Elif Çimen Nutrition in Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes
The first 1000 days, the glucose tolerance test in weeks 24 to 28, and why gestational diabetes is usually managed by diet alone.
Your baby's journey with food and health does not begin on the day of birth, but at the moment life takes hold in the womb. The "first 1000 days" – from the time in the womb until your child turns two – are the most critical period of all: they set the foundation for the immunity, metabolism and mental development your child will carry for a lifetime. Eating well and in balance during this time raises your baby's potential to its highest level and reduces the risk of chronic illness later on to a minimum.
Weeks 24 to 28 of Pregnancy and the Glucose Tolerance Test
As pregnancy progresses, the changing hormones can make it harder for the body to use insulin. This is why the glucose tolerance test (OGTT) carried out between weeks 24 and 28 is a vital screening, for your health and your baby's alike.
If that assessment leads to a diagnosis of gestational diabetes, it is nothing to be frightened of. Remember: in 95 % of expectant mothers diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the condition can be managed successfully with a correct, individually tailored medical nutrition therapy alone, with no need for any medication or insulin treatment.
How We Work Together
As a dietitian and diabetes counsellor, my aim in this period is not to put you on a restrictive diet or to leave you hungry, but to keep your blood sugar in balance while supplying every nutrient your baby needs.
- Natural management without insulin: With steps in your eating that follow your body's own rhythm, we prevent blood sugar swings and aim to keep you inside that safe zone. If insulin does become necessary, we adjust the doses together.
- Healthy growth and development: We prevent the risk of a large baby, the possibility of premature birth and the low blood sugar after birth that can follow from blood sugar running high.
- A safe pregnancy: We make sure that you and your baby come through the time until birth in the healthiest and most comfortable way.
Monitored with professional guidance, gestational diabetes is no obstacle to holding your baby healthy in your arms. Remember, every good food you put on your plate in this period is the most valuable investment you can make in your baby's future.