Why are my blood sugar levels important during pregnancy?

Learning to eat in a way that keeps your blood sugar levels balanced is vital for your optimum health and functionality. During pregnancy your increased blood supply and levels of certain hormones mean you are more likely to experience dips in blood sugar (energy lows). This makes that balance harder to achieve.

Excessive sugar in the blood can cause damage to your arteries and organs. When you eat foods containing sugar, your body releases a hormone called insulin to pull excess glucose from the blood. The higher the sugar content, the more insulin is released, causing your blood sugar levels to plummet suddenly. Since you do need some sugar to fuel your cells, you will crave sweet treats and pick-me-ups to relieve your symptoms. This triggers yet another spike followed by a drop in blood sugar - and so the cycle continues, leaving you feeling exhausted and low.

In the short term, you may experience the following symptoms if your blood sugar levels are out of balance.

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Irritability
• Sugar cravings

If your blood sugar levels are out of balance long term, it can lead to more serious health issues including: 

• Anxiety 
• Depression
• Sleep problems
• Weight gain
• Chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation in the body increases the likelihood of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and dementia.

Babies born to mums with poor blood sugar control are often bigger. Macrosomia is a condition where a baby grows excessively large, it is more likely to be result of maternal obesity, excessive weight gain in pregnancy and diabetes or gestational diabetes. This condition increases the risk of delivery complications such as shoulder dystocia and cesarean section.

Large babies of mothers with elevated blood sugar levels have a higher risk of childhood obesity and are more likely to develop other health conditions in later childhood. Your midwife will monitor your blood-sugar levels during the third trimester as gestational diabetes is becoming more and more common in the UK.

Try and avoid refined sugar

Simple carbohydrates (sweets, chocolate, cakes etc.) and refined carbohydrates (white and whole wheat flour, bread, pasta, white potatoes etc.) release sugar very quickly into the blood stream and cause it to spike. Replacing these with complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit, brown rice, oats, quinoa etc.) which contain fiber and release energy slowly will keep your blood sugar balanced.

Eat regularly

Leaving large gaps between meals causes blood sugar levels to drop, leaving you feeling tired and low in energy. In this state, you are more likely to make poor food choices. So prevent this dip by eating three meals and two or more snacks daily. Eating a little and often will also be beneficial in the third trimester when there is not a lot of room in your stomach, and will help to relieve heartburn.

Balance your meals

Combining carbohydrates with healthy fats and protein on the one hand and fiber on the other ensures a slower release into the blood stream. This is why an apple and a piece of chocolate may contain the same amount of sugar, but only the chocolate will spike your blood sugar. Eating a handful of nuts with your fruit or having a tablespoon of humus with your crackers will blunt the sugar spike.

As a general rule, all meals should contain carbohydrates, protein and fat and snacks should contain carbs and protein. This is particularly important for breakfast, which tends to be carb heavy, so think natural live yogurt, nuts, seeds, fresh fruits, berries or eggs, spinach, mushrooms and wholegrain toast.

For more information, see: Foundations of a healthy diet for you and your baby: Macronutrients and Micronutrients. 

Stimulants, such as caffeine, have the same effect as sugar on insulin release and should therefore be kept to a minimum or avoided. If you can't go without your daily coffee, try drinking it with half a teaspoon of cinnamon, which cleverly blunts the sugar spike.

Eat fruits in their whole form rather than juicing

Fruit juice has the same effect on your blood sugar as cola and other fizzy drinks. You need the fiber to bind the sugar and slow its release into your bloodstream. Wherever possible, eat whole fruit, and combine it with a protein source to slow the sugar release even more. For example, eat an apple with a handful of almonds or a slice of cheddar. 

Exercise

Moderate exercise after eating a meal will help reduce your blood sugar levels. For example, going for a 10-15 minute walk or doing some yoga.

The NHS recommends doing at least 150 minutes of exercise a week - or at least 20 minutes a day. If you don't exercise regularly, you can break these 20 minutes down into smaller chunks. For example, 5 minutes exercise 4 times a day or 10 minutes twice a day. 

If you've recently been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes or you're struggling to balance your blood sugar levels, we can help. We have a 4-week Blood Sugar Reset programme that is personalised to meet your specific health needs and lifestyle. With one-to-one coaching, you'll be guided to make small changes to your lifestyle that bring your blood sugar levels into balance quickly and sustainably.

As Lauren found:

"Working with Iona was a game changer during my pregnancy. After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I was anxious about my health and my baby’s wellbeing. Iona helped me transform my mindset and approach to food and exercise. She showed me how to enjoy what I eat in moderation, swap out unhealthy options and make time for movement after meals, which improved my sugar readings. Thanks to her guidance I saw positive changes in my health and even my baby's measurements, which was really reassuring. Iona's support was invaluable, and the habits I developed during my pregnancy have continued to benefit me post-birth. I highly recommend her!" Lauren C.

Click here to book a free 30-minute consultation to better understand how the programme can work for you.

Information provided by specialist Nutritional Therapist: Rosie Letts Nutrition

Health coaching support provided by: Iona Reading, Founder of New Life Classes.

The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article are not intended to amount to advice, and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article. New Life Classes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article.