Pregnancy is a phase of your life which requires you to make a lot of changes in many aspects of your life including eating habits, drinking preferences, lifestyle choices and even sleeping position. When you are pregnant, you need to ensure that you stay well hydrated to avoid a lot of health problems for yourself as well as your developing baby. This article serves as a quick guide about Water intake during pregnancy.
Benefits of Drinking Water in Pregnancy:
Here are some compelling reasons why drinking water is important during pregnancy.
- Water intake is essential during pregnancy because it helps in the delivery of essential nutrients to the fetus. When you drink water, the water in your system acts as a solvent for a variety of essential nutrients and vitamins. The water also helps in transportation of these energy-yielding and metabolism catalyzing nutrients, minerals and vitamins to the various cells of your body including the blood cells. It is then, these nutrient-enriched blood cells that help to deliver the growth-promoting nutrients to your baby via a physical connection called the placenta.
- Drinking enough water during pregnancy is also important because there are more of waste products and toxins that your body needs to excrete. Having enough water in your system means the lesser load on your kidneys.
- Enough water in your body keeps your urine diluted and thus, regularly flowing out of your body. Concentrated urine that stays in the bladder for too long harbours UTIs by acting as a breeding ground for bacteria. So, not drinking enough water can lead to burning while passing urine and also, fever and chills if the urine gets infected.
- If you do not drink enough water, you can suffer from constipation and piles or haemorrhoids.
Our temperature regulating systems to say the least is a bit cracked up in pregnancy, so, water helps to keep you feeling cool and at ease. - Frequent urination helps to flush out the excess sodium from your body thus, prevents the development of swelling in your feet and legs.
- Lastly, drinking water while pregnant is important also because it checks headaches, which are a sign of dehydration.
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What is the Recommended Daily Water Level in Pregnancy?
“How much water to drink during pregnancy?” is a good question. It is recommended that women should make an effort to drink at least 12 to 14 glasses of water per day, where one glass measures nearly 8 ounces.
Keep water of bottle handy and consume water in sips rather than drinking a glass full in a single go so, that you do not feel too full.
Is it safe to drink hot or cold water during pregnancy?
Your body is programmed to regulate the temperatures of the food you consume. When you drink hot or cold water, your stomach neutralizes it to suit the inner temperature of your body, which in no way effects the baby. So, the temperature of the water doesn’t quite matter, as long as one consumes the required amounts. The only problem that might arise due to extreme temperatures could be a scalded mouth or tooth sensitivity for the mother if exposed to extreme hot or cold water. It is advised to drink warm water for soothing relief.
Warm Water is extremely beneficial during pregnancy as it can help you stay hydrated and relieves you from constipation. Studies also prove that warm water can reduce the symptoms of morning sickness and make you feel more comfortable. Especially during winters, warm water is suggested to avoid falling prey to colds and minor infections.
How to Drink Water During Pregnancy?
Water can be your source of good health and also a carrier of the number of disease-causing germs. Keep in mind the following points to ensure that you consume water that is safe for you and your baby:
- Always drink boiled and cooled water.
- Avoid drinking water from shared bottles, public areas and unhygienic utensils. Always carry your bottle before you leave home
- Filtered water using RO systems can ensure the removal of harmful minerals like lead
- Drink are regular intervals and ensure your skin and mouth are not dry
- Don’t drink too much water before going to bed, as it makes you take several trips to the washroom
- Adding a few slices of lemon, mint or fruits like kiwi and watermelon can make the water suitable for your liking
What happens when you drink too much water during pregnancy?
Remember that when you are pregnant, your intake needs to double. So, during pregnancy, there is nothing like drinking too much water. In fact, it is recommended to consume as much water as you can and keep your body well hydrated. It is also a myth that drinking too much water can result in too much amniotic fluid around the baby. Water consumption is not related to this condition and one can safely drink water.
Signs that your Body is Dehydrated and Needs Water:
For once, thirst itself is a way of your brain to signal your body that you are dehydrated. Secondly, dark yellow coloured urine indicates that there is less water in your body than it should be and therefore, your body is trying to preserve water by concentrating the urine. Water can help with fatigue, headaches, swelling and overheating.
See More: Vitamins During Pregnancy
Alternatives to Water that can be Taken:
- Drinking water during pregnancy is the best choice of a drink when you are pregnant. However, if you are too bored then, you can opt for low-fat milk.
- You can take sparkling or flavored water. This can be prepared by dipping mint, lemon or Cucumbers in your plain water.
- You can also drink fruit and vegetable juices.
- You can have Chicken Soup
- Watermelons and melons also contain lots of water.
What Not to Drink?
- Coffee, tea Sodas and Colas are to be avoided when you are pregnant.
If you are pregnant and are confused about how much and what fluids should you be ideally consuming then you can refer to this article for help. This write-up makes a sincere attempt to crisply describe all the aspects related to the intake of water during pregnancy.
There are effects of not drinking enough water during pregnancy. It will make you dehydrated and weak which is not healthy for the fetus.
Hope we gave you enough reasons for water intake in pregnancy.
