When your Blood Sugar is Too Low

In a perfect diabetic world, you take your insulin, eat your meals and exercise and your
blood glucose levels remain stable. But things happen, you take your insulin late, you eat
a light meal and then spend all afternoon running errands. This is a recipe for
hypoglycemia – a condition when your blood glucose levels fall dangerously low.

Hypoglycemia isn’t so much a hazard for the baby but it is for a mom with gestational
diabetes. The best way to prevent this from happening is to know the signs and how you
feel when you blood sugar is getting low and to carry emergency supplies with you at all
times.

Some of the symptoms of low blood sugar include feeling:

* Hungry
* Nauseous
* Light-headed
* Faint

In the case of any of these symptoms, you should test your blood sugar right away and
have something to eat. The best choice is a glass of juice or another food item that is
considered fast-acting such as a piece of fruit or a piece of candy. Carry something with
you at all times and a regular snack too. If you are out and need to eat (say you are stuck
in your car during a traffic jam) it is important to have food with you.

Other precautions that you should take when you have gestational diabetes include
carrying a card or another item that identifies you have diabetes and what type of insulin
you are taking. The worse case scenario is you passing out and the people who come to
help you need to know that you are diabetic. Make sure people at work and your family
members are aware of your condition and know what warning signs to look for if you
need help and when to bring your some juice or something else to eat.