If you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it means your blood sugar has risen too high during pregnancy. Babies of mothers with gestational diabetes often grow too large, increasing the risk of birth-related complications. In addition, women with gestational diabetes often develop Type 2 diabetes later in life, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Fortunately, you probably can control your gestational diabetes by exercising and eating a healthy diet for the rest of your pregnancy.
Carbohydrates
Although you may base most of your meals around sources of carbohydrates -- cereal, bread and pasta, for example -- gestational diabetes means you may need to cut back on those carbs. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, women with gestational diabetes should try to get less than half their total calories from carbohydrates. Specifically, you should cut way back on or eliminate sweets. Instead, emphasize less-processed sources of carbohydrates, such as whole grains, starchy vegetables and beans -- try for six servings a day of these. You also should consume at least three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit every day. Make sure to get plenty of fiber -- 25 g or more each day -- even while you're cutting back on carbs, since fiber may help your body manage gestational diabetes.
Protein
You can get protein from dairy products and meat, along with nuts, eggs, beans and whole grains. Ideally, you should consume two to four servings of low-fat dairy products each day if you have gestational diabetes; this should ensure you get the calcium you need and also help you manage your blood sugar. In addition, get two to three servings of low-fat meat, chicken, eggs, fish or a vegetarian protein source each day to provide the rest of your protein needs.
Fats
You shouldn't cut back too much on fat as part of your healthy diet for gestational diabetes, since your growing baby needs fat for brain development and fat may help you quell hunger pangs. However, watch out for saturated fat, found in fatty cuts of beef and pork such as hamburger and bacon, along with dairy products such as cheese and butter. Watch out for "hidden fats" in products such as sauces and salad dressings -- they can quickly add significant fat to your diet. Instead, switch to plant-based oils such as olive oil, canola oil and safflower oil -- a drizzle of olive oil instead of a dollop of store-bought blue cheese dressing can make your salads healthier.
Considerations
Even though you're technically "eating for two," you may not need to gain very much weight throughout the rest of your pregnancy, especially if you have gestational diabetes. Your obstetrician will track your weight and tell you how many pounds you should gain each month during your pregnancy, and you also should discuss how many calories you should consume each day. You'll need to keep close tabs on your weight gain and carefully monitor your caloric intake, because you could risk pregnancy complications if you start to gain weight too fast or even if you lose weight when you have gestational diabetes.
