Perspectives on Diabetes Care
This is the official blog of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists where we share recent research and professional opinions on diabetes care and education.
Current & Past ADCES Blog Articles
New Gestational Diabetes Resources Are Here
Jun 11, 2018, 13:21 PM
Today's guest blogger, Nancy Drobycki, is an MSN, RN and CDE based in Plano, Texas.
The impetus for writing the gestational diabetes practice paper started in the summer of 1987 during my second pregnancy. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and did not know where to turn. I vividly remember my obstetrician giving me the 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test results and instilling a very large dose of guilt into my psyche. There was no diabetes educator available to give me evidence-based information and most importantly, support me emotionally and mentally as I struggled through those last 12 weeks of pregnancy. I promised myself that someday, I would help to prevent other women with gestational diabetes from having these experiences.
As I reviewed and wrote about the AADE7 self-care behaviors, I had insightful flashbacks of the challenges I faced during that time. Diabetes educators have a plethora of opportunities to assist the woman with gestational diabetes to live a healthier life, to feel emotionally supported, and have a successful pregnancy outcome. Writing this paper has increased my appreciation of every moment I spend facilitating diabetes education for women with gestational diabetes. I am most grateful for these moments.
You can learn more about the gestational practice paper and other resources by visiting DiabetesEducator.org/GDM.