Controlling your blood sugar level is essential to keeping your baby healthy and avoiding complications during delivery. Your treatment plan may include: Blood sugar monitoring= checking blood sugar level four to five times a day to make sure you're keeping your blood sugar within a healthy range is vital. To test your blood sugar, you draw a drop of blood from your finger using a small needle (lancet), then place the blood on a test strip inserted into a blood glucose meter — a device that measures and displays your blood sugar level. Diet= Eating the right kind and amount of food is one of the best ways to control your blood sugar level. This often means more fruits, vegetables and whole grains — foods that are high in nutrition and low in fat and calories — and fewer animal products and sweets. Even so, no single diet is right for every woman. Exercise= Exercise lowers your blood sugar level by transporting sugar to your cells, where it's used for energy. Exercise also increases your sensitivity to insulin, which means your body needs less insulin to transport sugar to your cells. And there's more. Regular exercise can help prevent some of the discomforts of pregnancy, such as back pain, muscle cramps, swelling, constipation and difficulty sleeping. It can also help prepare you for labor and delivery. Medication= If diet and exercise aren't enough, you may need insulin injections to lower your blood sugar level. For some women, the oral medication glyburide may be an option as well. [ Home ] [ GDM ] [ Risks ] [ Treatment ] [ Main ] Website created by: Sajidah Hakik References Canadian Diabetes Association: Gestational Diabetes, (2007)., Retrieved from: http://www.diabetes.ca/ilt/diabetes_answers/what_is_gestational _diabetes/about_gestational_diabetes.aspx. Retrieved on: March 14, 2007.