Mitzy. asked:


I know someone who is 39 weeks pregnant and was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes around 30 weeks; her numbers are not very high usually like five or so more than what they should be. She is not going to put on insulin they just want her to control her diet. Well, she doesn’t really check her blood sugars and is not following a diet either. The doctors say that the baby is doing very well & I would like to know if her baby will be ok when it is born & are there any consequences she should be worried about? I just want to make sure they will both be ok! :]

Taylor L asked:


I was just diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It explains a lot because I’ve gained weight rapidly without changing my diet, have high levels of amniotic fluid and at 29 weeks my daughter’s weight is estimated at 3.9 lbs! Since the diagnosis last week, I have been following the diet religiously and have been eating small meals every two hours, cutting out sugar and juices and counting carbs. And I have to say that I feel AWFUL. I feel tired and lethargic and feel hungry all the time, and even feel nauseous at times. I felt MUCH better before I was eating worse (carbs, pastas, sugars). Anyone else had this happen? I have an appointment with my doctor in a few days so I’ll ask him there but wanted to know if anyone else has experienced something similar. Is my body just adjusting to this new diet? Or is something wrong? Thanks!!!!

Taylor L asked:


I was just diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It explains a lot because I’ve gained weight rapidly without changing my diet, have high levels of amniotic fluid and at 29 weeks my daughter’s weight is estimated at 3.9 lbs! Since the diagnosis last week, I have been following the diet religiously and have been eating small meals every two hours, cutting out sugar and juices and counting carbs. And I have to say that I feel AWFUL. I feel tired and lethargic and feel hungry all the time, and even feel nauseous at times. I felt MUCH better before I was eating worse (carbs, pastas, sugars). Anyone else had this happen? I have an appointment with my doctor in a few days so I’ll ask him there but wanted to know if anyone else has experienced something similar. Is my body just adjusting to this new diet? Or is something wrong? Thanks!!!!

Approximately 4% of women who are pregnant in the United States will be affected by gestational diabetes. It is a misunderstood disease in that medical research has been unable to pinpoint why women suffer from it during pregnancy only to see it disappear after the baby is born. The stress and increased hormonal activity associated with pregnancy is thought to be a factor but women who are at risk will need to follow a diet for gestational diabetes.

Expectant mothers who were already diabetic at the time of conception will also need to follow this type of diet.

Any woman with gestational diabetes should consult with a registered dietician to help create the proper diet plan for her and her unborn baby. Control of blood sugar levels during pregnancy is of the utmost importance and modification of dietary intake is the best way to accomplish this.

During a pregnancy the goal of the diet for gestational diabetes is to ensure the proper amount of calories and nutrients for the mother and baby while also keeping blood glucose levels under control. The diet itself is individualized to each woman based on her height and weight.

Blood glucose levels will also need be tested and measured at least four times a day. This is done to ensure that the woman’s blood sugars remain under control through out the day. The frequency of testing can be decreased once good glucose control is established but self monitoring will need to continue through out the pregnancy.

It is important that the meal plan meet the nutritional and weight gain needs of a normal pregnancy. During the first trimester of a normal pregnancy the woman should gain from 2 to 4 pounds. Once the second and third trimester starts the weight gain should average a pound a week. Caloric intake will need to be increased by approximately 100 to 300 calories per day during the second trimester. At the same time protein will need to be increased to 10 grams per day. This can be accomplished by drinking 2 glasses of milk or eating 1 to 2 ounces of meat each day.

One of the biggest dangers of inadequate caloric intake is diabetic ketoacidosis. A pregnant woman should never restrict the amount of calories she eats unless so directed by her doctor. The calories she does eat should come from highly nutritious foods and should not be less then 1700 to 1800 per day.

Any pregnant woman who is diagnosed with this dangerous disease will need to follow a diet for gestational diabetes to ensure the health and well being of her unborn baby.

By: Andrew Bicknell

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