Drinking water is crucial for everyone, but it is even more vital for women who are expecting to drink water regularly in order to remain well-hydrated, both for their own health and for that of their unborn child.
Expectant mothers to lose more water than women who are not pregnant, and this translates into an increased need for drinking water. Drinking water when pregnant ensures that the blood, which consists largely of water, carries the essential proteins and nutrients to the developing foetus.
The average adult should drink approximately two litres of water throughout the day to make up for fluid lost due to normal bodily functions such as sweating, breathing, urination and stool. The additional weight a pregnant woman carries together with her increased body temperature makes hydration even more important.
Drinking water not only ensures that both the mother and foetus remain well-hydrated, but drinking water regularly also helps alleviate some of the discomforts associated with pregnancy such as morning sickness, indigestion, and heartburn. Drinking water throughout the day also helps reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) which are commonplace among pregnant women.
How to Drink More Water
Start each day off with a full glass of water before eating or drinking anything else. Make sure that you immediately replace any water that you lose by drinking at least a half a glass of water each time you urinate.
If you are having problems drinking sufficient water throughout the day, then supplement your water drinking by ensuring that your diet is high in water-rich fruits and vegetables. Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, watercress, watermelon cucumber, virtually all berries, bananas, apples and oranges are all high in water content.
Another source of water is soup; regular consumption of clear or broth-based soups will do much to add to the water content in your body. Fish, shellfish, tofu, skinless chicken and turkey breast, and lean beef are also high in protein and water.
Reduced-fat dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese are also rich in water; around 81% of the weight of non-fat cottage cheese is water, and 85% of the weight of fat-free plain yogurt is water. Dairy products are also high in bone-building mineral calcium and potassium, which helps reduce blood pressure.
One of the best things you can do for yourself if you are pregnant is to invest in a water cooler which can provide refreshing, great-tasting chilled drinking water effortlessly whenever you need it; some models also provide ambient and hot water functions.
Buy bottled water coolers, mains water coolers and home water coolers from Living-Water.
