Understanding Gestational Diabetes Diet And Weight Gain.

A nutritionally balanced diet is always necessary to maintain a healthy mother and successful pregnancy. The foods we choose become the nutrient building blocks for the growth of the fetus. For a woman who is suffering from gestational diabetes, proper diet alone often keeps blood sugar levels in the normal range and is usually the first step to follow before resorting to insulin injections. Careful attention should be paid to the total calories eaten daily, to avoid foods which increase blood sugar levels, and to emphasize the use of foods which help the body preserve a normal blood sugar.



Of all questions asked by pregnant women, the most common question is as to how much weight to put on? The answer is important for women with gestational diabetes. The weight that we gain is a rough indication of how much nutrition is available to the fetus for growth. An inadequate weight gain may result in a small baby who lacks protective calorie reserves at birth. This baby may have more illness during the first year of life. An excessive weight gain during pregnancy, however, has an insulin resistant effect, just like the hormones produced by the placenta, and will make our blood sugar level higher.

The “optimal" weight to gain depends on the weight that we are before becoming pregnant. Our nutrition advisor or health care provider can recommend an appropriate weight gain.

Total recommended weight gain is often not as helpful as a weekly rate of gain. Most women gain 3 to 5 pounds during the first trimester (first 3 months) of pregnancy. During the second and third trimesters, a good rate of weight gain is about three quarters of a pound to one pound per week. We should remember that dieting and severely cutting back on weight gain may increase the risk of delivering prematurely. If blood sugar levels continue to go up and you are not gaining excessive weight or eating improperly, the safest therapy for the well-being of the fetus is insulin.

Occasionally, our weight may go up rapidly in the last trimester and we may notice an increase in water retention, such as swelling in the feet, fingers, and face. In addition, by examining our legs and body for signs of fluid retention, our physician can help us to determine the cause of our weight gain.

After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, many women notice a slower weight gain as they start cutting the various sources of sugar out of their diet. This seems to be harmless and lasts only 1 or 2 weeks. It may be that sweets were contributing a substantial amount of calories to the diet.

The need for protein also increases during pregnancy. Make sure the diet includes foods high in protein, but not high in fat. Most vitamins and minerals are also needed in larger amounts during pregnancy. To make sure we get enough folate (a B vitamin critical during pregnancy) and iron, our obstetrician will probably recommend a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins do not replace a good diet; they merely help us to get the nutrients we need. To absorb the most iron from our prenatal vitamin, take it at night before going to bed, or in the morning on an empty stomach.

• Cassandra Bagley
• 02/05/2009, 10:59 PM
• 0 Comments