Diabetes and a Healthy Pregnancy.

Achieving Healthy Pregnancy despite Diabetes.

The most common problem among pregnant women with diabetes is a condition called “macrosomia” which is to have a large baby.

Babies with fetal “macrosomia” are born at a weight of at least 8 pounds, 13 ounces or more. The average birth weight for babies is about 7 pounds.

Macrosomia is caused because the mother’s diabetic blood mixes with the baby’s blood while inside the womb. As a result, the baby produces insulin and this will lead to fat deposits, which causes the baby to grown larger than normal.

What can you do?

For a healthy pregnancy, it is important to maintain an appropriate weight gain, average consumption of various foods from different food groups, timely and prescribed vitamins and mineral supplementation, and lots of fluid intake. The eating of sweets and fats should be kept to a minimum.

Following are just a few guidelines that pregnant women with diabetes can use to achieve healthy pregnancy despite the chronic disease:

1. Follow the appropriate meal plan religiously.
   It’s very important that pregnant women pay very special attention to what they eat and their eating patterns in general.

   This is very important because strict control of blood glucose levels are required in order to ensure that both the mother and baby are getting the right amount of key nutrients needed.

   In coming up with the right diet plan, it is best to seek the help of a diabetes educator or a licensed dietitian to create the necessary adjustments needed to accommodate the needs not only of the fetus inside the womb but of the mother as well.

   In your meal plan, take note of calorie, carbohydrates and protein requirements every day because these will help you maintain normal blood glucose levels.

2. Regular Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose also called SMBG.Experts say the only way to know if the mother to be is successful in controlling her blood glucose is by her monitoring her levels regularly.Since being pregnant is a sensitive condition, soon to be mothers should monitor their blood glucose levels more frequently. Ideally, SMBG should be monitored four to 10 times a day.
3. Knowledge in administering insulin injections and adjusting the doses based on the results of SMBG.A sufficient supply of insulin is very crucial for pregnant women so they must know how to administer insulin injections by themselves in case there is no one around when they need it.They should also ask their physician how to adjust the doses of insulin after they are through with the SBMG.Knowing how to adjust the doses of insulin needed is very important to ensure that the body’s supply of insulin is stable.
4. Treating or controlling hypoglycemia.Because of the hormonal changes in their bodies, pregnant women who are diabetics are more prone to hypoglycemia.Although studies show there are no known effects of hypoglycemia in the baby, it is best to control or treat it as soon as possible.
5. Maintain a regular exercise routine.
   It is very important for pregnant women with diabetes to have some sort of regular exercise routine.

   Through exercise they can reduce the risk of hypoglycemia as well as being overweight. Since it is hard for pregnant women to do strenuous workouts, it is a good idea to get in the habit of doing light exercises that keep the body moving.

Healthy Nutritional Products recommends this easy to follow guide that can be done in the comforts of your own home.

“The Healthy Pregnancy Guide” is a Holistic and Healthy Pregnancy Guide has been endorsed by Medical Doctors, Nurses, Naturopaths, Dieticians, Midwives, Exercise Physiologists, and Real Moms just like yourself.

Related posts:

1. Diabetes: Eating Healthy, Eating Well!
2. Healthy Eating During Baby Pregnancy
3. Pregnancy and Children – Healthy eating practice during pregnancy
4. Healthy Eating During Pregnancy – Top Reasons You Must Watch Your Diet
5. Healthy Eating for Diabetes Patients