With the right plan for what to eat, and a good amount of patience, you can thrive with gestational diabetes

By Kate Geagan, M.S., R.D.

When Robin Plotkin failed her glucose tolerance test (GTT) at 26 weeks, she was scared. A registered dietitian in Dallas, Plotkin knew the results likely meant gestational diabetes (GD). And for an otherwise healthy mama-to-be, having to suddenly adopt a strict diabetic regimen would be a huge adjustment.

Like regular diabetes, GD is an excess of glucose in the bloodstream, except that it develops during pregnancy. Dealing with GD as soon as it appears, usually between 24 and 28 weeks, is key. While GD is often symptom-free, if left untreated, it increases the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy and can lead to a larger baby, meaning a potentially more difficult delivery. It also means a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes for your child.

The biggest focus of the gestational diabetes diet is carbohydrates, because carbs have a direct impact on your blood-glucose levels. For Plotkin, this meant minimizing refined and added sugars, counting the carb content of meals and snacks, and regularly using lancets and test strips to check her blood. “My routine changed completely. Suddenly, I was checking my blood sugar four times a day, tracking numbers and food choices, and packing all may own snacks,” Plotkin says. Her day planner was dotted with visits to a Certified Diabetes Educator, who helped her create a customized eating plan and track her progress.

Plotkin says there was a learning curve, even for someone like herself who’s educated about what to eat. Getting it right was a process of trying carb-rich foods like fruit, milk, and bread, and seeing how they affected her glucose levels. “When you have such a short time to take care of your health and your baby, you want to get it right, right away. So I had a lot of frustration that my blood sugar numbers weren’t perfect at first,” Plotkin says. But she read labels and eventually discovered foods to match her cravings and her carb quotient (see our sample menu, “A great day with GD” at right).

Through trial and error, Plotkin hit her stride and thrived, gaining just 21 pounds.
Despite fears of delivering “a 15-pound turkey,” she welcomed a healthy baby boy just under 7 pounds, and her symptoms resolved right after the birth—which often the case with proper management. Her six-week checkup proved the elevated glucose gone. “This just shows if you can manage your diet, you can do it,” she says.

Tips from the trenches
STAY CALM. The beginning can be a frustrating time, but keep trying until you find what works.

EXERCISE EVERY DAY (check with your doctor first). Regular workouts help your body use glucose without extra insulin.

EAT RIGHT. Pack your diet with nutrient-rich foods. Avoid high-fat, high-carbohydrate, and calorie-dense foods and drinks such as processed foods, soda, and anything fried.

MANAGE STRESS. Plotkin found that both the stress of moving to a new home while pregnant and suffering through a severe cold affected her blood glucose numbers significantly.

A great day with GD
7:30 a.m. | Breakfast

• Egg sandwich
  1 whole-wheat English muffin (2 carbs)
  2 slices tomato
  1 egg, cooked
• 8 oz. organic skim milk (1 carb)

10:00 a.m. | Snack

• 1 sliced apple
• 3 Tbs. no-sugar–added peanut butter

12:00 p.m. | Lunch

• Turkey pita pocket
  6" whole-wheat pita pocket (2 carbs)
  3 oz. organic turkey breast
  ¼ cup fresh baby spinach
  2 Tbs. shredded carrots
  1 to 2 Tbs. mustard
• 8 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt, such as Blueberry Chobani or Fage 0% (1 carb)

3:30 p.m. | Snack

• 1 Laughing Cow MiniBabybel
  5 Triscuit crackers (1 carb

7:00 p.m. | Dinner

• Ginger chicken kabob (see recipe; 1 carb)
• ½ cup cooked quinoa (1 carb)
• 6 steamed or grilled asparagus spears, seasoned with olive oil and lemon zest
• 8 oz. organic skim milk (1 carb)

Ginger chicken kabobs
Makes 4 kabobs

• ½ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons grated, peeled ginger root
• 4 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 2 organic boned, skinned chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into 1½-inch cubes

In a small saucepan combine honey, minced garlic, grated ginger root, and soy sauce over low heat until honey is just melted.

Place chicken in a shallow pan. Pour honey mixture over it and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water so they won’t burn. Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat.

Place chicken on skewers and cook, covered, until meat is opaque in center when cut.

Kate Geagan, M.S., R.D., is an award-winning dietician in Park City, UT, and author of Go Green, Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low-Carbon Footprint Diet. She’s the mother of two toddlers.