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What to Do If Blood Sugars Get Too High With Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a "temporary" form of type 2 diabetes that some women can develop during pregnancy. At its simplest, gestational diabetes is when a woman's body becomes very resistant to insulin, a naturally occurring hormone produced by a person's pancreas that controls blood sugar levels. If left untreated, gestational diabetes can cause elevated blood sugar in both the woman and the child. This, in turn, can lead to complications before and after childbirth.

  1. Consult Your Doctor.

    • It is important to note that the suggestions contained in this article are not substitutes for a physician's advice. It is always advised that, before trying any of the suggestions below, you consult with your personal physician to see if they are right for you.

    Diet

    • Blood sugar--or glucose--essentially is stored fuel for the body, and insulin is a hormone that interacts with the glucose to make it usable by the cells in our body. Because of this, by far the most effective methods of treating gestational diabetes is through the control of one's diet and through exercise. Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of glucose, so carb-counting--reducing the number of carbohydrates you intake on a daily basis--is an excellent method to help control blood sugar. This is not to say you should stop eating carbs altogether, merely control your intake. Your physician can help you determine exactly what ratio of carbs per day is right for you. Carbohydrates are typically found in starchy and sweet foods, as well as milk and nuts, and will be listed in the ingredients list on any packaged product.

    Exercise

    • Because glucose is essentially fuel for your body, the more you work your body, the more fuel you will burn. A brisk walk after a meal and other forms of light exercise throughout the day are highly recommended for controlling blood-glucose levels, as the added activity will force your body to use up more glucose as it works.There is a caveat, however. If your blood-sugar levels are above 250, it is advisable not to perform any strenuous activities, as at those levels it is increasingly difficult for your body to process the blood glucose and may lead to nausea and serious fatigue.

    Insulin Injections

    • Not to be taken without the consultation of a doctor, some cases of gestational diabetes may require insulin shots to control. If you feel your blood-sugar levels are out of control and the above suggestions are not helping, please consult your doctor about the possibility of needing insulin injections.

    Glucose Testing

    • As someone with type 1 diabetes, the condition in which the pancreas no longer produces insulin, I cannot stress how important regular testing of your blood-sugar levels is. It will give you a clear picture of what trends your glucose levels tend toward and will allow you to take steps to counter those trends as necessary. Four times a day is the recommended number of times blood sugar ought to be tested. Glucose meters can be purchased in most pharmacies.

    After the Pregnancy

    • Gestational diabetes, as its name implies, disappears after childbirth. However, women who have or have had gestational diabetes run an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. It is important to have regular checkups with your physician because of this fact, so as to catch the onset of type 2 diabetes as early as possible, if it comes at all.

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