Aqua

Guidance varies but for non-pregnant women who have office-based jobs in moderate climates, many doctors recommend drinking a minimum 2 litres12 (about 8 glasses) of fluid with pregnant women needing to drink an extra glass per day. Mothers often have a very strong thirst sensation while breastfeeding their baby.

Much more water is needed by breastfeeding mothers; that’s why doctors recommend that women drink 1 extra litre of water per day in order to compensate for fluid lost producing milk.

How Do I Know if I’m Drinking Enough?

There’s no easy answer to this although if you get symptoms like headache, have a think about your water consumption over the last 24 hours. One practical way to check if you’re drinking enough is to look at the colour of your urine. It should be a light yellow colour. If it’s dark or strong smelling, you may be dehydrated.

Some medications, conditions and foods can affect the colour and smell of urine, so the best thing to do is get into the habit of drinking regularly throughout the day.

Water continuously cycles through your body carrying out essential functions and keeping you alive. You need to replenish the water you lose to ensure that your body and the baby growing inside you are hydrated.

You can rely on water as a pure and natural source of fluid during pregnancy and when breastfeeding your baby: without additives, sugars or calories, water is the best choice to keep you hydrated.

Deep cell hydration will help you feel more energetic and enable good physical and mental performance during pregnancy and early motherhood.

So, if you’re feeling a bit out of sorts, ask yourself, when did I last have a drink of water?

Benefits of Good Hydration

Topping up our water levels on a regular basis is important when the body is coping with pregnancy or the demands of breastfeeding.

Headache caused by dehydration is common and can often be helped simply by increasing water intake. Given the extra fluid demands on breastfeeding mums, remembering to maintain hydration is crucial.

Studies have also shown that being short on fluids can be a possible trigger for migraine.

Even mild dehydration can have a noticeable effect on your mind, for example, how well you can concentrate how tired you feel and even your short-term memory.

Nearly one in three women will have had at least one attack of UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) by 24 years of age and pregnant women can be particularly susceptible. Getting rid of the bacteria that cause these infections is partly dependent on daily hydration. Avoiding UTIs is important for all women, so that’s another good reason to drink enough water!

So, good hydration in pregnant and breastfeeding mom should be at healthy level, and the baby will healthy too.