Contents:
Medical Video: Gestational Diabetes: Managing Risk During and After Pregnancy Video - Brigham and Women’s Hospital
If you have gestational diabetes, giving birth will usually make this condition 'cured' instantly. But that does not mean you are free. Your doctor will often check your blood sugar level, starting after your baby is born. For most women, blood sugar levels will return to normal quickly after giving birth.
Six weeks after your baby is born, you should do a blood test to find out if your blood sugar level is back to normal or not. This test is similar to what you do to find out whether you have gestational diabetes or not. Based on the test results, you will enter into one of 3 categories.
Postpartum Test Categories
| If your category ... | You must… |
| Normal | Get a diabetes check every 3 years. |
| Blood sugar is disturbed | Get diabetes check-ups every year. Talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your risk of diabetes. |
| Diabetes | Work with your diabetes health care provider to arrange your diabetes treatment plan. |
This test also checks your risk for possible future diabetes. Women who have gestational diabetes have a 40% higher chance than women who do not have gestational diabetes, to eventually develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Having a diabetes check is very important, because type 2 diabetes does not show some symptoms. The only way to know for sure that you have type 2 diabetes is to do a blood test that shows your blood sugar level is higher than normal. You should also notify your doctor immediately if you feel the following:
- Become very thirsty
- Frequent urination
- Feeling too tired
- Losing weight quickly and / or without reason
If you have one or more of these symptoms it does not mean you have diabetes, but your doctor may want to test you to make sure. Early detection of type 2 diabetes can help you avoid problems, such as early heart disease and eye, kidney, or nerve damage. If you choose to use birth control pills or contraceptives, talk to your doctor about what contraceptive methods will not increase your risk of developing diabetes.
Can I breastfeed even though I have gestational diabetes?
Like all mothers in general, women with gestational diabetes should breastfeed their babies, if possible. Breastfeeding provides a number of benefits for your baby, including the balance of proper nutrition and protection against certain diseases. Breastfeeding is also beneficial for the mother, because it allows the body to use some extra calories stored during pregnancy. Losing weight after giving birth will improve overall health and is one way to reduce your chances of developing diabetes later in life.
Many women who suffer from gestational diabetes also find that breastfeeding increases their fasting blood sugar level and allows them to maintain an average blood sugar level lower after their baby is born.
