Diet Samples
Monitoring Blood Glucose Levels During Gestational Diabetes
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
Here are some tips to follow if you have gestational diabetes
- Eat small meals throughout the day.
- Do not skip meals or snacks.
- Carbohydrates should consist of about 40 to 45% of your total calories.
- 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.
- 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
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
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Total is 25 to 35 pounds
Related Information on Gestational Diabetes:
Tags: blood glucose levels, labor complications, meal plans, Symptoms
