When I was around 6 mos pregnant i developed a gestationa diabetes, thats why my obgyn reccomended me to check with dietrician and gave me some meal plan.
What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs
only in pregnancy and usually disappears after the
birth of the baby. It is present in less than 15% of all
pregnancies and is usually detected at 24-28 weeks
of pregnancy.
Who Is Likely To Have It?
Your chances of developing gestational diabetes
increase if you:
• Have a family history of diabetes
• Had a previous birth of a very large baby or a stillbirth
• Are overweight
• Had an earlier pregnancy with gestational diabetes
• Have too much amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios)
• Are older than 25 years
What is the cause?
Gestational diabetes prevents your body from using carbohydrate properly.
Carbohydrate is a nutrient found in foods that is turned into sugar (glucose)
by the body. Foods that contain carbohydrate include sweet foods such as
table sugar, honey, jams, sweets, soft drinks, and starchy foods such as bread,
cereal, pasta, potatoes, fruit and milk. The inability to use carbohydrate
properly results in blood sugars that are not within normal levels.
When you eat food, your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar
during digestion and the sugar enters your blood stream. Your body needs
sugar to provide energy just like your car needs gasoline to run. Energy is
needed by your brain for thinking and by your muscles for activity. The
pancreas, located behind your stomach, senses how much sugar is present in
the blood and delivers the right amount of a hormone called insulin. Insulin
lowers blood sugar by allowing sugar to enter your body’s cells.
Pregnant women are usually screened for gestational diabetes between 24-28
weeks. Women with a strong family history of diabetes or with gestational
diabetes in an earlier pregnancy may be tested at 16-20 weeks. Just because
you did not have the condition in your first pregnancy does not mean you will
not develop it in later pregnancies.
You can control your blood sugar by:
checking your blood sugar
foillowing a meal plan
Appropriate exercise after meal
FOOD GROUPS
Carbohydrates
Each of the following is equal to one serving of carbohydrate:
Bread and Starches------------------- Milk --------------------------Fruit
1/2 - 3/4 cup dry cereal--------------1 cup milk -------------------1/2 cup fruit juice
1/2 cup cooked cereal ----------------1 cup plain yogurt -----------1/2 large or 1 small banana
1 slice of bread -----------------------1 cup fruited yogurt ---------Small piece of fruit
1/2 small bagel ----------------------(1 oz.) sweetened with --------1-1/4 cup berries
1/3 cup rice --------------------------aspartame -------------------1/2 grapefruit
1/2 cup pasta
3 oz. potato
5 crackers
3/4 oz. pretzels
1 small roll
1/2 cup corn or peas
1 small ear corn
Protein Group
Each of the following is equal to one serving of protein:
1oz. meat, fish or poultry (chicken, turkey)
1oz. cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons peanut butter
4 oz. Tofu
Fat Group
Each of the following is equal to one serving of fat:
1 teaspoon butter, margarine, oil or mayonnaise
1 tablespoon salad dressing
1 tablespoon reduced calorie salad dressing
2 tablespoons cream cheese
Sample Meal Plan(2200 calories)
Breakfast
1 egg or 1/4 cup cottage cheese 1-cup skim or 1% lowfat milk
2 slices toast or 1 English muffin 2 teaspoons margarine or butter
Decaffeinated tea or coffee
morning snack
Small piece fresh fruit 5 saltine crackers
Lunch
3 ounces lean meat, fish or poultry 1 cup skim or 1% low-fat milk
2 slices bread or 2 ounce roll 2 teaspoons mayonnaise or oil
Lettuce and tomato
1-1/4 cup strawberries or small banana (1/2 large banana)
Snack
1 cup milk 3 graham crackers
Dinner
4 ounces lean meat, fish or poultry
1-1/2 cups pasta or 1 cup rice or 1-1/2 cup starchy vegetable or large potato
2 teaspoon oil or margarine or 2 tablespoons salad dressing
Water or decaffeinated coffee or tea
1 cup vegetable or tossed salad
1 cup
Bedtime snack
1 cup skim or 1% low-fat milk
3 graham crackers or 3 cups popcorn
