Benefits of Water During Pregnancy

Everyone knows that drinking water is an important part of maintaining good health.  It’s even more important to drink enough water when you are pregnant.  Your body uses water to supply your cells, tissues, and organs with oxygen and nutrients.  It’s critical to maintain proper hydration when you are pregnant. This ensures that your body and your growing baby’s can get the essential nutrients that they need. Not only does plenty of water help maintain the level of amniotic fluid, it also keeps the kidney’s functioning properly.

Drinking water can help with some of the less pleasant parts of pregnancy, including the aches and pains.  You may be able to alleviate dizziness, cramping, and headaches caused by dehydration by increasing your water intake. Even morning sickness, heartburn, and constipation can be helped by sipping some extra water throughout the day.  Feeling a little bloated?  Even though it may seem counterintuitive, drinking water can reduce water retention that causes swelling.  During the third trimester, you’ll want to be especially careful to stay hydrated as dehydration can contribute to preterm labor.

How Much Water Do You Need When You Are Pregnant?

So, just how much water do you need now that you’re drinking for two, or more in some cases?  You need enough water to keep yourself hydrated and to keep your baby healthy. The Institute of Medicine suggests drinking ten 8-ounce cups of water or other fluids per day while you are pregnant.   Keep in mind that this is only a guideline. The amount of water you need depends on your body size and type, as well as how active you are.  A simple way to check your hydration levels is to look at the color of your urine – dark yellow means you need more water, pale yellow or colorless means you’re hydrated.  If you aren’t sure if you’re getting enough water, it’s best to check with your doctor.

Track Your Drinking

The easiest way to make sure you’re getting enough water throughout your pregnancy is to use a water bottle to help keep track of how much you’re drinking.  It’s best to drink small amounts throughout the day instead of trying to drink large amounts once or twice a day.  Sipping water throughout the day can be especially helpful if you’re having stomach issues.  There are some great water bottle options that are designed especially for pregnant women to help you keep track of exactly how much water you’re drinking during the day.

The Five Best Water Bottle When You’re Pregnant

1. BellyBottle Pregnancy Gifts Water Bottle Intake Tracker – These cute 96-ounce bottles are made of BPA-free Tritan plastic and come in either pink or blue.  On one side, it is clearly marked with times so you can see exactly how much you are drinking throughout the day.  On the other side, it has a grid where you can place milestone stickers to celebrate each week of your pregnancy.
2. AQUANEÜ babyneü Pregnancy Time Marked Water Bottle – This 30-ounce bottle is perfect for when you are on the go.  It’s made from BPA-free plastic, is decorated with a motivational quote, and has a built-in straw.  The daily water tracking timeline on the side of the bottle will help you keep track of how much water you drink.  It also comes with stickers to mark your weekly milestones.
3. Leboha 32 oz Wide Mouth Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Water Bottle Tracker – The slim design of this water bottle ensures that it will fit in your car’s cup holder. Designed for pregnant and nursing moms, simply refill this bottle three times. By the end of the day, you will have had your recommended amount of water.
4. LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle with 2-Stage Integrated Filter Straw – While this bottle isn’t specifically designed for pregnancy, we like the built-in water filter and handy carabiner.  The 2-stage activated carbon filter removes contaminants and can help improve the taste of your water.
5. Water Bottle with Charcoal Filter – This unique water bottle uses a piece of charcoal to purify the water.  The replaceable charcoal filter helps to remove impurities and balance the pH. The BPA-free plastic bottle makes for a chic accessory with its cork top and blue carrying handle.

The Importance of Clean Water

No matter what bottle you choose to help make drinking your 80 ounces of water more fun, it’s important to make sure you are drinking clean, safe water.  Whether your water comes from a public water supply or a private well, you should test the quality on a regular basis.  TestAssured offers a variety of testing kits and test strips so you can know exactly what you’re drinking.  The Complete Water Analysis Kit is our most inclusive kit, that allows you to test for a variety of contaminants.  Whether you’re pregnant or nursing, you’re drinking for two.  Use our water testing supplies to make sure your water is safe.

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Most sources suggest that you drink at least 16oz of water as soon as you wake up.  Some people feel the more you drink at this time, the more benefits your body will reap.  Because at least 60 percent of the body is made up of water, staying hydrated helps to maintain your fluid balance.  This enables your body to transport nutrients, regulate temperature, and digest food.  Here are six more reasons you should make it a priority to drink at least one large glass of water upon waking up.

1. Water can help your kidneys flush out toxins.

The kidneys work hard to purge toxins from your body, but they need an adequate amount of fluid to do their job.   When you start rehydrating with water in the morning, your helping your kidneys to flush out toxins that may have built up during the night as the body became dehydrated. Drinking water in the morning, and throughout the day, helps to remove toxins from the blood which results in a clear, glowing complexion.

2. You’ll improve your brain function.

Brain tissue is composed of approximately 75% water. Dehydration that occurs during the night impacts your brain activity.  When you’re dehydrated, the brain is forced to operate on less fuel, which can leave you feeling drained, fatigued, and depressed.   Replacing your coffee with a glass of water in the morning can help you feel more awake and alert.

3. It aids digestion.

Drinking a glass of water to rehydrate after sleeping helps the body with digestion.   Getting plenty of water helps to move the lower bowels and will keep you regular in the mornings. Water also purifies the colon, so that it is easier for the body to absorb nutrients from food.

4. It will keep your body healthy.

Rehydrating in the morning helps to keep you healthy.  Water keeps your lymph system in balance. Your lymph glands are responsible for equalizing the fluid in your body and fighting infections. A healthy lymph system can also increase the production of new blood and muscles cells.

5. It increases your metabolism.

Pour yourself a large glass of cold water after you wake up if you want to speed up your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day.  Drinking water first thing in the morning has been shown to increase metabolism by almost 25%.  While drinking water doesn’t actually burn any calories, it does ensure that your metabolism is functioning at its peak.

6. Drinking water makes you feel full.

When you drink water in the morning, you can suppress your appetite, so you eat less. Drink a glass of water before breakfast has zero calories and could help you to eat less when you do have breakfast.  It can also help curb snacking before lunch.

Know What You Are Drinking

Drinking water in the morning is something that should be part of your daily routine, but be sure to also drink plenty of water throughout the day.  When you’re drinking water to improve your health, it’s important to make sure that you are drinking safe, clean water.  Many of the contaminants that are cause for concern can easily go undetected because they are colorless, odorless, and tasteless.

One way to make sure your water is helping to keep you healthy is to test it regularly.  There are a number of cost-effective kits that allow you to quickly and conveniently test your water without mixing chemicals or mailing away samples.  TestAssured’s Complete Water Analysis Test Kit includes ten tests that will give you results within 10 minutes with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours.

Drink Water in the Morning

Water is essential for the body to function properly.  Make it a habit to drink water in the morning every day.  Not only will it help to wake you up, but it will also help to keep you healthy.

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