If you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you might be wondering whether it's
worth worrying about, or whether it's something you don't have to worry about too much.
Well in today's episode we're so lucky to have the wonderful Dietitian Margaret Hays,
talking to us about gestational diabetes, and in particular about the side effects and
the potential risks for you and your baby.
So make sure you stay tuned to learn all about it!
Well as I promised you guys, we are very blessed to have the wonderful Margaret Hays with us
today.
Thank you so much for coming in.
Thank you for having me, it's great.
Thanks.
So Margaret, can you tell us a little bit about what you do, and what your passions are?
I'm a Dietitian, and have been for a very long time, in fact 30 years.
So I've worked in a real variety of settings, and seeing different clients.
But one of the things I really loved doing is working with gestational diabetics, so
women that have developed diabetes while they've been pregnant.
So, that's one thing that I really enjoy doing.
And do you know anything about the stats in terms of G.D. these days?
Because it seems like it's really on the rise.
It certainly is.
5-10% of Australian women are developing gestational diabetes.
So it's quite an alarming statistic, and you know it's a serious issue.
But the good thing is, there's a lot we can do to help women that develop gestational
diabetes.
So I think the women that do have it, should feel rest assured that there's a lot of people
like us, dietitians out there, that really want to help them.
So, you know diabetes is so common now, that I find that a lot of people are just like
"Oh, I've got diabetes too", and they don't worry so much about it.
So why do you think that it's important for mums to actually be proactive about trying
to avoid G.D., or if they do develop it, trying to treat it?
Well, I mean there are a lot of people with diabetes are out there, and people have become
very blase about it.
But when pregnant women get gestational diabetes, it's a very big concern, as it can be a very
big risk to the baby.
What happens is, the hormonal surge in pregnancy causes the insulin not to work properly, then
that means that there's much more sugar hanging around basically.
So the baby is in a very high sugar environment, and it gets too big.
The baby can get too big.
And it can get too fat.
So that then makes trouble for delivery, there can be an injury while the baby is being delivered.
There's an injury of miscarriage, there's also a risk of stillborn, or still birth.
So it's really something to take very seriously, and it can be very well managed.
So if women find out the right information, they can manage their gestational diabetes
really well.
So, there's obviously some really important things to think about for baby.
What about to mum, how does it impact mum's both current health, and future health?
Well, when women come to see me, and they're diagnosed as a gestational diabetic, they're
really usually very upset.
So women really take on the responsibility, and feel like they've done something wrong.
So, first of all, I'd say it's very stressful hearing that you are getting the diagnosis
of being a gestational diabetic, or getting diabetes during your pregnancy.
So, stress is a really big deal, and so I like to give my clients the time and the chance
to talk about that, and to be able to reduce their stress level around that.
The other risk is that, if you get gestational diabetes, Australian women, they have a 50%
chance of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 to 20 years.
So I also say to my ladies that's a 50% chance that they won't get it.
Which is something that they can really do something about to prevent developing it.
So you've obviously got a passion for working with women with gestational diabetes, where
has that come from, and why is this such an important area to you?
So, I come from a long line of Midwives.
So my mum was a midwife, my sister is a midwife, my niece is a midwife.
Ah, I've got a sister who's a midwife as well!
So, there's always been in my family that passion for health, or you know, people that
are pregnant.
But the reason that I like working with people with gestational diabetes, is the women are
really motivated to make changes, to work with me and to really get the best outcome
in their pregnancy.
Yeah, and for those of you who don't know Margaret, not only is she incredibly intelligent.
Oh!
You are!
Amazingly intelligent.
But she's also a really caring and practical, down to earth type of person.
I think a lot of dietitians are.
Well, true.
But I would put you in the top of that bucket.
Oh, that's very kind!
So, yeah.
I would highly recommend if somebody is looking for somebody to see about gestational diabetes,
to look up Margaret.
And we'll put all your contact details below.
Sure.
I'd love to see everybody.
Yeah, that would be fantastic.
So Margaret, where is your practice?
Where can we find you?
Do you do Skype consultations?
Yes, yes I do.
I also have my own rooms, I have my own practice in Perth.
It's called the Nutrition Specialists, it's in a suburb called Innaloo.
So it's pretty central to everybody, so I work there and have my own receptionist and
my own rooms.
So if anyone wants to come and see me, they're very welcome.
Other than that, I do do phone or Skype consults as well.
Fantastic.
Well thank you so much for coming in.
Thanks Melanie.
Thanks for having me.
My pleasure.
And like you guys know, if you are subscribers of Nourish, you can download our free pregnancy
meal plan by going to www.melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy . And we'd love you to post any of your questions
below, anything about gestational diabetes or pregnancy, and in particular my question
for you guys today, is do you have gestational diabetes?
And if so, have you seen a dietitian?
Alright, well great to see you all and I look forward to catching up with you next week on Nourish