The test reads positive and you kick off preparations for the due date. There\u2019s SO much to do and SO much pressure to do everything right \u2014 especially if you\u2019re going to stay healthy throughout your pregnancy. <\/p>\n
One of the biggest changes you\u2019ll make is to your lifestyle\u2026 cut out alcohol and caffeine, stop smoking, eat well and exercise regularly. You know the drill. <\/p>\n
Let\u2019s not forget the glucose tolerance test your healthcare professional has sent you to complete \u2014 a tiring, two hour test to determine if you have gestational diabetes. You want the best for yourself and your baby but OMG, it\u2019s another thing to think about. <\/p>\n
But how much do you know about gestational diabetes?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a form of diabetes affecting women during pregnancy, usually between the 24th and 28th week. Many remain uninformed of the risk of gestational diabetes (a surprising fact, considering gestational diabetes is the fastest growing type of diabetes in Australia and will affect one in seven pregnant women).<\/p>\n
When someone has diabetes, their body can\u2019t maintain healthy levels of blood glucose \u2014 the main source of energy for our bodies. People with diabetes aren\u2019t able to produce or have insufficient levels of insulin, the hormone needed to convert glucose into energy. During pregnancy, additional hormones are produced to help the baby grow and develop. These hormones can block the production of insulin leading to increased demand, often 2 to 3 time higher than usual. <\/p>\n
The majority of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes will deliver a healthy baby and will no longer show symptoms after pregnancy. But it\u2019s important to develop a management plan to ensure their pregnancy runs as smoothly as possible.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve recently been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you will need to learn how to measure your blood glucose levels. They\u2019ll work with you to develop a management plan in conjunction with your doctor or midwife to help keep your pregnancy smooth and happy.<\/em><\/p>\n Visit your local Blooms The Chemist for more information on how to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. <\/em><\/p>\n Presented in partnership with Blooms The Chemist<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In partnership with Blooms The Chemist, we\u2019re giving you the 411 on good health. This month: gestational diabetes. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1365,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[417,201],"tags":[],"geo_market":[],"class_list":["post-1364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-beauty","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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\n\tYour local Blooms The Chemist is there to support you on your pregnancy journey, with their blood glucose screening service. It\u2019s free and it\u2019s quick \u2013 you\u2019ll have your reading in about 60 seconds along with professional advice from your pharmacist.<\/em><\/p>\n