Your diet is not all that changes when you are pregnant; changing the amount of water you drink is important too, as it is imperative for the progress of the pregnancy.
A mom-to-be should be well-hydrated because water is very important for her growing foetus. Water not only carries oxygen and essential nutrients to the cells, tissues and organs of a pregnant woman, but it also transports all these important nutrients to the foetus. Water plays a pivotal role in transporting all the prenatal vitamins to your baby.
When you become pregnant, your body requires more water to meet the changing requirements. Along with meeting the developmental needs of the foetus, water is also one of the main components for the production of breast milk.
Ever wondered how all the nutrients from the food that you faithfully consume reach your baby? It all starts with keeping yourself hydrated. Here, we shall discuss the various benefits of drinking water in pregnancy:
During pregnancy, you should drink about 10 cups or 2.3 litres of water or other fluids in a day. However, the need for water varies for all women. It is absolutely normal if you feel the need to consume more or less water than the recommended standards. You can easily find out whether you are getting enough fluids by checking the colour of your urine. Colourless or pale yellow colour urine indicates that you are taking sufficient amount of fluids. If you are urinating less and the colour of your urine is dark yellow, then you need to pep up your water intake.
You may also be required to increase your water intake during pregnancy if you are exercising, living in a warm climate or high altitude area. It is recommended to keep a bottle of water always close to you so that you are reminded to sip it.
The fluid intake during pregnancy not only constitutes water but other fluids too. Milk, coffee, tea, fruit and vegetable juices also add to your fluid intake. It is recommended to limit your intake of tea, coffee or any aerated drinks as these drinks are diuretics. These diuretic drinks lead to increased urination and thus make you lose more water from the body.
Some pregnant women limit their fluid intake thinking that it may lead to water retention. On the contrary, limiting your water intake may result in water retention. Nausea may also make you stay away from water, so it is suggested to keep sipping water instead of gulping down at one go. If you do not like the taste of normal water, you may try flavoured water during pregnancy, which can be made by adding a little lemon to the water.
Following are the ways you can increase your water intake during pregnancy:
If drinking water plays a pivotal role during pregnancy, so does its cleanliness. It is very important for you to ensure that the water you drink is safe and clean. Therefore, it is recommended to drink filtered or bottled water to keep water-borne diseases during pregnancy at bay. You may also boil the drinking water to kill any bacteria or virus that may be present. Carrying your own bottle is a good idea whenever you step out from your house. You may buy drinking water too, but make sure the seal is intact. Make sure to check the expiry or best before date before accepting packaged water bottles.
Stay away from aerated drinks and sodas. If you wish to drink anything cold, opt for chilled water instead. Refrain from using ice cubes also as they may be contaminated.
If you are not properly hydrated during pregnancy, you may have health complications. Some of the health complications that may result from not drinking enough water are:
Water is very important throughout your pregnancy for the healthy development of the baby and also for your overall health. It is recommended to stay hydrated during pregnancy to keep any dehydration-related problems away. You should get in touch with your doctor as soon as you notice any sign of dehydration in your body.