“The risk of having a baby with birth defects
is directly correlated with how
poorly the blood sugar
was controlled during pregnancy”
Steve Holtby
Self-care after a diagnosis of
gestational diabetes means keeping your blood sugar under control. This can be
done through a variety of things; for example – nutrition, exercise, lifestyle
changes, insulin & other medicines, and constant support from your health
care provider. Alongside, by keeping a thorough and continuous check on your
blood sugar.
Through this article, let’s apprise you on 10 self-care behaviors that you can easily adopt to control gestational diabetes;
- Consult a
nutrition expert to curate a healthy diet plan for yourself
- Drink enough
water to keep your urine pale yellow
- Don’t consume
sweet drinks
- Get plenty of
sleep
- Stay active,
consider a low-impact activity like walking
- Undertake
moderate exercises, as guided by your care provider
- Don’t miss your
follow-up visits and diabetes screenings
- Do not use
products that contain nicotine or tobacco
- Manage stress and
minimize worries
- Get tested for diabetes after pregnancy
While you do all the above, it is
also imperative to timely monitor your blood glucose, as prescribed by your
care provider. Let’s see how;
- Wash
your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Prick
the side of your finger (not the tip) with the lancet.
- Use a
different finger each time.
- Gently
rub the finger until a small drop of blood appears.
- Follow
instructions that come with your meter for inserting the test strip,
applying blood to the strip, and getting the result.
- Write
down your result.
Blood glucose goals are:
- 95
mg/dL (5.3 mmol/L) when fasting.
- 140
mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) 1 hour after a meal.
- 120
mg/dL (6.7 mmol/L) 2 hours after a meal.
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