The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that gestational diabetes occurs in 1 to 14 percent of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes usually occurs in the fifth to sixth month of pregnancy. It occurs when the placenta produces hormones that render insulin ineffective, which makes your blood sugar rise too high or too low. If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you may be confused about what this means and how you will need to eat to keep your blood sugar stable. Your doctor and a dietitian can help you understand how to manage your diabetes.
Blood Sugar
If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you may need to check your blood sugar four to five times a day. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you check your blood sugar in the morning when you wake up and after you eat a meal. Checking your blood sugar often is necessary to ensure your blood sugar stays within a target range. While you are following a gestational diabetes meal plan, you should keep your fasting blood sugar less than 95, and your blood sugar two hours after a meal should be less than 120.
Meal Plan
To keep your gestational diabetes under control, you need to eat the right types of food and the right amount of food at the right times throughout the day. You should have three meals and three snacks throughout day. Eating healthier food while you are pregnant will not only stabilize your blood sugar, but will help you avoid excess weight gain. It is important to include all food groups in your meal plan to make sure you get adequate calories, vitamins and minerals for you and your baby. During your pregnancy, you should follow a meal plan that will allow you to gain 24 to 30 lbs.; however, if you were overweight when you got pregnant you may need to gain less. Your doctor will tell you an appropriate amount of weight gain. Carbohydrates affect your blood sugar. Carbohydrates are found in grains, cereals, breads, fruits and some vegetables. You will need to find the right amount of carbohydrates necessary to keep your blood sugar under control, but that will also provide you with the right amount of energy each day. If you are confused about what you can and can't eat, consult a dietitian to develop a meal plan.
Breakfast
While you are pregnant, the placenta releases hormones during the night, and your blood glucose levels will usually be elevated at breakfast. To keep your blood sugar within a normal range, avoid fruits and juices at breakfast. Bagels, cereals and sugary sweet rolls should also be avoided. The CDC recommends that you only eat 30 g of carbohydrates at breakfast. A good breakfast example is one egg, one slice of whole-wheat toast, 1 tbsp. trans-fat-free margarine and 12 oz. of nonfat milk. Protein will not affect your blood sugar, so choose foods for breakfast that are high in protein.
Lunch/Dinner
For lunch and dinner, divide your plate into two. Divide one of those halves into two. The large half of the plate should contain non-starchy vegetables. One-fourth of the plate should contain breads, cereals, rice or other carbohydrates. The other one-fourth of the plate should contain lean sources of protein. For lunch eat a piece a fruit, 1 cup of low-fat milk, 3 oz. of grilled chicken, 1/2 cup of broccoli and a green salad. For dinner, try 1/2 cup of black beans, one tortilla, 12 to 15 grapes, 2 oz. of lean beef, 1/2 cup salsa and 1/2 cup of green beans.
Snacks
Snacks should include15 g of carbohydrates combined with a source of protein. Some examples of appropriate snack options are one slice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter, 1 cup of berries with 1/4 cup of cottage cheese, 1 oz. of cheddar cheese and six whole-wheat crackers.
