Pre-bolusing insulin is when you take insulin at a set timeframe before eating, giving the insulin time to become "active" and combat the blood sugar rise.  And according to this week's poll, our CWD family is very aware of and making use of the pre-bolus.  Most families are either pre-bolusing before every meal or at least considering a pre-bolus (and letting blood sugars help determine the next step).

Pre-bolusing takes some practice, and there are variables to contend with that influence outcomes, like a delayed meal, a child who refuses to eat, or a low blood sugar before a meal.  But practice makes perfect, and even with some variables in play, pre-bolusing can help improve overall blood sugar control. According to a study from 2010, “A bolus of rapid-acting insulin 20 min prior to a meal results in significantly better postprandial glucose control than when the meal insulin bolus is given just prior to the meal or 20 min after meal initiation."

Pre-bolusing works well if you get the timing right; some people only need to bolus 15 minutes before eating, others may need 30 minutes. You'll need to experiment to find the timing that works best for you!