Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: Coping With Cravings

Many women see pregnancy as a time where they can relax their strict diets and eat as much as they want, as long as they maintain a healthy balance, but for women with type 1 diabetes, pregnancy is far more complex.

The type of foods we often crave during pregnancy are often exactly the high carb ones that send our blood sugar soaring such as cakes, pastries, muffins, pizza and tortilla chips.

Usually we allow ourselves a little indulgence occasionally, but during pregnancy it isn’t only our bodies that we need to worry about but those delicate little babies developing inside us.

One of the best ways to cope with diabetic pregnancy cravings is to keep a supply of good snacks nearby. Celery and peanut butter, cheese and apple, and peppers and hummus are all delicious snacks that can help to suppress pregnancy cravings.

However, there are some days when nothing but a fresh warm croissant will do, so here are some ways you can treat yourself occasionally.

• Try to keep just one day in the week when you’re allowed a high carb treat.
  
• Make sure you take your insulin a while before you eat so it has time to get into your system.
  
• Try to take a long walk after you eat to bring down any peak in your blood sugar.
  
• Test soon after you have eaten so you can control high blood sugar as quickly as possible.
  

Read Jody’s Story, Living with Type 1 Diabetes and find out how she coped with her pregnancy diet and cravings as well as labor and breast feeding.

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