her which food combinations worked best.
bedtime. This helps spread calorie intake throughout the day while avoiding triggers like nausea or reflux, which can make blood sugar harder to manage due to reduced appetite. Jessica followed a balanced approach, pairing protein, healthy fats, and carbo- hydrates at each meal. After eating, she checked her glucose levels to ensure she stayed within her target range. “If my glucose ran high, I adjusted at the next meal. It was all about balance, not perfection.” Planning and prepping meals, carry- ing snacks, and staying consistent with healthy options are key—especially when cravings hit, and they will. When Jessica wanted something indulgent, she kept portions small, and paired them with protein and fiber to minimize spikes. Lindsay emphasizes the impor- tance of timing insulin intake, saying, “As long as you can take the right amount of insulin, it’s okay to indulge occasionally while pregnant.” For most pregnancies, exercise is also beneficial. Dr. Biggio recommends
aerobic exercise over high-impact activ- ity three to five days a week because it helps the body absorb glucose. For both Lindsay and Jessica, walking after meals helped keep blood sugar levels in range. COMMON CHALLENGES (AND REASSURANCE) Diabetes may be part of the journey— but it doesn’t define it. It’s important to remember that you’re doing the best you can and to avoid self-blame. “It’s hard not to blame yourself when something doesn’t go as planned,” Lindsay says. For a diabetic, it can be stressful planning around endless visits with a physician. But these days, many of these visits can be done virtually, or through sharing blood sugar logs and data from continuous glucose monitors, which are a helpful tool for maintaining control, notes Dr. Biggio. It’s normal to feel challenged. With guidance from professionals, support, and the right tools and mindset, moms can move forward with confidence.
“Once you figure out what works for your body, it gets easier. There may be some trial and error, but that process builds confidence. It turned into a challenge I could solve, and those lessons still influence how I eat today,” says Jessica. For both Lindsay and Jessica, finding community, joining programs, and lean- ing on support systems of women going through similar experiences helped them feel less alone. NUTRITION AND DAILY LIFE TIPS Adhering to a balanced diet is central during pregnancy, especially when managing diabetes. But many people overestimate how much they need to eat. Dr. Biggio says that in reality, most people only need about 200–300 extra calories during pregnancy. For someone with diabetes, he recommends eating three smaller meals a day with snacks in between meals and
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