Water makes up about 70% of an adult’s body weight. So staying hydrated is very important to every living being. Even plants cannot survive without water. This is why there is usually no plant life in a desert. The presence of enough water in the body is essential to help flush out toxins and absorb essential nutrients from the food we eat and these are very important especially during pregnancy. A pregnant woman even needs more water than the average human being in order to form amniotic fluid, produce extra blood, carry nutrients around , and build new tissue. Let us see how hydration helps benefit the baby during pregnancy.
Better food transport for your baby
If you have ever wondered how prenatal vitamins and the food you are consuming every day are delivered to the baby in your womb, then you may have underestimated the importance of water in your body during that time. The presence of water in the body of a pregnant woman helps absorb essential nutrients and transports vitamins, hormones, and minerals to blood cells. The nutrient-rich blood cells ultimately reach your baby. Staying hydrated as a pregnant woman also helps to preserve an ideal level of amniotic fluid, helping fetal kidney function.
Breast milk production
Breast milk is composed of 87% water on average and the quantity of milk produced during pregnancy usually meets the needs of the baby whether you are well hydrated or not. This will mean that you as the mother need to compensate for that loss in water by drinking more of it. It is even more important when you have been delivered of your baby and start breastfeeding. If you do not drink enough water, breast milk production could weaken you and reduce the amount of blood in your system. This will not only affect you but the baby in your womb because there won’t be enough water in your body to provide the baby with nutrients anymore.
Helps you prepare for labor
Staying hydrated at the end of your pregnancy is vital because you could go into labor anytime. Checking up on your due date for better labor preparation is a healthy practice. The due date calculator works for most women. There could be exceptions when the baby comes way earlier and has to be put in an incubator but most of the time, calculating when you will be due is helpful. So, when you are close, hydration is more important than ever. No matter how swollen you feel or the urge to always urinate, you still need to ensure that you are taking enough water. This is because, if labor starts, and it meets you fully hydrated, you may be less likely to need intravenous fluids and you will have far more energy and stamina to push.
Reduces the risk of infections
Hydration during pregnancy helps prevent urinary tract infections, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Enough water in the system also helps to dissolve waste and flush it from the kidneys, thereby keeping your urine diluted. The movement of solid waste more speedily down the digestive path helps you avert numerous health concerns and this is more important if you are expecting a baby. You can know that you have enough water in your system as a pregnant woman if you make more trips to the bathroom and your urine is always pale or colorless.
Reduces swelling of the feet
Most people feel that the swellings of the feet that are usually experienced during pregnancy is an indication to reduce water intake. This is not true. The more hydrated you are as a pregnant woman, the less fluid your body will store in your tissues. So, it is important to introduce more fluids into your body when you have swelling by eating lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking natural water.
Final word
There are usually functions of water in the body. However, for a pregnant woman, these essential functions are more important than ever as the woman strives to cope with her ever-changing body and maintain a healthy environment for her unborn baby. While making sure to stay hydrated, it is never a bad idea to assess the cleanliness of your drinking water. Drink from a filtered source to avoid chemicals that could harm a fetus such as lead and mercury.
