Labour and birth
After the birth
Pregnancy
For woman diagnosed with gestational diabetes (or who have pre-gestational diabetes), the most important first step is to have a consultation with a dietician (usually at the hospital) and work out a low sugar diet to help stabilise the blood sugar levels. Foods containing sugar, such as cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks and cordials, chocolate, ice cream, lollies and desserts will need to be avoided. Other foods containing glucose, such as fruit, milk and complex carbohydrates such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, cereals and legumes will need to be monitored and carefully chosen.
Diabetes is normally treated on an 'outpatient basis'. This means the woman does not need to stay in hospital, but visits the clinic, or their caregiver, frequently to monitor her progress. Women are usually taught how to prick their own fingers and take tiny drops of blood to measure sugar levels. They will usually be given a using a special machine (called a 'glucometer') to do this. Testing the blood sugar level generally needs to be done 4 times a day, (for the whole of the pregnancy) and can be done at home.
Image 4-49 shows one type of glucometer machine that can be used.
If the blood sugar levels continue to be high at times, despite the diet changes, then insulin injections may be required. The woman is usually taught how to give these to herself, or her partner could be taught. The woman will need more frequent pregnancy visits. This is usually with a physician who treats the diabetes and / or a midwife specialising in diabetes, as well as an obstetrician who oversees the pregnancy and makes decisions about the pregnancy and birth care.
Labour and birth