Managing Gestational Diabetes

• Blood Glucose Monitoring
• Nutritional Guidelines
• Additional Resources
• Working With a Health Care Team

Blood Glucose Monitoring

All patients with gestational diabetes should perform home blood glucose monitoring as directed by their personal physician or diabetes educator.


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Nutritional Guidelines

Women with gestational diabetes should receive nutritional counseling from a registered dietitian who can advise them on meeting the nutritional needs of pregnancy while maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.

Listed below are basic nutritional guidelines for managing gestational diabetes.

• Keep daily food and blood glucose records.
  
• Eat three small meals and three small snacks every day (two to three hours apart).
  
• Do not skip meals or snacks.
  
• Eat breakfast no more than 10 hours after going to bed.
  
• Drink plenty of fluids.
  
• Limit coffee to two cups daily.
  
• Do not consume alcoholic beverages.
  
• Use artificial sweeteners in moderation.
  
• Avoid fruit, fruit juice, milk and instant hot or cold cereal at breakfast.
  
• Avoid eating sweets (mithai) like candies, burfi, gulab, jamoon and ladoo.
  
• Gain weight slowly.
  
• Exercise 15 to 20 minutes after every meal.
  
• Eat high-fiber foods.
  
• Manage stress, which increases blood glucose levels.

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Additional Resources

• Asian Indian Sample Menu, California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program
  
• Asian Indian Food Pyramid for Gestational Diabetes, California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program

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Working With a Health Care Team

It is very important for patients with gestational diabetes to maintain contact with their health care team, including their OB/Gyn, diabetes educator, registered dietitian and endocrinologist, throughout pregnancy. A woman's health care providers will work together to monitor the following:

• Blood glucose levels
  
• Nutrition and diet
  
• Weight gain
  
• Exercise
  
• Kick counts (baby's activity)
  
• Blood pressure
  
• Urine tests
  
• Baby's growth and size
  
• Need for insulin

During visits, the health care provider may also discuss stress management, barriers to achieving good blood glucose control and plans for the baby after birth.
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