
Written by Editorial Team
Pregnant or not, we need water to stay healthy. Our body and all the essential organs must get adequate water to work appropriately. Water helps vitamins reach the cells, aids in digestion, eliminates pollutants out of the body, and even regulates the body temperature. “How much water should I drink during pregnancy” is one question many mothers has in their mind.
As a matter of fact, 55% to 65% of our weight is from the water. Therefore, drinking the required amount of water is absolutely crucial. This article sheds some light on this topic.
Yes. Throughout pregnancy, the mother requires more water to meet the demands of the transforming body. Water is necessary for healthy blood cells, which have a more significant role during pregnancy.
Water intake during pregnancy needs more attention as the blood in the body increases tremendously. In addition to increased blood volume, as the pregnancy progresses, the amount of amniotic fluid also increases. This demands more water intake. It is water that carries all the extra nutrients that you are packing up to the developing fetus.
Your nutrient-rich blood reaches the placenta and the baby all with the help of the magic potion, water. In addition, water is one key factor of breast milk, and drinking more water increases the chances of more milk production. It is important to stay hydrated when pregnant as dehydration triggers preterm labor.
Normally, a person should drink at least 8 glasses of water, each about 8 ounces, roughly equal to 2 liters. But a pregnant woman is recommended to drink a minimum of 10 glasses of water which is around 2 and a half liters per day.
During summers, increase the amount of water to another three or four glasses as more water is lost from the body through sweating. However, instead of gulping it all at once, it is important that you space in sips at regular intervals steadily throughout the day.
It is appreciated when you drink more pure water during pregnancy. This is because juices are packed with sugars and though they count for fluid intake, they also come with extra calories. Milk, vegetable juices, decaffeinated teas, etc., are all ways to stay hydrated throughout the day. You don’t have to depend just on water.
However, limiting the intake of caffeinated drinks and sodas is appreciated. These drinks, provide nothing more than empty calories.
Never. Please don’t turn away from drinking water thinking that it can result in fluid retention. An interesting fact is that the more liquids you drink in the course of pregnancy, the lesser is the chance of fluid retention. So if you have swollen ankles, drinking more water actually helps.
Urinating frequently and the urine being pale or colorless is an indication of your water intake is on the mark. The clearer the better. If it’s dark yellow, or even yellow-orange or you feel dizzy when you turn your head or stand up from sitting you are most likely dehydrated. Also, your lips won’t be dry.
The following are the benefits of drinking water during pregnancy:
Staying well-hydrated is very important during pregnancy. Dehydration, in the course of pregnancy, gives rise to complications such as premature contractions, pre-eclampsia, edema, etc.
Adequate intake of water during pregnancy helps to pass pregnancy issues such as headache, fatigue, nausea, etc. more easily
Water helps the mother’s body assimilate vitally important nutrients into the cells and carry vitamins, minerals, and hormones to the blood cells of the baby. It’s this nutrient-rich blood that makes it to the placenta and finally to the baby in the womb
During pregnancy, there will be more waste that will need to get eliminated from the body of the mother. Water will help in breaking the waste and expelling it from the system, thus, helping in maintaining the health of the kidney and urinary tract and precisely will keep UTIs at bay
Drinking more water helps with digestion, and in good bowel movement, thus helping the excrement to move rapidly down the digestive tract preventing constipation. Constipation is one of the common issues that bother the mother during pregnancy.
The pressure applied during constipation increases the chances of developing hemorrhoids. Therefore, by drinking water both constipation and hemorrhoids can be prevented.
Some women don’t like the taste (or tastelessness) of water during pregnancy, here are a few tips to overcome this feeling and also to get over the nauseous feeling:
Here are some tips to make sure you are drinking pure water and to keep away from waterborne illnesses:
Dehydration may occur if a pregnant woman does not drink enough water. Inadequate hydration during pregnancy may lead to vitamin shortages, endangering the health of both mother and baby. It can also lead to a reduced amniotic fluid which in turn is linked to adverse outcomes for both mother and baby, including premature delivery and a decrease in breast milk supply.
Pregnant women need to keep hydrated, but drinking too much water before bed might disrupt sleep as it increases bathroom visits. Stop drinking 3 hours before bed to reduce toilet trips. Ten minutes before bed, drinking a small cup of water may help to stay hydrated though.
While drinking water before going to bed is beneficial to your health, you must time it precisely to get the most advantages. Stop drinking water at least three hours before your desired bedtime.
It is completely secure. Pregnancy is not a disease. So, whatever your body was accustomed to or capable of doing before pregnancy may be done throughout pregnancy as well.
With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.
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