Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that starts during pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones can make it harder for your body to keep blood sugar in a healthy range. Our team will help you care for yourself and your baby.
Diabetes education support
Mei-Hua Chen, MS, MPH, RDN, CDN, CDCES, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist who focuses on pregnancy nutrition. She offers one-on-one diabetes and nutrition education.
Working with your OB team, you can get help to:
- Plan meals and portions that fit your food preferences and daily life.
- Learn how to check your blood sugar and understand your results.
- Use a glucose sensor, if recommended, and spot patterns in your readings.
Ask our office to arrange a visit.
Simple food and activity tips
- Eat regular meals. Don’t skip meals or cut out all carbohydrates, like rice, bread, fruit, or milk.
- Pair your planned portion of rice or another grain with protein and vegetables. Your care team will help you choose portions.
- Choose water or unsweetened drinks most often. Avoid weight-loss or very low-carbohydrate diets during pregnancy.
- If your OB team approves, try a short, gentle walk after meals.
Know your blood sugar goals
Check your blood sugar when your team tells you to. A fasting check is before breakfast, before you eat or drink anything except water. For after-meal checks, start counting from your first bite. Your team will tell you whether to check at one hour or two hours.
| When to check | Usual goal in mg/dL |
|---|---|
| Fasting | Below 95 |
| 1 hour after your first bite | Below 140 |
| 2 hours after your first bite | Below 120 |
Your doctor may set different goals for you. Keep a record of your readings, and ask us when to send it.
Learn more
ADA — Gestational diabetes care
NIDDK — Healthy eating and treatment
Your Monitoring and Follow Up
What is a continuous glucose monitor?
A CGM is a small sensor you wear on your skin. It tracks your sugar levels day and night. Your care team helps you understand the numbers. Your doctor will decide if CGM is right for you.
Keep a finger-stick meter handy. Use it as instructed if the sensor isn’t working or the readings don’t match how you feel. No one watches shared readings at all times, so call us for urgent concerns.
Will I need medicine?
Some patients need medicine even with healthy habits. Take it as prescribed. Don’t change doses unless your doctor tells you to.
What if my blood sugar is low?
If your blood sugar is below 70 and you are awake and can swallow, follow your low-sugar plan. A common plan is:
- Take 15 grams of fast-acting sugar, such as ½ cup of regular fruit juice.
- Check again after 15 minutes. Repeat if it is still below 70, and contact your team as instructed.
Call 911 for fainting, seizure, or inability to safely swallow. Never give food or drink to someone who cannot swallow safely.
When should I call?
Call your physician for repeated high readings, any low readings, vomiting, trouble keeping fluids down, or feeling unwell with high blood sugar. Get urgent care for confusion, severe weakness, belly pain with fast breathing, or less movement from your baby. Call 911 for severe trouble breathing.
What happens after birth?
After birth, follow your hospital’s instructions about medicine. Schedule a blood sugar drink test at 4–12 weeks, even if your readings seem normal. Keep getting checked for diabetes, usually every 1–3 years, and before another pregnancy.
Contact Us
Mulberry OBGYN
139 Centre St Ph 118, New York NY 10013
646-872-2773 | info@mulberryobgyn.com
Learn more
NIDDK — Treating low blood sugar