If you’re reading this, you’ve likely been told your blood sugar is elevated—either “borderline” or diagnostic for gestational diabetes (GDM).

Our goal is to help you safely regulate your blood sugar with nutrition, movement, and monitoring so you can continue a healthy pregnancy and birth.

Important: Your blood sugar must be well controlled by 32 weeks to continue midwifery care. If not, we will refer you for physician consultation.

Your 3-Step Plan

Step 1: Glucose Challenge Test

Around 28-weeks, you had a “glucose challenge test”. That involved drinking 50 grams of glucose, and having your labs drawn 1 hour later. Ideally, your blood glucose should have been below 135. If it was 135 or higher, we will refer you to Step 2: Glucose Tolerance Test

Step 2: Glucose Tolerance Test

As soon as you can, you will need to make an appointment at Quest Diagnostics for a 3-hour, 100 gram Glucose Tolerance Test.

• Click HERE to find a Quest Diagnostics Lab Near You and schedule the test.

• Your midwife will upload a requisition into the portal for you. Take it with you to the lab.

Most people schedule this in the morning because it is a “fasting test” meaning you should not eat or drink anything for 8-hours ahead aof time.

• When you arrive, they will draw your blood glucose.

• Then they will give you a 100 gram bottle of glucose to drink

• They will draw your labs again at 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours.

Step 3: Learn about your metabolism

• Understanding how food affects your blood sugar gives you control.

• We recommend: Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols. We may have a copy in our lending library, or you can pick one up on Amazon.

Step 4: Track Your Blood Sugar

Monitoring Options

• Continuous Glucose Monitor (Freestyle Libre 3)
  → Please message us in the portal with your pharmacy phone number and let us know you would like to order a Freestyle Libre Plus Continuous Glucose Monitor. We will phone one in for you. (They may be covered on insurance. If not, they will usually cost around $75 with the prescription card from Abbot Labs. OR glucometer (available at any pharmacy)

We have collected some blog articles below to give you more information about blood glucose and how to regulate it.