Should I restrict carbs from in diet while getting pregnant?

Resolved question:

Hi doctor,
I and my husband are planning to have a baby by next year. I am 22 years old and a type-2 diabetic. I have been using insulin pump and recently suffered from miscarriage last summer. It was a result of an unplanned pregnancy also. Since then I have been working hard on restricting my sugars to make it more stable, more with lows than highs. This is because I require very less amount of insulin as I am very active. Now-a-days, I consume a lot of low carb and low calorie foods such as vegetables, salads, fish, lentils, nuts, oat meal etc. Should I follow this diet throughout pregnancy? I think that reducing carb is the best way to control my blood sugars. Am I correct? I can rapidly increase calories but I think that increase in calories can eventually increase blood sugar also. Please advise me on this. Thanks in advance.

Submitted: 4 Days
Category: Community

Expert:  Dr. Steve Merris replied 4 Days.

You are almost in a right path. A healthy nutrient rich diet is essential for a healthy baby and mother. Nutritious living of mother before conceiving and throughout pregnancy period will benefit both mom and the baby. Pre-conception counseling will help you more with this.

An endo clinic will help future moms and their babies to improve nutritional status of them. It also help in making action plans to normalize blood glucose levels of mother. Anyway, a heavy fasting on carbohydrates is not at all advised. Usually, low carb diets are poor in concentration of vitamins and minerals also. Calcium, vitamin D etc. are very much necessary for the normal functioning of body and for the health of the newborn. To conclude, it is better to see a registered dietician to help you in making a perfect meal planning for you. He can also help you to plan your exercise schedule. He can determine exact amounts of nutrients required by you, the future mom. He can plan how much carbs you might need and whatever nutrients are to be included more on your diet.

Hope that the answer is informative. Happy pregnancy. Good luck.

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