How to Explain Gestational Diabetes to Family and Friends (Without the Drama)
Introduction
There's a special kind of exhaustion that comes with having to explain your gestational diabetes diagnosis to every well-meaning person in your life. You're already processing the news yourself, learning how to check your blood sugar, and trying to figure out what you can eat—and now you have to become a diabetes educator for your mother-in-law, your boss, and that friend who immediately starts googling "pregnancy complications" the moment you mention it.
The conversations can range from genuinely supportive to utterly maddening. Someone will inevitably ask if it's because you ate too much sugar (it's not). Another person will share a horror story about their cousin's friend who had gestational diabetes. And there's always that one relative who suggests you just "eat less carbs" as if you hadn't already thought of that.
Here's the thing: you shouldn't have to defend or extensively explain a medical condition that affects 2-10% of pregnancies and is largely caused by placental hormones, not your dietary choices. But you also shouldn't have to navigate this alone. The right conversations can actually create the support system you need during what can be an isolating time.
The Simple Explanations That Actually Work
When someone asks "What even is gestational diabetes?" you need responses that are accurate but don't require a medical degree to understand. Here are several ways to explain it clearly:
THE HORMONE EXPLANATION: "Gestational diabetes happens when pregnancy hormones from the placenta make it harder for my body to use insulin properly. It's not caused by eating too much sugar—it's a side effect of growing a baby. My body just needs some extra help managing blood sugar right now."
THE TEMPORARY CONDITION APPROACH: "It's a type of diabetes that only happens during pregnancy, usually in the second or third trimester. For most women, it goes away after the baby is born. It means I need to monitor my blood sugar and be more intentional about what I eat, but it's very manageable with the right care."
THE COMMON OCCURRENCE FRAME: "It affects up to 10% of pregnancies, so it's actually pretty common. The placenta produces hormones that can interfere with how insulin works, which can cause blood sugar levels to get too high. It's not anyone's fault—it's just something that can happen during pregnancy."
These explanations focus on the medical reality without getting into complex details, and they immediately address the misconception that gestational diabetes is caused by poor eating habits or personal choices.
Shutting Down Unhelpful Comments
The comments will come. They always do. And while people usually mean well, their responses can range from mildly annoying to genuinely harmful. Here's how to redirect or shut down the most common unhelpful responses:
WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, "IS IT BECAUSE YOU GAINED TOO MUCH WEIGHT?" "Gestational diabetes is caused by placental hormones interfering with insulin, not by weight gain. Women of all sizes can develop it—it's really about individual hormone responses and risk factors like family history and age."
WHEN THEY ASK, "DID YOU EAT TOO MUCH SUGAR?" "That's actually a common misconception. It's not caused by eating sugar—it's caused by pregnancy hormones. Even women who eat perfectly balanced diets can develop gestational diabetes."
WHEN SOMEONE STARTS SHARING SCARY STORIES: "I understand you're concerned, but right now I need to focus on managing my specific situation with my healthcare team. Every case is different, and comparing stories isn't really helpful for me."
WHEN THEY SUGGEST UNSOLICITED DIETARY ADVICE: "I'm working with my doctor (and/or dietitian, nutritionist, etc.) on a management plan that's right for my situation. But thank you for thinking of me."
The key with these responses is to stay factual and redirect the conversation away from judgment and toward the support you actually need.
Asking for Real Support (Not More Advice)
The isolation that comes with gestational diabetes is real. You're suddenly eating differently, testing your blood sugar multiple times a day, and potentially dealing with additional medical appointments—all while everyone around you continues their normal routines. Here's how to ask for the support that actually helps:
FOR MEAL-RELATED SUPPORT: "I'd love your help with meal planning, but what would be most helpful is if you could help me prep vegetables or cook proteins rather than suggesting what I should or shouldn't eat. I'm working with my healthcare team on the food guidelines."
FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT: "This diagnosis has been really overwhelming, and I'm feeling pretty isolated having to manage all these new routines. What would help most is just having someone to talk to who doesn't try to fix it or give advice—just someone who listens."
FOR PRACTICAL SUPPORT: "The most helpful thing you could do is help with [specific task] so I have more energy to focus on managing my blood sugar and taking care of myself. Things like grocery shopping or meal prep would be amazing."
FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS: "I might need to eat at different times or bring my own snacks to family events while I'm managing this. It's not personal—it's medical. It would help if you could support this without making a big deal about it."
The Loneliness Factor (And How to Address It)
Gestational diabetes can feel incredibly isolating. You're managing a medical condition that most people don't understand, while also trying to maintain normalcy during pregnancy. The frequent blood sugar testing, dietary changes, and additional medical appointments can make you feel like you're living a different experience from other pregnant women.
WHAT YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT: "Gestational diabetes affects more than just what I eat—it's added stress, more medical appointments, and a lot of daily management that can feel overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on the 'normal' pregnancy experience, and that can be really hard emotionally."
HOW TO ASK FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING RATHER THAN SOLUTIONS: "I know you want to help, but what I need most is understanding that some days this feels really hard to manage, and that's okay. I don't need anyone to fix it—I just need people to understand that it's more complicated than just 'watching what I eat.'"
What Your Doctor Actually Wants Your Family to Know
Drawing from what OB-GYNs and nutritionists wish families understood, here are the key points that can help your loved ones support you better:
ABOUT BLOOD SUGAR MONITORING: "The reason I check my blood sugar four times a day isn't because I'm obsessing over numbers—it's because accurate tracking helps my doctor plan the best care for me and the baby."
ABOUT FUTURE PREGNANCIES: "Having gestational diabetes doesn't mean I'll automatically have it in future pregnancies. Every pregnancy is different."
ABOUT EATING: "I’m making dietary choices based on what my health care team recommends. Thank you, but I don’t need any extra input right now.” You can say this when: Aunt Sally insists you have just one little scoop of mashed potatoes, or if your nosy coworker questions if that chocolate protein bar is really a good idea for you right now.
ABOUT FLEXIBILITY: "My doctor says it's okay to have treats occasionally, as long as I'm honest about it and track how it affects my blood sugar. Perfection isn't the goal—good overall management is."
Creating Your Support Script
Consider creating a simple explanation that you can use consistently with different people. This prevents you from having to re-explain constantly and gives you a ready response when you're tired or stressed. Here's a template:
"I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which affects about 6-9% of pregnancies. It's caused by pregnancy hormones interfering with how my body uses insulin—not by anything I did or didn't do. I need to check my blood sugar a few times a day and be mindful about meal timing and balance, but it's very manageable. What would help me most is [specific type of support] rather than dietary advice, since I'm working with my healthcare team on that part."
The Bigger Picture
Remember that you don't owe anyone a detailed medical explanation. You're managing a condition while growing a human—that's profound work that deserves respect, not judgment. The right people in your life will adjust their understanding and offer genuine support. The people who can't do that are revealing something about themselves, not about you.
You are not responsible for educating everyone and their mother about gestational diabetes. But it is important to create a support system that will help you thrive during this time. Sometimes that means setting boundaries around unhelpful comments, and sometimes it means being specific about the support you need. Both are completely reasonable responses to a challenging situation.
Your job is to take care of yourself and your growing baby. Everything else, including managing other people's reactions to your diagnosis, is secondary.
Where Can I Get More Support?
GD Kitchen! I created this resource to solve a problem I wish someone had already solved before my first GD pregnancy. I teamed up with OB Rachael Sullivan, DO and nutritionist Jamie Askey, RN, so that you'll have all the resources, and all the confidence, I didn't have myself.
Looking for more? Check out the Blog, or try six free recipes here.
What else do we offer? The GD Starter Pack and The Recipe Membership.
