Once you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, regular monitoring of the blood sugar level is very important during pregnancy . Your health care provider will want you to know more about your day to day blood sugar level. Testing your blood sugar level everyday will help you to determine whether proper diet and weight gain have kept your blood sugar levels in control or not .
Measuring sugar level will become something you do regularly with gestational diabetes. Knowing your blood sugar level helps you to know how your exercise pattern and food habit affect your blood sugar level .
According to American Diabetes Association , the following are the ratio for gestational diabetes in women.The glycemic may be appropriate foe each individual,
Before meal = 95 mg/dl or less
1-hour after a meal = 140 mg/dl or less
2-hour after a meal = 120 mg/dl or less
For gestational diabetes, you have to buy your own blood sugar monitoring device i.e, self blood glucose monitoring device. Your health care provider will give you the information about the device and how to use it on regular basis.
It is important to monitor your sugar level during pregnancy with gestational diabetes . Don’t take it as easy for any reason!!
For self blood glucose monitoring ,you might need the following items,
Lancet device – Finger prick device to pinch your finger.
Lancet – a disposable ,sharp needle to prick your finger to get drop of blood
Test strip – small strip to which drop of blood is filled to test in glucose meter.
Glucose meter – a device which “reads” the test strip and you a digital number value.
Make sure that you get details ,how to use the device from your helath care provider or from there office.
These device help you monitor your blood glucose level at home in any time by dropping the blood.
How to use the device,
When i got my monitoring device , we have few doubts, mostly like is that we are using it correctly?
For you , unijou is sharing all important things to use the device
- Wash your hands .
- Insert the clean needle (lancet) in to the lancet device(finger picker device)
- Use the lancet device(finger picker with attached needle) to prick your finger.(it is really hard part)
- When a spot of blood appears , place onto the end of the testing strip and transfer the drop of blood to the edge of the strip(testing area) and stick the strip to the glucose meter.
- Wait for a few second, the glucose meter will show you the glucose (sugar) level.Record the result value.
- Clean your finger.
- Dispose the needle safely after you take your blood sample.
Record the result every time :
It is very important to record your sugar level every time .You have to take the test 3 to 4 times a day . Before breakfast and after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner.
Use notebook or blood sugar diary or monitoring mobile app or use the memory – storage feature on your meter.
According to your sugar level chart ,you and your health care provider will work on your diet and exercise.
You might be send to dietitian ,to work on your meal portion and amount of protein ,fat and carbohydrate to take inevery meal.
The most successful way to control your glucose value is simply by proper diet and exercise.
