Identifying the 3 ways we can best support women to reduce gestational diabetes in pregnancy

Have you ever been diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM) during pregnancy?

Are you planning to have a child in the near future?

If you answer Maybe or No, does your choice have to do with fears about GDM?

How soon do you plan to get pregnant?

At least 1 year from now

Not planning to get pregnant

How concerned are you about developing GDM with your next pregnancy?

How important is it to make diet or lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of GDM before you get pregnant?

Potential challenges that may affect your decision to actively seek support to reduce your risk of gestational diabetes for a future pregnancy? Tick all that apply

My partner will not support any changes in our lifestyle

Lack of time to cook

Lack of time to plan meals

Don't want to change my diet

Already supported by a healthcare professional

Different meals for myself and the family

Too tired/ lack of energy

Lack of time to engage with a nutritionist

Believe that the foods will be expensive

Didn't like the food suggested, when I had GDM

Why would you be interested in adopting lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of gestational diabetes to your lowest biological risk? Tick all that apply

To support healthy weight gain during pregnancy

To avoid the stigma, I felt in telling my friends & family

To feel happy with my body

To have a natural birth

To avoid having to test my glucose levels during pregnancy

To enjoy my pregnancy

To reduce hospital visits

To provide a safe environment for my baby to grow

To avoid having to take drugs during my pregnancy (metformin, insulin etc)

To increase my energy

To lose my pregnancy weight post-partum

To support my future health, so I can be fully present for my family

To reduce my risk of type 2 diabetes (50% risk in the 10 years post diagnosis of GDM) and change the trajectory of my health

How confident are you to reduce your risk of GDM or Type 2 Diabetes with the knowledge, tools and support you have already?

What have you tried already to reduce your risk of gestational diabetes ? Tick all that apply

Strategies to improve/ support sleep

Strategies to manage stress

Special diet provided by a healthcare professional

Weight loss (by myself)

Weight loss (supported by a nutritionist)

One of the following eating patterns (Paleo, Keto, Low-carb, low-fat, intermittent fasting, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, time-restricted eating - please note all that apply)

What were the challenges you experienced with these strategies? Tick all that apply

Felt isolated - no-one else was doing this with me

Difficult to fit in with family life/new baby

No family support for making changes to diet/lifestyle

No idea if what I was doing was having an impact

No professional support

No idea what to cook

Lack of confidence in cooking skills

Different meals for me versus my family

Didn't know what exercises were safe to do after giving birth

How supported to you currently feel?

Not supported - alone

Extremely well supported

How important is it to you to have additional guidance or support at this time to overcome the challenges you've identified?

How would you feel best supported in this process? Please select a maximum of 2 choices

1:1 support with a qualified nutritionist/health coach/ healthcare professional

With other ladies in a small group (<20) coaching programme

With my partner in a 1:1 support programme with a qualified nutritionist/health coach/ healthcare professional

A course that I could watch independently in my own time

An audio course, so I could listen to the information in my own time

I'm already supported via social media groups

Which of the following is important to you? Check all that apply.

Understanding why I had gestational diabetes during my pregnancy

Understanding the factors that increase my risk for gestational diabetes and which risk factors are within my power to change (modifiable risk factors)

Being with other ladies and helping each other

An action plan which is personalised to me

Knowing that what I am doing is supported by a professional nutritionist

Recipes suitable for the whole family, which require minimal adaption to reduce my risk of gestational diabetes

Support with cooking skills

Support with meal planning

Measurable outcomes to demonstrate that my risk of gestational diabetes has been reduced

If you could have any question answered about gestational diabetes and how to reduce your risk, what would it be?

If I choose to create either a 1:1 programme or a course specifically to help women like yourself reduce their risk of GDM or Type 2 Diabetes, would you be interested in being one of my first clients. As a show of my appreciation, the 1:1 programme or course would be offered at a special price for full participation and feedback.

Yes please, interested to know more

GDM risk reduction not relevant to me, but would be interested in learning how to reduce my risk of Type 2 Diabetes (women who've had GDM at 50% risk of T2D within 10 years)

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