| What should I do if I have gestational diabetes? (Cont'd) Keep daily records of your diet, physical activity, and
glucose level 
What is it?
Why do I have to do it?
How do I do it?
When do I do it?
How do I know I'm doing it right?
What is it?
Keeping records means writing down your blood sugar numbers, physical activities, and everything you eat and drink in a daily record book. You can use a small notebook or ask your health care provider for a testing record book. There are also sample record book pages at the back of this booklet (see Appendix C and Appendix D).
Keep in mind that if you are supposed to keep track of everything you eat and drink, that means everything. Bites, nibbles, snacks, second helpings, and liquids can really add up and may upset your meal plan. It's also easy to forget or underestimate how much snacking you really do.
Why do I have to do it?
Keeping daily records helps to track how well your treatment plan is working and what, if anything, should be changed. The information also reveals whether or not you need insulin, and if so, how much you need.
You might also find the information helpful when talking to your health care provider about how you feel. Your record book is a good place to write down questions or notes on how your body feels, so that you can remember them at your next prenatal appointment.
How do I do it?
Your health care provider can give you more details about what to write in your record book. He or she might ask you to keep track of these things: - Blood sugar level—What is your level? Are you in the healthy range?
- Food—What did you eat and drink? Was the food on your meal plan? Did you have any snacks? How large/small was your snack? Was it more or less than usual?
- Physical wellness—How do you feel? Are you sick to your stomach? Do you feel tired, or do you have lots of energy?
- Physical activity—What activity did you do? How long did you do it? Was it within your physical activity program? How did you feel after the activity?
- Weight gain—Are you gaining a healthy amount of weight?
When do I do it?
It's a good idea to follow a schedule for writing in your record book, so that you get used to doing it and don't forget to do it. It might seem like a lot of work in the beginning, keeping track of so many things, but the more you do it, the less work it will be.
How do I know that I'm doing it right?
The most important part of keeping daily records is that you do it. Make sure that you are recording all the items identified by your health care provider.
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