Here’s a fun fact: that little bundle of joy growing inside you is 75% water. As your baby grows, that number can drop to 65% within the first year of life until it levels off between 57-60% in adulthood.
Where does all that water come from? It comes from the fluids you drink. This goes to show that drinking water while pregnant is extremely important. Your health, and the health of your baby, depend on it. To help you stay hydrated during the day, here are five tips for drinking water while pregnant.
1. Drink 8 Cups Of Water Per Day
Water keeps the blood properly hydrated, making it easier for the heart to pump. It oxygenates the organs and muscles which reduces the risk of cramps, strains, and circulation problems while pregnant. Additionally, water helps your body fight off painful urinary tract infections. Drinking enough water while pregnant also helps to counterbalance the flood of hormones that make your skin more delicate and prone to itching, tightness, and stretch marks.
Your baby’s health and development depends on your water consumption, too. The amount of water you drink can actually impact the volume of amniotic fluid that surrounds your baby. As your baby grows, so does the volume of fluid he or she needs to be healthy. This amniotic fluid assists with the development of your baby and provides a protective barrier that keeps your baby warm and healthy in the womb. Low amniotic fluid can lead to birth defects and even miscarriage.
We recommend drinking at least eight cups of water every day. Try drinking two cups first thing in the morning before you do anything else. Drink another two cups with both lunch and dinner. To fill in the gaps, carry a water bottle and sip from it throughout the day.
2. Take A Few Sips Of Water Before Bed
Your body is slightly dehydrated when it wakes up after six to eight hours of sleeping. You can’t prevent this from happening, but you can reduce the amount of dehydration and the impact it has on your body. We suggest drinking a small cup of water ten minutes before bed to keep your body better hydrated while you sleep. Even though your metabolism slows down at night, your body still needs water to function properly.
The cup of water you drink just before bed can help your body process toxins that have accumulated in your body during the day. It can also help with the elimination of waste that your body produces through digestion and metabolism. Keeping your body hydrated while you sleep will also help boost your immune system by giving your cells the water they need to fight off infection and illness. Your digestive tract, your muscles, your skin, your immune system, and most certainly your baby can benefit from the cleansing and infection-fighting benefits that drinking water before bed can provide.
3. Don’t Wait Until You Feel Thirsty To Drink
Once you feel thirsty, you’re already slightly dehydrated. Don’t let your body reach this point. Remember to drink throughout the day to reach the minimum eight cups of water necessary for a healthy body and a healthy pregnancy.
It’s important to drink plenty of water while pregnant in the winter, too. Drinking water during the summer takes very little effort because you’re motivated to keep yourself cool. But during the winter, you may find it harder to drink enough water because temperatures have dropped. You may have a craving for warm liquids like coffee and tea rather than water. To satisfy these cravings, while at the same time getting the water you need, we suggest drinking warm water with a squeeze of lemon. It’s nourishing and satisfying all at the same time.
4. Find The Right Temperature When Drinking Water While Pregnant
An ice-cold drink on a hot day is truly refreshing. Likewise, a steaming cup of tea can warm you up on a long winter’s day. As wonderful as those cold and hot liquids can feel, we recommend cool or warm drinks instead, at least until your baby is born.
Water that is between 50℉ (cool) and 98.6℉ (warm) is less of a shock to your system than, say, ice water (32℉) or hot coffee (140℉). When you’re pregnant, you already have to contend with morning sickness. Drinking water that is too cold or too hot can increase the risk of stomach pains that can lead to that familiar nauseated feeling. Hold off on that double tall caramel macchiato for now, you can indulge after your baby is born.
5. Eat Hydrating Foods
You can also get water from the foods you eat. Fruits and vegetables are on average 90% water. That means that two cups of vegetables or one-and-a-half cups of fruit can provide almost two whole cups of water! Eating a healthy mix of foods like spinach, kale, apples, and oranges (just to name a few) is a great way to ensure that you get enough water in your diet. Foods like these can help compensate for a lack of water in your diet, but, under no circumstances, can they replace it. You still need those eight cups of water every day.
Try whipping up a fruit and vegetable smoothie for breakfast. It’s a quick and delicious way to get extra vitamins, minerals, and water in your diet every day.