Can I Drink Diet Coke if I Have Gestational Diabetes
9 Gestational Diabetes Dos and Don'ts
Gestational diabetes can be managed so you can have a healthy pregnancy, but you might have to make some lifestyle changes at least until delivery.
Reviewed:
Do Check Blood Sugar Regularly to Decrease Diabetes Complications
"In order to decrease the risk of complications from gestational diabetes,close monitoring of fasting and postprandial — postmeal — blood sugar are essential," says obstetrician and gynecologist Asha Heard, MD, assistant professor in the clinical section of maternal fetal medicine at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Yourfasting blood sugargoal should be less than 95 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), your two-hour postprandial blood sugar goal should be less than 120 mg/dL, and your one-hour postprandial blood sugar goal should be less than 130 mg/dL, Dr. Heard advises. It's a good idea to meet with a diabetes educator to learn how to check your blood sugar and how to make adjustments to your diet for gestational diabetes and activity levels to meet these goals.
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy With a Gestational Diabetes Diet
Pregnancy already comes with a long list of things that you should and shouldn't do to achieve the best outcomes for you and your baby. But if you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy), then you need to learn some more dos and don'ts to keep your blood sugar under control and make sure that diabetes doesn't harm your pregnancy.
You will need to learn about a gestational diabetes diet — foods and lifestyle habits that help stabilize your blood sugar — as well as, possibly, gestational diabetes treatment. This may include diabetes medications your doctor prescribes during pregnancy to keep your blood glucose under control.
It is possible to have a healthy pregnancy with gestational diabetes, but you must take care of yourself to reduce your risk of the following:
- An overly large baby
- Cesarean delivery (C-section)
- Miscarriage
- Preeclampsia (pregnancy-related high blood pressure)
- Preterm delivery
- Stillbirth
- Other poor health outcomes for your baby
- Long-term health effects for you
Controlling your blood glucose is important for everyone, young and old. But for pregnant women, good blood sugar control is important before, during, and after pregnancy to reduce the chance of diabetes complications.
According to the Mayo Clinic, good blood sugar control during pregnancy can help prevent or reduce these risks:
- Prevent complications for the baby
- Prevent complications for the mother
- Reduce the risk of birth defects
- Reduce the risk of excess fetal growth
- Reduce the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth
- Reduce the risk of premature birth
To keep blood glucose under control during pregnancy, it's important to check your blood sugar level frequently. If you are not sure how to check your blood sugar with a blood glucose meter, ask your doctor or diabetes nurse educator to show you.
In addition, take diabetes medications if your doctor has prescribed these and exercise regularly, as this helps manage blood sugar spikes. The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3 times a week during pregnancy.
It's important to stay on a healthy diet for gestational diabetes that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If your physician or diabetes dietitian recommends changes to your diet during pregnancy, follow their advice. Follow your doctor's instructions when it comes to taking prenatal vitamins that contain folic acid to prevent neurological defects, such as spina bifida.
To help you through this time, listen to your healthcare team and follow this suggested gestational diabetes diet plan and list of gestational diabetes dos and don'ts.
Do Learn More About a Gestational Diabetes Diet
Learning that you have gestational diabetes means you also must learn fairly quickly about the diabetes management skills that all people with diabetes must know. Meeting with a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator (CDE) can help you get started. A CDE can teach you when and how to check your blood sugar, how to adjust your gestational diabetes diet plan and exercise habits to keep your blood sugar under control, and how to take any medications you might have been prescribed to help control your gestational diabetes.
Do Take Gestational Diabetes Medication as Prescribed
Some women with gestational diabetes will need to take medication to help control their blood sugar.Insulinis one gestational diabetes treatment option. Research that's looked at the fears and concerns of women with gestational diabetes has established that even though about 1 in 3 pregnant women with gestational diabetes might need insulin as part of theirgestational diabetes treatment, women worry about the safety of insulin during pregnancy.Research published in Diabetes Care supports that even newer, long-acting insulin is thought to be safe during pregnancy.
Do Eat Carbohydrates on Your Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan
Brace yourself:Carbohydrates are an important part of your gestational diabetes diet. They are fuel for your body and for your growing baby. "The average person needs 135 grams of carbohydrates daily, but if you have gestational diabetes, that increases to 175 grams a day," says registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Meredith Nguyen, RD, who is a member of the diabetes self-management program staff at Methodist Charlton Medical Center in Dallas. Pregnancyhormonescan make it hard to control morning blood sugar, says Nguyen, so you might be spreading carbs more through lunch and dinner. Eating a wide variety of foods, including whole grains, fruits (with the skin on), vegetables, and dairy products, will give you the carbs you need. High-fiber or low-glycemic foods will help keep your blood sugar more even and help you feel full longer as well.
Don't Drink Sweet Drinks If You Have Gestational Diabetes
Cross off juice, sweet tea, soda, and any drink with added sugars from your gestational diabetes diet plan. "Avoid foods high in sugar and carbohydrate content," says Heard. Sweet drinks are one of the fastest ways to raise your blood sugar, which is why they must be off your menu. Water is the best choice (and you need extra water during pregnancy anyway), but low-fat milk is also a good option.
Do Exercise to Improve Blood Sugar
Appropriate regular physical activity is often recommended during pregnancy, even without diabetes. But if you have gestational diabetes, being active is a must. "Regular exercise is also beneficial to overall health and may help to improve glucose metabolism," advises Heard. Respect your pregnant status and choose exercises that won't put you at risk. For example, swimming, water aerobics, and walking are all great choices, while high-impact aerobics or activities such as basketball, which could lead to impacts or falls, should be sidelined for a while.
Do Get Plenty of Sleep With Gestational Diabetes
Research published in BMC Women's Health shows a strong correlation between not getting enough sleep and the risk of gestational diabetes. Snoring is also related to poor blood sugar control, which can be a consequence of not following your gestational diabetes diet. Although many women accept thatpoor sleepis part of pregnancy and raising children, you should let your doctor know if you're finding it impossible to sleep well.
Do Research Breast-Feeding to Control Your Weight
Exclusive breast-feeding, which means that breast milk is the only source of food for the child, isrecommended for women who have had gestational diabetes and their babies. Research indicates that women could have better control over their weight and diabetes risk — as well as possibly improve their child's long-term health outcomes — if they can breast-feed exclusively. Work with a lactation specialist to learn more about breast-feeding.
Do Schedule Follow-Up Visits and Diabetes Screenings
Can I Drink Diet Coke if I Have Gestational Diabetes
Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/gestational-diabetes-dos-donts/#:~:text=Don't%20Drink%20Sweet%20Drinks%20If%20You%20Have%20Gestational%20Diabetes&text=Cross%20off%20juice%2C%20sweet%20tea,carbohydrate%20content%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Heard.