Gestational diabetes: Sick day tips when taking insulin

• If you become ill or get an infection, your blood glucose levels will often rise.
• If you are taking insulin, continue your insulin as prescribed.
• Check your blood glucose levels every four hours while you are ill.
• If a blood glucose level is higher than recommended for two readings in a row, check your urine ketones.
• If your ketone reading is positive, call your health care provider immediately and provide your blood glucose and ketone readings.
• Drink a total of six to eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids during the day to avoid dehydration. Take small sips.
• After three to four hours without vomiting, gradually return to your normal meal plan.
• It's a good idea to teach your partner, a family member or a friend how to test your blood glucose, in case you are ever too sick to do this yourself.

Replacement foods

If you can't eat your regular foods, try these foods in place of carbohydrate foods (starches, fruits and milk).

Replace one carbohydrate food (15 grams) with one of the following:

• 4 ounces fruit juice
• 4 ounces regular pop
• 6 saltine crackers
• one-half twin Popsicle®
• 1/2 cup regular gelatin (Jell-O®)
• 8 ounces soup
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 slice bread

If you can't tolerate the replacement foods, try to eat one serving of a carbohydrate-containing food every 1 to 2 hours to prevent low blood glucose and dehydration.

Related Links

Taking insulin during pregnancy

Monitoring blood glucose levels

Learning about ketones

Allina Pregnancy Care

First published: 11/27/2006
Last updated: 11/27/2006

Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts