Testing my Blood Sugar

May 17

Written By Malama Health

How to start? When to test? What to target? - Learning to track my blood glucose.

Self-monitoring of blood glucose is a crucial part of managing GDM. It might seem intimidating, but you will get the hang of it quickly.

WHAT DO I NEED TO TEST?

Keeping track of how your blood sugar levels involves a few key things:

• A meter: A machine to test your blood glucose levels — and can sync to the Malama app
• A lancet: A small needle used to draw your blood
• Blood glucose strips: A small piece of hard plastic that the blood is placed on and fed to the meter

WHEN TO TEST?

Most care teams will ask you to test 4 times a day.

1. Fasting (Morning) Test:
   • When: The moment you wake up, before eating or drinking anything.
   • Why: This test measures your blood sugar after fasting overnight, giving insights into your body's baseline blood sugar level.
2. Post-Breakfast Test:
   • When: 1 hour after starting your breakfast (Test your blood sugar after your first bite! Don’t wait until you are done eating). Note: Some care teams will ask you to test 2 hours after starting your breakfast instead of, or in addition to the 1 hour test.
   • Why: This test reveals how your body processes the carbohydrates from your morning meal.
3. Post-Lunch Test:
   • When: 1 hour after starting your lunch (Test your blood sugar after your first bite! Don’t wait until you are done eating). Note: Some care teams will ask you to test 2 hours after starting your breakfast instead of, or in addition to the 1 hour test.
   • Why: Similar to post-breakfast testing, this test helps you understand the impact of lunchtime meals on your blood sugar levels.
4. Post-Dinner Test:
   • When: 1 hour after starting your dinner (Test your blood sugar after your first bite! Don’t wait until you are done eating). Note: Some care teams will ask you to test 2 hours after starting your breakfast instead of, or in addition to the 1 hour test.
   • Why: By testing after dinner, you learn how your blood sugar responds to nighttime meals.

Tips for Successful Testing:

• Set alarms or reminders to ensure you test at the right times.
• Keep your glucometer and testing supplies in a convenient location.

WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS I SHOULD BE IN? TARGET GLUCOSE LEVEL RANGES

• We expect blood sugar to rise after a meal but our goal is to make sure that they don’t rise too much.
• The target glucose level ranges for gestational diabetes management can vary slightly based on the organization providing the guidelines, but make sure to check with your doctor and care team as to what your targets are:

American Diabetes Association and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend the following targets:

• Below 95 mg/dl plasma, in the morning during FASTING
• Below 140 mg/dl plasma, 1 hour after the first bite of a meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Below 120 mg/dl plasma, 2 hours after the first bite of a meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner

If you live in California, your care team will likely follow the Sweet Success California Standard blood sugar goals, given below:

• Below 90 mg/dl plasma, in the morning during FASTING
• Below 130 mg/dl plasma, 1 hour after the first bite of a meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner