From A to Z: Water Benefits To You & Your Baby During Pregnancy

By Ineh Olisah

Yeah, you’ve been told that drinking water is an essential for you and your baby during pregnancy. Your body naturally demands for it, so you find yourself drinking more often than usual to avoid dehydrating. For those who naturally don’t like drinking water, perhaps, a better understanding of water and it’s benefits will motivate you to drink as often as you should. Beyond drinking, water has other benefits in the entire pregnancy process. Here are the things water can do for you from A to Z;

Aches, especially back ache can be eased by immersing your body in a warm water bath.

Bathing in salty water is strongly recommended as it relaxes and calms you, especially when you feel very anxious.

Combat constipation, which is a common problem in pregnancy by drinking a minimum of 3 liters of water daily.

Dehydration comes from not having enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. This can cause contractions or premature labour.

Excessive water in the body or water retention in pregnancy is a sign that your body is dehydrated.

Fatigue in pregnancy can be prevented by regular fluid intake.

Great delivery option is the water birth or birth tub.

Hemorrhoids are also caused by lack of sufficient water intake.

Iodine in sea water helps to activate your metabolism, thereby burning fat. Bathing in sea water is a great way to stay in shape during pregnancy.

Just take all that pregnancy weight off your legs by having some water aerobics.

Keep the sodas, juice, caffeinated and decaffeinated drinks to the barest minimum even though they count as part of your water intake.

Labour can be made less stressful for the mother and baby through water birth.

Meal times are not the best times to drink water as this can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients from the foods you eat.

Nutrients are transported with the help of water through the blood stream.

Oranges are good sources of water, which also helps your bowels.

Perspiration makes you lose water, which has to be replaced by drinking often.

Quenches your thirst.

Replenishes the baby’s amniotic fluid on every hour.

Stretch marks are ugly. Your chances of having stretch marks is reduced when you stay hydrated.

Toxins are flushed out from the blood stream when there’s enough water in the body.

Urinary tract infection in pregnancy could be prevented when you increase your water intake. Water will dilute your urine.

Vegetables, fresh fruits and melons are great sources of fluids.

Weigh yourself in pounds, divide your weight by two, and drink that many ounces per day.

Xrays must be avoided during pregnancy, but you must go for ultra sound scans. Most scan centers require a full bladder.

Your sources of drinking water must be without contaminations. Avoid tap water if it has not been tested. Buy bottle water or boil and filter your water before drinking.

Zinc can be found in mineral water. Symptoms of zinc deficiencies are tastelessness and loss of appetite, consequently affects the immune systems.

 

This article was first published in the printed version of Motherhood In-Style Magazine in 2011.