Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes — Continued

What can you do to prevent gestational diabetes?

Women who exercise up to 10 hours a week before pregnancy lower their risk of a problem. Exercising up to eight hours a week in the early months helps, too, according to one meta-analysis. Exercise will help with other pregnancy risks, too.

Participating in a structured diet and exercise program could also help you avoid gaining too much weight. You need to buck the trends. Most American women are overweight when they become pregnant, most don’t exercise during pregnancy, most gain too much, and most hold on to their weight gain after pregnancy.

Then the pounds pile on again with additional pregnancies.

Beating the cycle is important for not only you but also your child. If you gain too much weight, you nearly double your risk of having an oversized baby, who will likely struggle with weight problems. Even normal-sized babies run a higher risk of weight problems if their mothers are overweight.

Stay alert after giving birth

A few months after delivery, get tested again to make sure everything’s back to normal.

Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes later in life are higher than average, so maintaining a healthy weight and exercise program is essential.

Monitor your child’s weight carefully as well. Children born to mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to become overweight, even if they’re born a normal size.

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