The American Diabetes Association says breast-feeding can make it more difficult to manage blood glucose. It offers these suggestions:

• Make sure you have something to eat before you nurse or while you're nursing.
• Drink plenty of fluids each day. It's a good idea to drink water or another non-caffeinated drink while nursing.
• Keep something to counter low blood glucose next to you while you nurse, so you don't have to interrupt baby's meal if your blood glucose becomes low.
• Work with your dietitian and your doctor to adjust your diet plan while breast-feeding, which does burn calories and can affect blood glucose.

-- Diana Kohnle