While pregnant, there are many shoulds and shouldn'ts out there, and you may be wondering ‘what about hydration?’ and ‘how much water should I drink when pregnant?’ Drinking enough water to properly hydrate your body is so important in every state, so when pregnant it is certainly something to ensure you are doing.
After all, when pregnant you are drinking water (and doing everything) for two rather than just one! Let’s first begin by going over the benefits of proper hydration when pregnant.
Benefits of drinking water when pregnant
- Water helps transport essential nutrients to your fetus, and then for your fetus to absorb them.
- Water helps your system move toxic waste through your system. You want to ensure you are doing a daily cleansing from your system as to avoid UTIs and uncomfortable digestion.
- Water can help reduce symptoms that can cause some discomfort for pregnant women. Swollen ankles, for example, are a common complaint amongst pregnant women. Water can help any buildup of sodium in your system, which can lead to swelling and overall discomfort.
How much water should you drink when pregnant?
When it comes to how much water to drink when pregnant, a pregnant woman on average should drink 2.5 liters of water every day. This doesn’t need to come all from water though! You can also boost the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that you eat, as they pack in a ton of water. Watermelon especially is loaded with water and is tasty and refreshing, too! So get creative with your water consumption and you will be happier and feeling better.
If you have a hard time drinking your recommended daily water intake on any day, you can make your water a bit more fun by adding fresh fruit and mint to it, adding chia seeds to get some texture, and sipping it slowly rather than making your body associate water with that uncomfortable full feeling you get from drinking too quickly.
It can also be helpful to drink water slowly out of a 1-liter Mason jar or reusable water bottle. This way, you see how much you have had and how far you have to go. Plus, you will be constantly reminded to drink it.
If you do have anything dehydrating, even a minimal amount of coffee, you’ll want to combat any effects of dehydration by upping your water intake. Or if you live in a location that has a hot climate, you may need to boost your water intake automatically.
Be sure to speak with your doctor about how much water to drink while pregnant to ensure you are properly hydrating you and your little one! Every pregnant woman is different and your requirements may change throughout your pregnancy.
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