Gestational Diabetes Information

Indoor Prenatal Exercises

April 22, 2016 by Mathea Ford Leave a Comment

When the weather is cold, wet, or otherwise inclement, it is easy to use it as an excuse to skip out on your regular workout. One more excuse is the last thing you or anyone else needs, especially when it comes to getting regular exercise during your pregnancy.

Exercise is an important part of a healthy pregnancy, along with a balanced diet. Getting at least a few minutes of regular cardiovascular exercise daily can help you with everything from morning sickness to all of the challenges that come with your ever growing body. Exercise is even more beneficial for women with gestational diabetes, as it can help to stabilize your blood glucose levels. [Read more…]

Gestational Diabetes Friendly Slow Cooker Recipes

April 15, 2016 by Mathea Ford Leave a Comment

Pregnancy can take a lot out of you. If you weren’t busy and tired before, you likely are now. Anything you can do to make your life just a little easier is a blessing, especially when it comes to meal time. Not only do you want to make sure you eat regularly and don’t skip meals, but with gestational diabetes the quality of the meal matters as well.

What you need is something that does most of the work for you, so you are guaranteed a healthy and delicious cooked meal with minimal effort. There is only one thing that can pull all this together, and it isn’t your mother in law. The slow cooker is your new best friend. Simply set it and forget it, until time to eat of course. [Read more…]

The Difference in a Gestational Diabetes Pregnancy

April 1, 2016 by Mathea Ford Leave a Comment

One thought that passes through almost every mother’s mind when she is diagnosed with gestational diabetes is how much harder their pregnancy will be. It just seems unfair to have this added pressure on top of morning sickness, fatigue, and heightened emotions. Many women find themselves daydreaming and wondering about how different their lives might be without gestational diabetes.

The truth is, however, that there aren’t a whole lot of differences. Women with gestational diabetes need to be more vigilant with their diet and lifestyle, it’s true, but all pregnant women should abide by a healthy diet and exercise regimen. So how different is a gestational diabetes pregnancy? [Read more…]

Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes

March 11, 2016 by Mathea Ford Leave a Comment

Gestational diabetes is the occurrence of diabetes during pregnancy. This condition is specific to pregnant women and goes away after the birth of the child. It happens to women everywhere and can happen to anyone, however there are some risk factors that make gestational diabetes more likely.

Keep in mind that these risk factors are not at all causes of gestational diabetes. There is no exact known cause of gestational diabetes. It is thought that the condition is probably caused by increased hormones impeding the production of insulin in the body. These risk factors describe conditions where gestational diabetes is more likely, but it does not at all diagnose someone with gestational diabetes.

There are plenty of cases where women with nearly all of these risk factors will not have gestational diabetes, but women with absolutely no risk factors will. There is no way to truly know who might have gestational diabetes other than testing, and for this reason all pregnant women are tested in their second trimester regardless of what risk factors they may or may not have.

Common Risk Factors

• Weight: Women who are overweight are more likely to have gestational diabetes. Women with a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 are considered to be at risk for gestational diabetes. If you are very overweight, your doctor might recommend that you do your gestational diabetes screening early or even more than once to ensure the healthiest pregnancy possible.

• Age: Women over the age of 25 are more likely to develop gestational diabetes, and this risk increases with age.

• Race: Women of non-white races seem to be more at risk for gestational diabetes. The reasons for this are so far unknown, but statistics make race a risk factor.

• Previous Pregnancies: If you have had a previous gestational diabetes pregnancy, you are more at risk for gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies. You are also at risk if you have previously birthed a large baby, over 9 pounds.

• Health History: Your personal and family health history also contributes as a risk factor for gestational diabetes. You are more at risk for gestational diabetes if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes.

These risk factors tend to contribute to the occurrence of gestational diabetes. Women with one or more of these risk factors are more likely to have gestational diabetes, but again it does not mean that gestational diabetes is definite. The only way to know if you have gestational diabetes is through a glucose screening process done through your obstetrician’s office. The test is relatively simple; you just drink a glucose solution and then have your blood sugar tested. Talk to your OB/GYN about any questions or fears you might have about gestational diabetes and testing for the condition. For more gestational diabetes information, click here.

Did I Cause My Gestational Diabetes?

February 12, 2016 by Mathea Ford Leave a Comment

As new or expectant Mother’s “mommy guilt” is a new and sometimes overwhelming sensation. You will likely feel a pang of guilt for the most random things, whether it be for your actions or even just thoughts that run through your mind. Everything from frustration over lack of sleep to skipping your daily walk can make you feel guilty.

Gestational diabetes is a diagnosis that no expectant mother wants to hear, and the first reaction is usually one of guilt. There are many common thoughts that pregnant moms have when they first hear their diagnosis. Will your baby be okay? How do you treat this condition? Is it your fault? [Read more…]