Receiving a gestational diabetes diagnosis can be quite a shock. Wheter it makes you worry about your baby, or upset at all the lifestyle changes required, this diagnosis can cause a lot of stress.
You can scroll down this page to find all the information you need to understand and manage your gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is defined as high blood sugar in a pregnant woman who has never had diabetes before.
Carbohydrates are found in many different foods such as pasta, bread and fruit. Knowing about carbohydrates and where to find them will help you manage your diabetes.
The balanced plate model is a simple tool designed to help you prepare your meals.
Reading a nutrition label can help you identify the amount of carbohydrates in the food, as well as check the quality of the ingredients. At first, you might need to compare a lot of products in order to know which foods are best for you.
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is a blood sugar level above normal values. When you have gestational diabetes, the target blood sugar values are below 5,3 mmol/L when fasting and before meals; below 7,8 mmol/L 1 hour after the start of the meal; and below 6,7 mmol/L 2 hours after eating.
Insulin might be necessary when lifestyle changes are not enough to maintain blood sugar levels in the target range. Know that insulin is safe to use during pregnancy.
Insulin is a medication you inject. Therefore, it is important to know the injection technique, so the insulin can be absorbed properly.
The risk of having low bloog sugar is higher when you take insulin.
For more information, you can view our leaflet on gestational diabetes. Other resources are available as well: