Gestational diabetes is marked by high glucose during pregnancy. When you are pregnant, your blood glucose supplies the energy for you and your growing baby. The demand on insulin, the mechanism that moves glucose into the cells that need it, can be too much for insulin to keep up in some women. This may result in hyperglycemia, or an unsafe elevation in blood glucose. Exercising after a meal, such as dinner, is helpful for controlling hyperglycemia but also providing your body with the glucose it needs to sustain the exercise.
Exercise After Dinner
Exercising after a meal often is the preferred time for individuals with gestational diabetes. While regular exercise does help control high blood glucose, you also need to be sure that exercise does not deplete your blood glucose, and that is possible, even with gestational diabetes, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Begin exercise within the hour after eating. If you plan to exercise later, such as two hours or longer after dinner, have a snack containing 15 g of carbohydrates before exercising. If you exercise right after dinner, have a 15 g carbohydrate snack after you've finished exercising. Your doctor may have a specific time for you to exercise. Consult with your physician and follow his guidelines.
Blood Glucose Levels
Starting exercise with too high or low of blood glucose is dangerous, so take your blood glucose levels before exercising. Within one hour after a meal, your glucose level should not be higher than 140 mg/dL. If it is, you may want to wait until it goes down before exercising. Also, avoid exercise if your blood glucose is lower than 85 mg/dL. Have a snack and wait for your glucose to rise above this number before exercising.
Safety
Gestational diabetes means taking some extra precautions while you exercise. Always bring plenty of water as well as a carbohydrate-rich snack just in case your blood sugar begins to drop too low. Keep cool by staying hydrated and dressing appropriately. Participate in safe exercise for you and your baby, such as walking. Exercise during pregnancy should not involve any contact sports, jumping, twisting, balancing, speed or heavy lifting. Stop exercising if you are dizzy, breathless or feel like you will faint. Also stop if you experience pain in the abdomen or back or feel your heartbeat becoming irregular. Always consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Benefits
Regular exercise can help keep your blood glucose under control. When you exercise, the muscular contractions have an insulin-like effect on your muscular cells. Inside your muscles, rhythmical contractions stimulate receptors to open and accept glucose from your bloodstream. Participating in regular exercise for 30 minutes or more each day is ideal for blood glucose control. However, check with your doctor about the frequency appropriate for your condition.
References
- Cleveland Clinic.org: Gestational Diabetes
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; Gestational Diabetes; 2006
- LifeClinic.com: Glucose Control -- Exercise
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; Mithcell H. Whaley, Ph.D., et al.; 2006
- Mount Nittany Medical Center: Gestational Diabetes: Getting Exercise
- "Exercise Physiology"; George A. Brooks, et al.; 2003
