Introduction
We have produced this leaflet to inform and support you throughout the rest of your pregnancy with your new diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GDM). GDM is a type of diabetes that is first detected during pregnancy. Whilst it usually resolves once baby is born, it increases your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes over the next few years. Whilst this is a worry, there are lifestyle changes that you can make to prevent you getting type 2 diabetes. Your GP can help you to do this after your pregnancy.
After your Glucose Tolerance Test
What to expect in the next few days:
- A phone call within five working days to inform you of your diagnosis and what this means for your pregnancy going forward.
- A link to a pre-recorded video to watch with information provided in the group sessions https://youtu.be/SBRvvOYYTaM
- What care to expect and how this may be different now that you have gestational diabetes.
- Details on when and how to collect your blood glucose meter starter pack.
- The contents of your blood glucose meter starter pack and what you need to do going forward.
There are two important things you can do to manage your gestational diabetes:
1) Start checking your blood glucose levels:
In the pack you will find a box with a blood glucose meter, lancets, blood glucose test strips, a sharps bin and a letter for you to give to your GP as soon as possible to ensure the on-going supply of lancets and blood glucose testing strips.
Please watch the video below and follow the instructions in the box to start checking your blood glucose levels. The video is best access through a platform such as Google Chrome.
How to check my blood glucose levels – video https://youtu.be/NUskHl7APHE
You will need to check your blood glucose levels four times a day at the following times for the remainder of your pregnancy:
- Fasting, (before breakfast)
- One hour after the start of your breakfast
- One hour after the start of your lunch
- One hour after the start of your evening meal
Please write the results in the blood glucose diary provided.
You need to keep your blood glucose levels below these targets:
- Less than 5.3mmol/l before breakfast
- Less than 7.8mmol/l one hour after meals
Please dispose of used Lancets in the sharps bin provided.
2) Dietary suggestions to help you to manage your blood glucose levels
Food and lifestyle changes to help manage my blood glucose levels
What is Gestational diabetes?
Please follow the link and then click on downloads
Gestational guide for diabetes – Diabetes UK Shop
https://shop.diabetes.org.uk/products/gestational-diabetes-guide
Please try and follow this advice as much as you can as it will help manage your blood glucose levels.
Advice on physical activity
Studies show that exercise is safe for both you and baby during pregnancy and carries many benefits including: boosting mood and energy levels, promoting better sleep, promoting muscle tone, strength and endurance for labour, preventing excessive weight gain and improving posture and backaches and fatigue.
- Recreational exercise such as swimming or brisk walking and strength conditioning exercise is safe and beneficial
- The aim of recreational exercise is to stay fit, rather than to reach peak fitness
- If you have not exercised regularly then you should begin with no more than 15 minutes of continuous exercise, three times per week, increasing gradually to daily 30-minute sessions
- If you have exercised regularly before pregnancy, then you should be able to continue with no adverse effects.
- Important not to be sedentary, as far as possible.
- Start walking and build physical activity into daily life, for example, by taking the stairs instead of the lift, rather than sitting for long periods
Help us to keep in contact with you
Your clinic appointments will now be on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon and will usually be a telephone call. We will let you know the date in advance.
We will call you between 1.30pm ñ 4.30pm. Unfortunately, we are unable to give you a specific time, so please make sure you have your blood glucose readings to hand especially if you are out of the home.
The phone calls will have a blocked caller ID, but please try and answer as this will help us enormously.
Colostrum harvesting
Please see additional leaflet for colostrum harvesting guidance.
Syringes for you to use may be collected from Antenatal Clinic reception at St Jamesís Hospital or you can email us and we will post these out to you
After pregnancy
Following the birth of your baby your blood glucose should return to normal levels, which means you can then stop monitoring your blood glucose levels and stop taking any medication needed to control your blood glucose – this will be discussed with you towards the end of your pregnancy.
It is really important to make sure the diabetes has fully gone and the only way of knowing this is by a blood test. Therefore when your baby is about three months old it is important that you arrange a blood test through your GP called HbA1c.
If this HbA1c is raised, then it is likely that you have already developed Type 2 diabetes and your GP will discuss the next steps with you.
If this HbA1c normal, you still have a high chance of developing Type 2 diabetes over the next five years.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition and it is important to try and avoid getting it. We know that you are definitely able to delay or prevent this happening but are likely to need support to do so.
Please arrange to see your GP to discuss the support options available to you. There are many resources that can support you (and your family) to make healthy lifestyle choices that reduce this risk.
Your GP should refer you on to a Diabetes Prevention Programme. “Henry” is another valuable resource to access supporting families in Leeds to make healthy choices.
https://www.henry.org.uk/parents
You need to arrange to have a HbA1c blood test done through your GP every year, to check your progress and whether you are successful in the lifestyle changes you have made or if you are instead developing Type 2 diabetes.
In preparation for any future pregnancies – it is worth planning to be pregnancy ready. This means arranging to see your GP before stopping your contraception, so that they can review any medications youíre taking for suitability in pregnancy, support you to make further lifestyle and diet changes, including weight loss if needed, help you to stop smoking, and start you on Folic Acid.
These “pregnancy ready” changes will help you have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.