After Pregnancy with Gestational Diabetes

Your blood sugar will most likely return to normal after delivery. But gestational diabetes is a warning sign that you are at risk for getting diabetes later in life. You’re also more likely to have gestational diabetes with your next pregnancy. But you can take steps to reduce these risks.

Taking Care of Yourself

 

Even if your blood sugar goes back to normal, you still need to take care of yourself. This will help prevent diabetes later in life.

Keep your weight down. Eating food that is low in fat and sugar can help you control your weight. If you’re overweight, your risk of getting diabetes in 10 to 15 years more than doubles. Keeping your weight down also reduces your risk of having gestational diabetes with your next pregnancy.
Get regular exercise. Exercise helps lower your blood sugar. It can also help you control your weight.
Have your blood sugar checked. Make an appointment to have your blood sugar checked about 6 to 8 weeks after delivery.
Have regular diabetes screenings. Get checked every year, or as often as your healthcare provider advises.
Breastfeeding

Breast milk is the best food for your baby. Breastfeeding may also help lower your blood sugar. Your healthcare provider can show you how to breastfeed. Be sure to eat a good diet and drink extra fluids while you’re breastfeeding.

Planning Future Pregnancies

You need to be sure your blood sugar is back to normal before you get pregnant again. Have your blood sugar checked before you plan your next pregnancy. And remember that it’s possible to get pregnant again soon after delivery. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best method of birth control for you and your partner.

Discover How You Can Treat Infertility Naturally, Without Drugs or Surgery

Getting Pregnant After 35

Now that you are over 35, are you faced with the decisions about trying to get pregnant? My husband and I are at that stage now. It’s a scary time for us. We have only been married for two years so we would like to have waited a little longer before starting a family, but I’m now 36 and we don’t know what our fertility chances are. So in order to become just a little less ignorant about our fertility chances, I started doing some research on the internet.

First off, it’s us women that seem to have the most fertility issues. Here are just two of the main factors affecting fertility that are pertinent to most women I think. 1. Body Weight – often we think that just being overweight can affect our fertility. Overweight or obese women may not be able to conceive due to hormone issues brought on by obesity. But underweight women can problems too; if they are able to conceive some are not able to provide the fetus/baby with the nutrients they need.

2. The other major issue is with the ovaries and uterus. In the ovaries you can have problems like Poly Cystic Ovaries (PCO), twisted ovaries or fibroids. And then in the uterus, one of the most common causes of fertility issues is with endometriosis. This can cause further complications such as low progesterone count, diminished ovarian reserve and other ovulation disorders. It’s just my luck that I have both these issues to deal with, I’m overweight and have a long history of endometriosis.

But don’t forget, it’s not just the women that have the fertility issues. Men can have fertility issues such as: low sperm count and low sperm motility, injury or chronic diseases, sperm blockage or even an STD. And then both of us can have our fertility affected by other factors such as malnutrition, a depressed mental condition and endocrinology factors.

It is because of all these other factors in our life that we have decided to take an holistic approach to trying to get pregnant after 35. We are aware that our chances of conceiving naturally, diminish as we get older so we are going to get our bodies and our minds right first. I think that’s the right place to start.

If you want to learn more about the holistic approach we took when trying to get pregnant if you’re over 35, go to Michelle Rudge’s blog at www.TryingToGetPregnantNow.com