Gestational diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy.
It happens because the changing hormone levels in the body have altered the body's requirement for insulin.
Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born.
However it does increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes later in life.
How healthy eating helps Following a healthy eating plan will assist in: managing your blood glucose levels within the target range advised by your doctor providing adequate nutrition for you and your growing baby achieving appropriate weight gain during your pregnancy.
What foods should I eat? Carbohydrates Carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose and used for energy.
They are very important for you and your baby.
To help manage your blood glucose levels, it is important to spread your carbohydrate foods over 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks each day.
Foods containing carbohydrate include: breads and breakfast cereals • pasta, rice and noodles starchy vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, corn, taro and cassava legumes such as baked beans, red kidney beans and lentils • fruit milk, yoghurt, dairy desserts and calcium fortified soy milk.
Carbohydrate foods that contain little nutritional value include sugar (sucrose), soft drinks, cordials, fruit juices, lollies, cakes and biscuits.
It is wise to avoid these foods.
In some instances, women may be eating the right amount and type of carbohydrate foods for their body, but still have high blood glucose levels.
If this happens, it is important not to cut back on carbohydrates.
Some women's bodies require a little extra help to manage blood glucose levels and insulin may be needed.
Fat Try to limit the amount of fat you eat, particularly saturated fat.
Use healthy fats like canola, olive and polyunsaturated oils and margarines, avocados and unsalted nuts.
To limit your saturated fat intake, select lean meats, skinless chicken and low fat dairy foods and avoid takeaway and processed foods.
While fat does not affect your blood glucose levels directly, if eaten in large amounts, all fats can cause extra weight gain which can make it more difficult to control blood glucose levels.
Protein Include 2 small serves of protein each day as protein is important for the growth and maintenance of the body.
Protein foods include lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, eggs and reduced fat cheese.
These foods do not directly affect your blood glucose levels.
While milk, yoghurts, custards and legumes are important sources of protein, remember they also contain carbohydrate.
Calcium and iron Calcium and iron requirements are increased during pregnancy.
Include 3 serves of low fat calcium rich foods each day (1 serve = 250ml low fat milk or calcium fortified soy milk, 200g of yoghurt or 2 slices (40g) of reduced fat cheese).
The iron from red meat, chicken and fish is readily absorbed.
However, if you are a vegetarian or do not eat these foods regularly, an iron supplement or pregnancy multivitamin may be required.
Discuss this with your doctor or dietitian.
Other dietary considerations Nutritious foods that will not cause excess weight gain or cause your blood glucose levels to go up can be eaten freely.
These foods include low carbohydrate fruit such as strawberries, passionfruit, lemons and limes and low carbohydrate vegetables such as salad, stir fry or green vegetables.
Try to include at least 5 serves of vegetables each day.
Continue to avoid those foods that put you at risk of contracting listeria.
If you have a family history of food allergies or intolerances, discuss this with your doctor as it may be advisable to avoid certain foods during your pregnancy.
It happens because the changing hormone levels in the body have altered the body's requirement for insulin.
Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born.
However it does increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes later in life.
How healthy eating helps Following a healthy eating plan will assist in: managing your blood glucose levels within the target range advised by your doctor providing adequate nutrition for you and your growing baby achieving appropriate weight gain during your pregnancy.
What foods should I eat? Carbohydrates Carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose and used for energy.
They are very important for you and your baby.
To help manage your blood glucose levels, it is important to spread your carbohydrate foods over 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks each day.
Foods containing carbohydrate include: breads and breakfast cereals • pasta, rice and noodles starchy vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, corn, taro and cassava legumes such as baked beans, red kidney beans and lentils • fruit milk, yoghurt, dairy desserts and calcium fortified soy milk.
Carbohydrate foods that contain little nutritional value include sugar (sucrose), soft drinks, cordials, fruit juices, lollies, cakes and biscuits.
It is wise to avoid these foods.
In some instances, women may be eating the right amount and type of carbohydrate foods for their body, but still have high blood glucose levels.
If this happens, it is important not to cut back on carbohydrates.
Some women's bodies require a little extra help to manage blood glucose levels and insulin may be needed.
Fat Try to limit the amount of fat you eat, particularly saturated fat.
Use healthy fats like canola, olive and polyunsaturated oils and margarines, avocados and unsalted nuts.
To limit your saturated fat intake, select lean meats, skinless chicken and low fat dairy foods and avoid takeaway and processed foods.
While fat does not affect your blood glucose levels directly, if eaten in large amounts, all fats can cause extra weight gain which can make it more difficult to control blood glucose levels.
Protein Include 2 small serves of protein each day as protein is important for the growth and maintenance of the body.
Protein foods include lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, eggs and reduced fat cheese.
These foods do not directly affect your blood glucose levels.
While milk, yoghurts, custards and legumes are important sources of protein, remember they also contain carbohydrate.
Calcium and iron Calcium and iron requirements are increased during pregnancy.
Include 3 serves of low fat calcium rich foods each day (1 serve = 250ml low fat milk or calcium fortified soy milk, 200g of yoghurt or 2 slices (40g) of reduced fat cheese).
The iron from red meat, chicken and fish is readily absorbed.
However, if you are a vegetarian or do not eat these foods regularly, an iron supplement or pregnancy multivitamin may be required.
Discuss this with your doctor or dietitian.
Other dietary considerations Nutritious foods that will not cause excess weight gain or cause your blood glucose levels to go up can be eaten freely.
These foods include low carbohydrate fruit such as strawberries, passionfruit, lemons and limes and low carbohydrate vegetables such as salad, stir fry or green vegetables.
Try to include at least 5 serves of vegetables each day.
Continue to avoid those foods that put you at risk of contracting listeria.
If you have a family history of food allergies or intolerances, discuss this with your doctor as it may be advisable to avoid certain foods during your pregnancy.
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