Articles > Pre & Post Natal Fitness |
 Water is essential protection from the dangers of dehydration and subsequent overheating during (and after) pregnancy. It is important to be well hydrated even when not pregnant but once you are you need to take extra care to drink plnety of water and other fluids!
Water has many important functions in your body:
* Aids in the softening of food and the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
* Major component of your blood.
* Lubricates your joints and internal organs.
* Acts a coolant and helps regulate your body temperature.
* Helps in the elimination of waste products and toxins.
Drinking more water can ease some of the common discomforts that women experience during pregnancy. These discomforts include headache, constipation, hemorrhoids, uterine cramping, heartburn, nausea, and bladder infection.
Water needs increase during pregnancy because of the extra calories that you are consuming and the additional blood that is being produced. Also with greater body weight you will sweat more and have greater need for water as a coolant.
Pregnant women should consume a minimum of 8 - 12 cups or 2 - 3 litres of water each day. Drinking water is the best way to meet the body's fluid needs, however, other food sources can be used to help supplement this such as fruit and vegetable juices, milk, and soup. We recommedn you do not use tea, coffee, and cola to hydrate your body as they contain sodium and caffeine that can have a diuretic effect which will actually increase your water needs.
Thirst is not a good indicator of water need. An easy test to see if you are drinking enough water is to check the color of your urine. Dark yellow urine should only be noticed with the first urination of the morning. The rest of the day your urine color should be pale yellow to clear. If not… then drink up!
To find out more about water during pregnancy, prenatal & postnatal fitness, or exercising before or after pregnancy please or contact us!
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