BiH
If you’re pregnant. Congratulations! Your body is now busy growing a tiny human! It’s a very special time and a time to be extra kind to your body and the little human growing inside it.
You may be doing all the right things, like taking folic acid and eating greens but one simple thing that may get overlooked is the fact that you’ll need to drink more water.
And filtered water is a great healthy option for you and your growing baby.
So why do you need to drink more water if you are pregnant?
Firstly, water is needed to form amniotic fluid to protect the baby for nine months.
The body also needs enough water to absorb the extra vitamins and nutrients. And help transport them to the placenta and then onto the baby.
Your doctor will most probably advise you to stop drinking caffeine and alcohol.
So what’s the next best thing? You got it…filtered water!
According to Dr Emma Derbyshire in her book, ‘Nutrition in the Childbearing Years’, she advises that filtered water is an excellent choice for mums-to-be. A great way to rehydrate without the extra calories and sugars.
Pregnancy can sometimes take its toll on your body too so drinking enough water also helps with some pregnancy related conditions, as follows:
-To Help Cool Down & Regulate Body Temperature
Pregnant ladies often feel the heat more so drinking enough filtered water helps regulate body temperature and helps to keep the body cool.
-Helps Prevent Tiredness
Drinking more filtered water helps keep the pregnancy tiredness and headaches away.
-Helps Prevent Swollen Ankles
When pregnant your body often produces excess sodium which can lead to edema or swollen feet and ankles. Drinking enough water helps your body get rid of the excess sodium and helps stop the swelling.
-Stops Constipation and bloating
Again constipation and bloating can be more common in pregnancy. This is because of extra pregnancy hormones which slows down metabolism. Drinking filtered water will help with this. It can also help with morning sickness and nausea.
-Helps to Prevent UTIs
Drinking enough filtered water can help prevent UTIs, these can be more common in pregnancy. Eating and drinking for two means twice as much comes out the other end! So the filtered water helps dissolve waste and flush out your kidneys and keeps your urine diluted so helps prevent UTIs.
-Helps Stop Dehydration
In pregnancy severe dehydration may lead to miscarriage and preterm labour. Don’t be alarmed but be aware of the common dehydration signs and if in doubt consult your doctor.
Tap Water vs Filtered Water?
Tap water is disinfected with chlorine to kill bacteria and viruses which stops widespread waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera. It makes our tap water drinkable. The amount of chlorine is heavily regulated by State Drinking Water Guidelines.
However, there are some controversial views that suggest that the chlorine in tap water can be a problem. Some report an increase in the risk of certain cancers.
The fact remains that we use chlorine in our swimming pools to keep them clean. Should we really be drinking it?
If you are concerned and want to make a healthy choice to remove the chlorine and potential nasties then it’s best to install a water filter such as a RO water filter. You’ll have the peace of mind that the water filter will filter down to one micron and will remove any potential cysts and harsh chemicals like chlorine. Without the chlorine, your water will taste better too.
How much more water should you drink during pregnancy?
Australian Institute of Medicine recommends about 10 cups of fluid a day.
Dr Emma Derbyshire advises,
“Women should increase their total water intake by an extra 300 ml/day during pregnancy and 700 ml/day during breastfeeding, make water the first choice when it comes to hydration.”
Generally as a guide try to remember to drink one more glass of filtered water than usual. But don’t drink it too quickly. Another tip is to drink water slowly in sips. As the baby grows everything gets a little squished and your bladder will need emptying more frequently too!
Birth & Breastfeeding
Once you have your baby in your arms you may choose to breastfeed. If that’s the case then you’ll need to drink more filtered water as your body needs it to produce breast milk. It’s good practice to drink a glass of water every time you feed your baby.
If you choose to use formula then with a RO water filter there is no need to boil it as all the nasties have already been removed.
After Weaning & Beyond
Once your baby is old enough to drink water, you may want to give him or her filtered water as a healthy option. And without the smell or taste of chlorine they’ll want to drink more. So they’ll already be on the way to a healthy drinking water habit.
For a growing family a RO water filter will be the best investment you’ll ever make. Better than some of the other baby gadgets that are outgrown very quickly!
Buy a RO water filter today or better still put it on your baby shower gift list!