Gestational Diabetes is a form of Diabetes that can occur during pregnancy. All forms of Diabetes result in too much Glucose or “sugar” floating around in your blood, rather than in the cells where the Glucose is needed for you to make energy. When the Glucose stays in your blood, it can cause problems. Gestational Diabetes (GDM for short) works in a similar way to Type 2 Diabetes, in that the body produces enough of the hormone insulin to “unlock” the cells and allow Glucose to enter, but something is happening in the body to block this from happening, usually it’s all the other hormones involved in making a healthy baby. In most cases, GDM is a temporary condition, and only lasts as long as the pregnancy lasts, but in some cases, it can lead to the person developing Type 2 Diabetes later on.

If you are pregnant, your Doctor will organise for you to be screened for GDM, usually around the 24-28 week mark of your pregnancy. However, if you are at a higher risk of GDM, you may be tested earlier than that. Risk factors include if you have had elevated Blood Glucose levels in the past, or have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, are over the age of 40, have a history of Type 2 Diabetes in your family, or have First Nations heritage or heritage from African, Polynesian, and some Asian, Middle East, Hispanic or South American Nations. If you are taking anti-psychotic or steroid medications, your Doctor may want to screen you for GDM early as well. Some people who develop GDM have no known risk factors at all. This has nothing to do with whether you have done everything “right” or “wrong”.

If you are diagnosed with GDM, it can be quite overwhelming. There are so many other challenges in preparing for a new member of the family, and you want to make sure your baby is healthy and well. The good news is that there is a lot of support on offer. Most people with GDM will be able to enjoy their pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby with no complications. Your medical team including your Dietitian are there to support you and answer any questions you may have.

The main treatment for the management of GDM is a healthy balanced diet, with some moderate exercise on most days. This will help keep your Blood Glucose Levels (BGL’s for short) within a healthy range, as well as making sure you are getting good nutrition to keep yourself healthy and to support your baby’s growth and development. It can sometimes be difficult to do this, especially as you approach the last few weeks of your pregnancy when you are fed up, have aches and pains everywhere, and just tired, tired, tired! So we have a few tips that may be able to help you:

 

• Eat small, frequent meals instead of trying to muscle through 3 larger meals per day.

 

• Make sure you include some forms of carbohydrate foods in your meals and snacks, with a focus on wholegrain varieties that have a low Glycaemic Index, and are a good source of fibre and essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. If you already have a young child, you could try eating at the same time and the same healthy foods that they are eating, just in slightly larger serves.

 

• Enjoy plenty of variety in your diet, with a range of foods from all of the five food groups as show in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. There is no need to avoid any of the food groups unless you have been advised by your medical team and Dietitian.

 

• Try to limit foods and drinks that will cause sudden “spikes” in BGL’s. These include foods and drinks that are high in added sugars, you may know them as “sometimes” or “discretionary” foods. As well as being high in sugar, these foods are usually also highly processed and contain a lot of unhealthy fats, with very little good nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre.

 

• Accept and even organise for family and friends to do some cooking, cleaning and shopping for you!

 

• See your Dietitian regularly. If you have Gestational Diabetes, always remember that your Dietitian will help support and guide you through making healthy changes in your diet to suit you and your lifestyle, support you and your baby’s health, and help you juggle all the craziness of pregnancy, including all those strange cravings!

 From all of us at Bright Diets, we wish you a beautiful pregnancy and birth!