Gestational Diabetes and After the Baby Is Born

Well, when I had my daughter two years ago I also had gestational diabetes. I hate to scare you, but I was on a liquid diet in the hospital. It was awful. I was so hungry, but it was a special menu that I had to choose from. Also, don't try to cheat. I had my daughter the day before Valentine's Day and on Valentine's day my husband brought me some chocolate. When they took my blood sugar it was high and I was caught! She knew that I was eating something that I should not have. Good Luck!

Hi K.,

I had gestational diabetes with my 3rd pregnancy. I did not have to be on a special diet afterwards. I was given another glucose test at my 6 week follow up appointment. My blood sugar was still high so I had to follow up with my primary care doctor. I ended up being diagnosed with borderline or pre type 2 diabetes (30% of women with GD end up developing type 2). I was advised to lose 20-30 lbs. I am working on that and hopefully the type 2 diabetes will go away.

Good luck!

I think it depends on your doctor, the hospital, and your condition. At first, yes they will specifiy a diabetic menu but if your numbers are good they should switch you over AND you could have outside food brought in too. That is what they did with me.

I had gestational diabetes with my last baby, he is 10 weeks, and I didnt get any type of diet, nor did they check my sugar levels. I was told after I had him I would be fine! Every dr and hospital is different though so only your dr will know! Good luck next week!

i would ask your doctor just to be sure, but my aunt had gestational diabetes too. they kept a closer eye on her after the delivery because diabetes runs in our family. she was on a diabetic menu at the hospital and they checked her sugar levels once every few months for the next year. she ended up developing full-on diabetes in the following years, but they were able to catch it in time for her to regulate it with diet and exercise. good luck next week and i hope everything works out for you!

I'm assuming they checked my sugar levels at some point, but after my daughter was born they said I could eat whatever I wanted! Ahhh freedom!! LOL

I remember being upset one morning because the hospital wouldn't let me order pancakes AND french toast sticks for breakfast... LOL I wanted both, darn it! :-P

The simple fact that you have gestational diabetes puts you at much higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes after the baby's birth. Type 2 is non-insulin dependent diabetes and is usually controlled initially either through diet or through oral medications (vs. insulin injections).

I'd check with your OB. You should have been referred to an Endocrinologist to monitor your diabetes. Your local hospital system should also have a Certified Diabetes Educator (usually a nurse, dietician or pharmacist who has undergone extensive training and certification). Call and ask them what they recommend.

Having been involved in the world of Diabetes most of my career, I'd be very surprised if they didn't monitor your blood glucose levels more acutely than a non-gestational patient.

Regardless, you're at much higher risk, and once you have type 2 diabetes, it never goes away no matter how well it's controlled. I'd be very proactive in getting answers and making sure you're on top of it.

Good luck with the baby.

I have lots of friends who had gestational diabetes. They had to reglulate their diets and take insulin during their pregnancies.
However, once their babies were born, their sugar levels returned to normal with no other intervention.

They will monitor your blood glucose levels during labor and delivery and after delivery and will also check you the whole time you're in the hospital.
No special diet needed.
When you're in labor, and sugars go way down they will give you some juice to drink.
If they are too high, they will give you insulin shots during labor and delivery to keep it down....
There is a chance they will be high during delivery because of the IV's and sugar in them....

The diabetes should go away after the baby is born.
It did for me with my first 2 kids, it stayed with me after my 3rd and I now have type 2 diabetes.
He was born a year ago. It's diet controlled at this time. Doctor said that if I loose weight it might go away, so I've been loosing weight and we're hoping it will. She didn't even put me on any medications, just monitoring my weight loss...

Good luck

I think it really depends on your doctor/hospital, but my experience was that I was treated as a regular (non diabetic) patient after delivery. No testing, no restricted diet.
Good luck!!

I had GD with my daughter- after she was born they checked my blood sugar for the first 24 hours to make sure they remained "normal" but that was it- not special diet or anything. They also did blood sugar checks on my daughter.

I have a family hx of Type 2 and have generally run close to pre-diabetic. Since My GD I make sure to have my levels check at least every year- but more because my Dr and I are overly cautious.

I had Gestational Diabetes. As soon as the baby was born my sugar levels went back to normal and I was on a regular diet. They did test my sugar to make sure several times though.