Taking some gentle exercise

Obviously now is not the time to start a fitness campaign, but taking exercise is beneficial for many pregnant women, including those with diabetes.

Try something gentle

Discuss your exercise plans with your Diabetes Specialist Nurse or Diabetes Specialist Midwife. If you are advised that you can take some gentle exercise:

• Don't do anything strenuous. Instead, try to introduce a little more activity - such as steady walking - into your day, every day
• Avoid extreme stretches. During pregnancy, the ligaments joining your muscles to your bones become more elastic and it is possible to overstretch

Be safe, before and after

Your blood glucose testing can help you to exercise safely:

• Always take a small snack before you start exercising
• Before you begin, make sure your blood glucose levels are not too low
• Have glucose tablets, a sugary drink or a snack to hand while you exercise, in case you feel hypo
• Test again after you exercise, and ask yourself:
  • How low are your levels?
  • Do you need a snack?
  • Should you have had a bigger snack before you started?

Exercise clases Many leisure centres run special aqua classes or yoga classes for pregnant women. If you join one let the instructor know that you are using insulin.