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What to know
about this
pregnancy risk
By some estimates, about
17 percent of pregnant women
develop gestational diabetes—
a type of diabetes that starts
in pregnancy, typically in the
second trimester. Which is why
your doctor will most likely
advise that you be tested for the
disease between your 24th and
28th week of pregnancy.
Any pregnant woman can get
gestational diabetes. But you’re
more vulnerable if you have
a close relative with type 2
diabetes or you’re overweight.
You’re also at greater risk if
you’ve had gestational diabetes
before or you’ve given birth
to a baby weighing more than
9 pounds.
What it means
If you do test positive for
this pregnancy complication,
it means your blood sugar
(glucose) is too high. And that
high blood sugar can hurt your
baby—and you.
You, for example, could de-
velop high blood pressure. And
your baby might weigh more
than normal, which could result
in a cesarean section. Your
baby might also have trouble
breathing.
The good news: You can
help keep the two of you safe
by controlling your blood sugar.
That may mean:
■
Keeping track of your blood
sugar every day.
■
Following an eating plan.
■
Being active on most days
for at least 30 minutes.
■
Taking insulin shots, if
needed, which won’t harm
your baby.
What’s ahead?
After your baby is born, your ges-
tational diabetes will probably
go away on its own.
Still, you’re more likely to
get type 2 diabetes later in life.
So get tested for it regularly—
ask your doctor how often. Also
take care to keep your weight
in a healthy range, exercise
often and eat well.
Sources: American Academy of Family
Physicians; American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists; American Diabetes
Association; National Institutes of Health
Our doctors
deliver—babies,
that is! Call
793-9786
to make an
appointment.
GESTATIONAL DIABETES
You’ll also need a safe place
for your baby to sleep. Most
new cribs and crib mattresses
sold in the U.S. are safe. But be
wary of used cribs, which may
not meet current crib safety
standards or may have been
recalled.
For safety’s sake, crib slats
should be no more than
2⅜ inches apart.
Also, make sure all fabrics
in your baby’s room—such
as sheets and curtains—are
flame-retardant.
KNOW WHEN YOU’RE
READY
Not all babies arrive
on schedule. That’s why it’s
important to know the signs
that labor is near—or here:
Lightening.
This is the
feeling you get when your
baby has moved lower in
your pelvis. Lightening hap-
pens anytime from a few
weeks to a few hours before
the start of labor.
An increase in vaginal
discharge.
This discharge—
which actually is the mucus
plug that blocks the cervix—
can be clear, pink or slightly
bloody. It can occur sev-
eral days before
labor or at its
onset.
Your water breaks (a
trickling or gush of amni-
otic fluid from your vagina).
Labor often starts soon after
your water breaks.
Contractions.
Generally,
labor has started when your
contractions:
●
Become strong and occur
at frequent, regular intervals.
●
Start hurting in your back
and move forward to your
lower abdomen.
●
Occur despite walking or
changing position.
Sometime before your
due date, be sure to ask your
doctor:
●
Once labor starts, when
should I call you?
●
Are there special steps I
should follow when I think I
am in labor?
ALL THE BEST TO YOU
We want to wish you and
your growing family the
healthiest—and happiest—
of futures.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics;
American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists; Office on Women’s Health
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S A M A R I T A N