It’s so important to stay hydrated when you’re pregnant. Keeping hydrated helps decrease constipation. (Regular bowel movements equals a happier you!)
It also helps control swelling in pregnancy.
The best fluid to drink is tap water –it’s safe to drink, free and easy to find in public places. Other healthy fluid choices include 100% fruit and vegetable juice, lower fat milk, fortified soy, rice, or almond beverage and soup. You even get fluid from the fruits and vegetables you eat.
Here are some tips to help you get fluids into your day:
- Carry a reusable water bottle in your bag or purse. Most public places have a tap or water fountain where you can fill and refill your bottle. Reusing a bottle is a low-cost, easy and environmentally friendly way to hydrate.
- Keep track of your fluids. Some containers come labelled with volume size. If the container’s volume is not labelled find out how much it holds by using a measuring cup. Once you know the amount it holds, keep track of how much fluid you drink throughout your day. When you’re pregnant try to drink a total of 10 cups of fluid every day.
- Make your own 100% fruit and vegetable juices. Whether you squeeze, press, or blend, making your own 100% fruit and vegetable juices is fun because you get to create your own flavour combinations. It’s also a great way to use your bruised and ripened produce.
- Try soup. Soup counts as a fluid and you can add it to a meal or snack.
- Add ice to your fluids. Cold or somewhat frozen fluids are refreshing, especially when pregnant. You can also try homemade popsicles, and ice chips.
- Drink hot fluids. Don’t like to drink cold fluids? Try a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon or try warm milk. Both are very calming.
- Make a smoothie. A smoothie is nutritious way to stay hydrated. Try adding your favourite fruits or vegetables to milk or yogurt.
- Eat fruits and vegetables every day. Keep cut up fruits and vegetables in your fridge for a hydrating snack. My favourite water packed fruits and vegetables are watermelon, grapefruit, cucumber, and celery.
- Try carbonated water. Carbonated bubbles change it up a bit from flat tap water. Add a fruity flavour to carbonated water by mixing ¼ cup of juice to ¾ cup of carbonated water.
- Drink flavoured water. Try one of our top 5 fruit-flavoured water recipes.
Other tips to keep you safely hydrated in pregnancy:
- Do not drink alcohol. No amount of alcohol is safe in pregnancy.
- Use safe herbal teas in moderation (2 cups per day). Most herbal teas are not safe when you are pregnant since the risks to your baby are unclear.
- Cut back on caffeine in drinks. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, and hot chocolate. Caffeine passes from mother to baby. High amounts of caffeine in a diet can lead to a low birth weight baby or miscarriage.
- Avoid meal replacement drinks or nutritional supplements unless advised to take by your health care provider. These drinks contain lots of sugar and extra energy.
Are we missing any tips to stay hydrated? Tell us how you hydrate in pregnancy.
