood Sugar Reading
Before breakfast	plasma below 105; whole blood below 95
2 Hours After Meals	plasma below 130; whole blood below 120

Will you need to take insulin?

Based on your blood glucose results, your doctor will tell you if you need to take insulin injections during pregnancy to control your blood glucose.

When taking insulin, a “low blood glucose reaction” or hypoglycemia may occur if you are not eating enough food, skip a meal, exercise more than usual or do not eat at the right time during the day.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

• Confusion
• Headaches
• Sudden hunger
• Sweating
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Feeling shaky

Hypoglycemia is a serious problem and should be treated immediately. If you think you are having a low blood glucose reaction, check your glucose level and if it is less than 60 mg/dL then you must eat a sugar-containing food such as fruit juice, hard candy or honey. Wait 15 minutes and check your blood glucose level again and if it’s still below 60 mg/dL, eat more high sugar foods.

Changing Your Diet

One of the most important tools to controlling diabetes during pregnancy is through food choices. Trying to experience eating healthy meals and snack will help you stabilize your blood sugar and make changes to your overall eating habits. A registered dietician will be able to provide you a more personalized meal plan and develop a personal action plan based on your weight, height, physical activity, and the needs of the growing baby and your level of glucose intolerance. Your personal food preferences will also be taken into account.

Here are some general guidelines to stabilizing your blood sugar naturally when you have gestational diabetes:

• Eat a variety of foods and distribute calories and carbohydrates evenly throughout the day. (So, don’t dig into ice cream at night or get any late night fixes which involve a starchy or high carbohydrate food).
• Don’t skip meals. Create a diet plan (ex: sample gestational diabetes dinner plans). Be consistent about when you eat and the amount of food you eat at each one. Your blood sugar will remain more stable if you distribute your food evenly.
• Carbohydrates should consist of about 40 to 45% of your total calories.
• Eat a healthy and good breakfast. You will need to limit carbohydrates in the morning since your blood sugars may not be stable. Try to avoid breads, cereal, fruit and milk. If you are going to eat one of these items, each a small portion and also eat some protein, like eggs with your meal.
• If you are experiencing morning sickness, eat 1 to 2 servings of crackers, pretzels or cereal before getting out of bed. Eat small meals through the deal.
• Eat high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods will be broken down easily but the fiber will help slow the amount of sugar entering your blood.  Choose foods high in fiber, such as cereals, pasta, fruits, rice and vegetables.
• Fats should be less than 40 percent of calories with less than 10% coming from saturated fats
• Make sure to get enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins
• Limit your intake of foods and beverages that contain simple sugars, like what is found in desserts or fruit juice. These foods can elevate your blood sugar quickly.
• Milk is high in lactose, a type of simple sugar, so if you drink more than a couple glasses a day, you will need to limit the amount you drink. You will need to find an alternative source of calcium. Try using plain soy milk (make sure to double-check the nutrition facts as some have higher carbs than others)

How Much Can I Exercise?

Regular exercise should be safe, mild and at least 3 times a week. Each pregnant woman should consult their doctor on their specific needs before starting an exercise program.

Watching the Weight

Gaining the right amount of weight is crucial for those with gestational diabetes. It isn’t necessary to “eat for two” during pregnancy, as you generally only need to consume an extra 200 to 300 more calories per day. Ask you doctor on how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy.

As a guideline, you should gain about two to four pounds during your first 3 months of pregnancy and about 1 pound per week for the rest of the pregnancy.

Here is where the weight goes:

Baby = 8 pounds
Placenta = 2 to 3 pounds
Amniotic fluid = 2 to 3 pounds
Breast Tissue = 2 to 3 pounds
Blood Supply = 4 pounds
Fat stores for delivery and breastfeeding = 5 to 9 pounds
Uterus increase = 2 to 5 pounds
——————————
Total is 25 to 35 pounds

Eating and Taking Gestational Diabetes Test

More Information About Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes Diet – Gestational Diabetes and Blood Sugar Levels
Complications with Gestational Diabetes – Gestational Diabetes After the Baby