Diabetes And Nursing Your Baby
April 29th, 2009 April 29th, 2009 Posted in Understand DiabetesNo Comments »
If you are a mother nursing your child and you are diabetic then I am certain you have already talked with your doctor about different things you need to know about your diabetes and how it affects the baby and how nursing can help you keep your blood sugar down to a more normal level.
By nursing your infant for atleast the first six months you are helping in decreasing their chances of getting type 1 diabetes. Breast feeding is not only great for your babies but it is also really good for the mothers health as well. It can and will help the new mother shed some of that baby weight that she gained throughout her pregnancy. If the mother is already diabetic then losing the baby weight is even more important in her overall health. Another great thing is that with some diabetic nursing mothers, their glucose levels actually tend to go down when nursing and in some cases some of the diabetic symptoms may even go away while she is nursing her new baby.
With type 1 diabetes you do not have to worry at all about the possibilities of your insulin entering your baby. You might even find that your need for more insulin has significantly decreased since pregnancy. If you are suffering from type 2 diabetes and are on medications for it then your doctor should talk with you about wether or not you will even be able to nurse your new baby. If it is possible to nurse your baby with this kind of diabetes then your doctor should inform you on which medications will be acceptable to you and your baby being nursed.
Remember anytime you are nursing it is so important for you to follow a really good, healthy diet, not just for you but for your babies health as well. Every time you think about wanting a snack, go for it. Snacking on something healthy as often as possible while nursing will help in keeping your glucose levels more normal and will keep you and your baby very healthy. If you like milk you may want to consider drinking more of it while nursing your baby, this could even count as a snack if you do not feel like eating at that moment.
When a new mom is nursing her child and she is diabetic then chances are her blood sugar levels will get off balance more often than not. By eating a proper healthy diet and getting regular exercise and ofcourse keeping track of your glucose levels will all play a big part in keeping you and your baby healthy. Choosing to nurse your baby has many great benefits, not only for the baby but also for the mother with diabetes. You should think about this when deciding wether or not you are going to nurse your baby. It will help in keeping your baby healthier and keeping you healthy, so you can be at your best and feel the best when caring for your baby.