Gestational diabetes is the inability to control your blood sugar levels during pregnancy. It puts you and your baby at risk of developing health complications as a result of high blood sugar levels. Children born to mothers with uncontrolled blood sugars can be born 9 lbs. or larger and have problems with managing their own blood sugars. Other risk factors include fetal death and diabetes later in life.
Breakfast
Due to high resistance to insulin in the early morning hours, your breakfast should contain the smallest amount of carbohydrate possible. According to the South Dakota Gestational Diabetes Care Guidelines, your carbohydrate limit should be less than 30g to prevent raising your blood sugar levels more. Avoid all fruits and fruit juices, milk and dairy products, and foods made with simple sugars, such as sweet rolls, muffins and sweet cereals. These foods can rapidly raise your blood sugar level when placenta hormones may prevent your body from using available glucose efficiently.
Calories
Your total calories and the portions of your meals affect the blood sugar levels of you and your baby. Distributing your calories equally between meals puts a smaller carbohydrate load on your body. Most pregnant females do well staying within 2,000 to 2,400 calories, according to certified diabetes educator Deborah Thomas-Doberson. The appropriate calorie level for women with gestational diabetes is usually based more on pre-pregnancy weight, physical activity level, age and when the condition develops. Recommended calorie levels suggested for gestational diabetes are 30 calories per kilogram of pre-pregnancy weight in the first trimester, 36 calories per kilogram pre-pregnancy weight in the second trimester and 38 calories per kilogram of pre-pregnancy weight in the third trimester.
Significance of Snacks
Having small snacks between your main meals helps lower your carbohydrate intake but also ensure adequate calories for fetal support and growth. Preventing digestive overload with large meals helps a pregnant female with gestational diabetes manage blood sugar levels naturally and possibly prevent the use of insulin to manage her condition.
Carbohydrate Restriction
A carbohydrate restriction of 35 to 40 percent of total calories improves blood sugar levels, according to the American Diabetes Association position statement on gestational diabetes. This lower level of carbohydrate works with circulating insulin levels and placenta hormones. There is debate whether this small amount of carbohydrate is too restrictive, but baby and mother outcomes have improved with this lower carbohydrate intake.
Prevention of Diabetes
Gestational diabetes increases the mother's risk of developing type 2 diabetes seven to 10 years after having the condition, up to 60 percent of females that had this condition develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, according to Thomas-Doberson. The condition appears to illuminate pancreas dysfunction in women, who may be predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes. The complicated pregnancy gives a window of opportunity to manage weight gain during pregnancy but sets the stage for post-partum management of weight and dietary habits for prevention of the diabetic disease.
