Our health depends on maintaining a balanced intake of water and electrolytes, and it seems like an easy enough task when you’re hydrating for one. Hydration is much more important during pregnancy and in the months after birth. Pregnant women and new moms are more prone to becoming dehydrated, and this dehydration raises the risk of urinary tract infections and may even bring on birth prematurely. In more mild cases, dehydration can manifest as headaches, dizziness, blood sugar irregularities, fatigue, and moodiness. Some of this is due to hormonal shifts, but these symptoms can be lessened if mom is supported with optimal hydration strategies that will allow her body to adjust more adeptly to the many changes happening during this time.
Avoiding dehydration is the best strategy, and second to that is quickly recovering from mild to moderate dehydration. This recovery is quick and easy at home with water and electrolytes, and is the safest choice for mom and baby. However, many pregnant people become dehydrated to varying degrees throughout pregnancy and in the months after birth for reasons that are sometimes unclear. In this article, we'll go over the importance of staying hydrated during pregnancy, as well as several strategies for doing so.
Dehydration in pregnancy is extremely common.
Numerous rapid hormonal and dietary adjustments occur in the body during pregnancy. Your body is adapting and regenerating tissues in preparation for your future life with your baby. Between maintaining your own homeostasis, and supporting a growing life, nutritional and hydration demands increase. Because of these shifts, you likely require more fluids than usual as you’re more susceptible to dehydration even from your normal daily activities.
More than half of all expectant mothers, for instance, feel nauseous in the mornings throughout their first trimester. The morning sickness-related nausea and vomiting can cause rapid dehydration and electrolyte loss. Dehydration can set in if these fluids and electrolytes aren't supplied. It’s understandable that if you’re nauseous you might not want to drink anything. Take small sips of cool water as your stomach settles. Since tastes change during pregnancy, have several different flavors of electrolytes on hand for when you’re ready to start rehydrating as the nausea passes.
Often, women who are expecting have a greater thirst. Consider that water accounts for almost two-thirds of the pregnancy weight gain, most of which is utilized by the developing fetus. This additional fluid contains the electrolyte minerals that are so vital to your own health, as they are vital to the growing life within. You may need to increase your electrolyte intake through pregnancy to ensure you feel your best.
The volume of a pregnant person’s blood increases considerably when they are carrying a child. Consuming more water helps pregnant people generate the additional blood needed to support a growing baby and placenta. The baby's development depends on the increased blood's ability to carry oxygen and nutrients, and remove metabolic wastes efficiently.
3 Ways to Keep Hydrated Through Pregnancy
There are no hard and fast rules, and everybody is different, but an ideal baseline for fluid intake is about 80 ounces, or 10 cups, per day. Most of this can be water, where the remainder can be hydrating electrolyte drinks or other healthy beverages like unsweetened herbal tea. Here are three suggestions to help you drink more of the extra fluids your body needs during pregnancy.
Always carry a water bottle.
Increasing your fluid intake is easier when you constantly have a drink within arm’s reach. You might not always want to get up for a drink, especially in the later months of pregnancy. So, keep a large water bottle nearby, as well as a glass of your favorite flavor of electrolytes. Instead of waiting until you're thirsty, consider sipping water often throughout the day. In order to keep your body properly hydrated, have a drink before you’re thirsty so you don’t have to experience dehydration.
Hydrate with drinks and food.
All kinds of foods and beverages, not just water, supply our bodies with the fluids they require. Drinking additional liquids, like milk, tea, and sparkling water, in addition to water is encouraged. Consuming more water- and vitamin-rich foods like fruits and vegetables will help you and your growing child. Soups are a great way to improve your hydration as well as increase your intake of vitamins and minerals, and soups are soothing when you are dealing with a frequently upset stomach.
Add a variety of flavors.
Constantly sipping on the same plain beverage might get old fast, and boredom is a top reason people avoid drinking water. Try flavoring your water with fresh fruit or mint to encourage you to consume more of it. Key Nutrients Electrolytes are another popular choice. The vitamins and electrolytes they add to the drink make it taste even better and speed up the rehydration process. Our electrolyte drink mixes come in many flavors, which is an advantage when you don’t know what flavor you’ll crave on any given day.
Not all electrolyte drinks are created equal. Key Nutrients Electrolytes are a rapid rehydration strategy that will help you and your growing baby stay healthy, and you can keep that pregnant glow all day. Our electrolyte drinks contain ZERO sugar, caffeine, glute, dairy, or artificial ingredients. We use only plant-based non-GMO ingredients, and our formulas are reviewed by naturopathic doctors to ensure they are safe and healthy for moms both during and after pregnancy.
